by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual reviewed 38 schools in the Plains States Region to determine which ones were the best for bachelor's degree seekers in the field of music. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 862 bachelor's degrees in music during the 2020-2021 academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
Your choice of music for getting your bachelor's degree school matters. Important measures of a quality music program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their bachelor's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. After all, your bachelor's degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for music students working on their bachelor's degree.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Music Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Earn the music business degree that fits into the business world – and partners Southern New Hampshire University with world-renowned Berklee College of Music.
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a bachelor's degree in music.
It is hard to beat Washington University in St Louis if you want to pursue a bachelor's degree in music. Located in the suburb of Saint Louis, WUSTL is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in music from Washington University in St Louis
University of Iowa is a wonderful option for students pursuing a bachelor's degree in music. Iowa is a very large public university located in the small city of Iowa City.
Bachelor's recipients from the music major at University of Iowa get $3,637 above the average college grad in this field shortly after graduation.
More information about a bachelor’s in music from University of Iowa
St Olaf College is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a bachelor's degree in music. St. Olaf is a small private not-for-profit college located in the distant town of Northfield.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the music program report average early career income of $24,029.
More information about a bachelor’s in music from St Olaf College
It's difficult to beat Luther College if you wish to pursue a bachelor's degree in music. Luther is a small private not-for-profit college located in the remote town of Decorah.
Music bachelor's degree recipients from Luther College earn a boost of about $9,313 above the typical earnings of music graduates.
More information about a bachelor’s in music from Luther College
Located in the midsize city of Des Moines, Drake is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a bachelor’s in music from Drake University
UMKC is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Kansas City.More information about a bachelor’s in music from University of Missouri - Kansas City
North Dakota State University is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Fargo.
Bachelor's recipients from the music degree program at North Dakota State University - Main Campus earn $10,694 more than the typical graduate in this field shortly after graduation.
More information about a bachelor’s in music from North Dakota State University - Main Campus
Mizzou is a very large public university located in the city of Columbia.
Bachelor's recipients from the music major at University of Missouri - Columbia get $2,356 more than the typical graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.
More information about a bachelor’s in music from University of Missouri - Columbia
Located in the small city of Cedar Falls, UNI is a public university with a medium-sized student population.More information about a bachelor’s in music from University of Northern Iowa
Located in the large city of Minneapolis, UMN Twin Cities is a public university with a fairly large student population.
After graduating, music bachelor's recipients usually make about $25,186 in their early careers.
More information about a bachelor’s in music from University of Minnesota - Twin CitiesExplore the best music schools for a specific state in the Plains States Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri | 228 | 226 |
| Minnesota | 215 | 197 |
| Iowa | 197 | 177 |
| Kansas | 184 | 102 |
| Nebraska | 180 | 76 |
| North Dakota | 149 | 62 |
| South Dakota | 148 | 21 |
Music is one of 10 different types of Visual & Performing Arts programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Music | 643 |
| Music Performance | 150 |
| Other Music | 19 |
| Jazz Studies | 17 |
| Music Theory & Composition | 11 |
| Music Pedagogy | 7 |
| Music Technology | 7 |
| Voice Performance | 4 |
| Keyboard Instruments | 3 |
| Music History | 1 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Fine & Studio Arts | 1,493 |
| Design & Applied Arts | 1,402 |
| Drama & Theater Arts | 798 |
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 423 |
| General Visual & Performing Arts | 229 |
| Dance | 96 |
| Arts & Media Management | 50 |
| Other Visual Art | 5 |
