2027 Best Value General Music Schools in New Jersey

[General Music](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/general-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 10 schools to find the best return on investment for general music students.
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2027 Best Value General Music Schools in New Jersey
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general music, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Music Schools
Princeton University tops our 2027 list of the best value general music schools in New Jersey. Set in the city of Princeton, Princeton University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $62,688. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $10,888. Early-career general music graduates make about $67,532. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Princeton University admits about 5% of applicants.
Montclair State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general music, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Montclair, Montclair State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,912 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $26,022. General Music graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. General Music graduates of Montclair State University earn a median of $41,164 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 88%.
A rank of #3 makes New Jersey City University one of the best values for general music. New Jersey City University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Jersey City. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,460. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $22,500. Early-career general music graduates make about $18,544. Set against $22,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general music will find it at Ramapo College Of New Jersey, which ranked #4. Set in the suburb of Mahwah, Ramapo College Of New Jersey is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $16,777, while out-of-state students pay about $27,708. General Music graduates carry a median of $23,541 in student loans. Early-career general music graduates make about $23,127. That is a strong return on a $23,541 median debt. Ramapo College Of New Jersey admits about 71% of applicants.
William Paterson University Of New Jersey came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value general music schools. Located in the suburb of Wayne, William Paterson University Of New Jersey is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,704, with out-of-state students paying around $25,344. General Music graduates carry a median of $26,875 in student loans. General Music graduates of William Paterson University Of New Jersey earn a median of $26,621 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. William Paterson University Of New Jersey admits about 90% of applicants.
Rowan University came in at #6 for value in general music this year. Located in the suburb of Glassboro, Rowan University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,574, compared with $26,932 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,500 to complete the general music program here. Early-career general music graduates make about $32,781. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Rowan University admits about 78% of applicants.
Rutgers University New Brunswick ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value general music schools. Rutgers University New Brunswick is a very large public school located in the city of New Brunswick. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,929, while out-of-state students pay about $37,441. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the general music program here. Early-career general music graduates make about $36,818. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Rutgers University New Brunswick admits about 58% of applicants.
Rider University came in at #8 for value in general music this year. Located in the suburb of Lawrenceville, Rider University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $41,120. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $27,000. General Music graduates of Rider University earn a median of $26,943 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
The College Of New Jersey earned the #9 position for value in general music this year. Set in the suburb of Ewing, The College Of New Jersey is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $19,632, while out-of-state students pay about $25,752. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $24,429. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from The College Of New Jersey generally make around $56,617. Set against $24,429 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 62% of applicants are accepted.
Monmouth University earned the #10 position for value in general music this year. Monmouth University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of West Long Branch. In-state tuition and fees average $46,552. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $26,411. Early-career general music graduates make about $24,563. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 89%.
More General Music Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.