2023 Best Value Colleges for Music
493
Ranked Colleges
25,910
Degrees Awarded
$15,200
Avg Net Price*
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Music Schools” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 25,910 people earned their degree in music, making the major the 43rd most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, music graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $27,160 and had an average of $24,560 in loans still to pay off.
For this year’s “Best Value Music Schools” ranking, we looked at 493 colleges that offer a degree in music. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great music programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the music program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
One Size Does Not Fit All
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Music Schools” list to help you make the college decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Music Schools
The colleges and universities below are the best for music students.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Music
Out of the 493 schools in the Best Value Music Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Provo landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Provo, Utah, and it awarded 82 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
BYU excels when it comes to music quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Music Schools” list. It costs about $13,474 for Music students per year to attend BYU.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Music at Brigham Young University - Provo
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Messiah University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Music Schools list. Located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 61 degrees to qualified ’s music students in 2020-2021.
Messiah not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Music Schools” list. It costs about $26,864 for Music students per year to attend Messiah University.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Music at Messiah
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Valencia College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Music Schools. Orlando, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s music degrees to 113 students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Valencia College is $5,354 for music students.
Full Valencia College Music Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Music Schools. North Dakota State University - Main Campus is located in Fargo, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 ’s music degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on this list, North Dakota State University is in the top on our “Best Music Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $16,998 for music students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full North Dakota State University Music Report
Out of the 493 schools in the Best Value Music Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Northern Iowa landed the #5 spot on the list. UNI is a public institution located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 36 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UNI is also in the top of our “Best Music Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend UNI is $16,438 for Music students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of Northern Iowa Music Report
With a ranking of #6, West Texas A&M University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools list. This medium-sized school is located in Canyon, Texas, and it awarded 47 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for West Texas A&M University is $15,033 for music students.
Read more about Music at West Texas A&M University
With a ranking of #7, Brigham Young University - Idaho did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools list. BYU - I is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rexburg, Idaho. The school has a large population, and it awarded 35 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Brigham Young University - Idaho is $6,698 for Music students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Music at Brigham Young University - Idaho
Truman State University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools ranking. Truman State University is a small school located in Kirksville, Missouri that handed out 30 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $12,301 for music students per year to attend Truman State.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.
Read full report on Music at Truman State University
University of North Texas ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools list. UNT is located in Denton, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 324 ’s music degrees to qualified students.
UNT also claimed a top spot on our “Best Music Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend University of North Texas is $14,122 for Music students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full UNT Music Report
University of South Dakota came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Vermillion, South Dakota, and it awarded 15 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend University of South Dakota is $19,389 for Music students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Music at USD
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Music Schools ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school handed out 48 diplomas to qualified ’s music students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $16,051 for Music students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire.
Read more about Music at UW - Eau Claire
Liberty University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools ranking. Liberty University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Lynchburg, Virginia. It awarded 119 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $29,382 for music students per year to attend Liberty University.
Read full report on Music at Liberty University
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Music Schools ranking, coming in at #13. This medium-sized school is located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 15 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $19,927 for Music students per year to attend SRU.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Music at SRU
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools ranking. Edinburg, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s music degrees to 57 students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for UT Rio Grande Valley is $3,743 for Music students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Music Report
With a ranking of #15, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools list. University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is a fairly large public school situated in Whitewater, Wisconsin. It awarded 26 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $14,417 for music students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater.
Read full report on Music at UW - Whitewater
University of Akron Main Campus landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools ranking. University of Akron Main Campus is a public institution located in Akron, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 28 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $17,945 for music students per year to attend University of Akron Main Campus.
Read full report on Music at University of Akron Main Campus
University of Southern Mississippi came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools ranking. Hattiesburg, Mississippi is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s music degrees to 67 students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Southern Miss is $14,032 for Music students.
Full University of Southern Mississippi Music Report
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools list. Located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school awarded 12 degrees to qualified ’s music students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $13,346 for music students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.
Full University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Music Report
Texas Tech University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools ranking. Lubbock, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s music degrees to 123 students in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Texas Tech also did well on our “Best Music Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Texas Tech is $16,194 for music students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Texas Tech University Music Report
Western Illinois University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools list. Western Illinois University is a public institution located in Macomb, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 44 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for WIU is $15,305 for music students.
Read more about Music at WIU
University of Houston came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools ranking. This large school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 115 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on this list, UH is in the top on our “Best Music Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for UH is $13,721 for music students.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Houston Music Report
Illinois State University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools ranking. Normal, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s music degrees to 75 students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State is $20,830 for Music students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Music at Illinois State University
With a ranking of #23, University of Central Arkansas did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Music Schools list. UCA is a fairly large public school situated in Conway, Arkansas. It awarded 54 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for UCA is $16,554 for Music students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Music at UCA
El Centro College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools list. This large school is located in Dallas, Texas, and it awarded 45 ’s music degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend El Centro College is $4,739 for Music students.
Read more about Music at El Centro College
Missouri State University - Springfield ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools list. Springfield, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s music degrees to 47 students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Missouri State is $16,718 for Music students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Missouri State University - Springfield Music Report
college factual
