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2027 Best Value Music Schools in North Dakota

[Music](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for music students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Music Schools in North Dakota

2027 Best Value Music Schools in North Dakota

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in music, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Music Schools

1

Valley City State University
Valley City, ND

$8,580 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,074 Avg Student Debt

$52,725 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is Valley City State University, our #1 best value for music in North Dakota. Valley City State University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Valley City. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,580, while out-of-state students pay about $13,544. Typical student debt for music graduates is $25,074. Soon after graduation, music degree recipients from Valley City State University generally make around $48,241. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 99%.

2

North Dakota State University Main Campus
Fargo, ND

$10,910 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,153 Avg Student Debt

$62,203 Median Earnings (10yr)

North Dakota State University Main Campus came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value music schools. Located in the city of Fargo, North Dakota State University Main Campus is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,910, compared with $15,564 for out-of-state students. Music graduates carry a median of $25,153 in student loans. Early-career music graduates make about $54,076. That is a strong return on a $25,153 median debt. The acceptance rate is 95%.

View All Music Rankings >

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 · 2 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.