by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual looked at 21 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Music Master's Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 705 master's degrees in music to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
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.
The music master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. 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 for a Master's Degree 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 master's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. After all, your master'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 colleges for music students working on their master's degree.
The music school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Music Master's Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region.
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.
Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for music students seeking a a master's degree.
University of Southern California is a great decision for individuals interested in a master's degree in music. USC is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Los Angeles.
After graduating, music master's recipients generally earn around $27,510 in their early careers.
More information about a master’s in music from University of Southern California
San Francisco Conservatory of Music is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a master's degree in music. SFCM is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of San Francisco.
Master's recipients from the music major at San Francisco Conservatory of Music get $2,952 more than the average graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.
More information about a master’s in music from San Francisco Conservatory of Music
University of California - Los Angeles is a good decision for individuals interested in a master's degree in music. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a very large student population.
Students who graduate with their master's from the music program report average early career wages of $15,520.
More information about a master’s in music from University of California - Los Angeles
University of Oregon is a great choice for individuals pursuing a master's degree in music. UO is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Eugene.
Students who graduate with their master's from the music program state that they receive average early career income of $20,707.
More information about a master’s in music from University of Oregon
Located in the city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in music from University of Washington - Seattle Campus
Located in the city of Redlands, University of Redlands is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.More information about a master’s in music from University of Redlands
Located in the large suburb of Valencia, CalArts is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
After graduating, music master's recipients generally earn around $17,850 in their early careers.
More information about a master’s in music from California Institute of the Arts
Located in the city of Northridge, CSUN is a public university with a very large student population.
Those music students who get their master's degree from California State University - Northridge make $5,912 more than the standard music student.
More information about a master’s in music from California State University - Northridge
Portland State University is a fairly large public university located in the city of Portland.More information about a master’s in music from Portland State University
Located in the suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in music from University of California - Santa Barbara
Explore the best music schools for a specific state in the Far Western US Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| California | 253 | 498 |
| Washington | 183 | 47 |
| Oregon | 158 | 63 |
| Nevada | 105 | 27 |
| Hawaii | 85 | 7 |
| Alaska | 52 | 0 |
Music is one of 10 different types of Visual & Performing Arts programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Music | 206 |
| Music Performance | 163 |
| Stringed Instruments | 58 |
| Other Music | 55 |
| Music Theory & Composition | 47 |
| Voice Performance | 46 |
| Jazz Studies | 26 |
| Music Technology | 25 |
| Keyboard Instruments | 19 |
| Musicology & Ethnomusicology | 15 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 890 |
| Fine & Studio Arts | 446 |
| Drama & Theater Arts | 313 |
| Design & Applied Arts | 213 |
| Arts & Media Management | 76 |
| General Visual & Performing Arts | 54 |
| Dance | 53 |
| Other Visual Art | 7 |
