2027 Best Value Music Schools in Colorado

[Music](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for music students.
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2027 Best Value Music Schools in Colorado
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in music, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Music Schools
University Of Colorado Denver earned the #1 spot for value among music schools in Colorado. University Of Colorado Denver is a very large public school located in the city of Denver. Students from in state pay about $10,383 in tuition and fees, compared with $29,391 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the music program here. Early-career music graduates make about $29,483. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Colorado Denver admits about 75% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Mesa State College one of the best values for music. Located in the city of Grand Junction, Mesa State College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,927, while out-of-state students pay about $25,124. Music graduates carry a median of $22,310 in student loans. Early-career music graduates make about $43,617. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in music will find it at Metropolitan State College Of Denver, which ranked #3. Metropolitan State College Of Denver is a very large public school located in the city of Denver. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,124, while out-of-state students pay about $30,684. Typical student debt for music graduates is $30,971. Early-career music graduates make about $19,797. That is a strong return on a $30,971 median debt. The acceptance rate is 99%.
University Of Northern Colorado came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value music schools. Located in the city of Greeley, University Of Northern Colorado is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,901, compared with $26,979 for out-of-state students. Music graduates carry a median of $24,354 in student loans. Soon after graduation, music degree recipients from University Of Northern Colorado generally make around $27,731. That is a strong return on a $24,354 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Colorado State University Fort Collins is a great value for students pursuing a degree in music, landing the #5 spot this year. Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public school located in the city of Fort Collins. In-state tuition and fees average $13,373, with out-of-state students paying around $35,061. Typical student debt for music graduates is $26,837. Soon after graduation, music degree recipients from Colorado State University Fort Collins generally make around $46,479. That is a strong return on a $26,837 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
University Of Colorado Boulder placed #6 among the best values for music. Located in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,214, while out-of-state students pay about $42,970. Students borrow a median of $17,288 to complete the music program here. Early-career music graduates make about $32,416. Set against $17,288 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Colorado Boulder admits about 78% of applicants.
University Of Denver landed the #7 spot for music value this year. University Of Denver is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Denver. Students from in state pay about $61,398 in tuition and fees. Music graduates carry a median of $24,250 in student loans. Early-career music graduates make about $23,403. That is a strong return on a $24,250 median debt. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.