2027 Best Value General Music Schools in Kentucky

[General Music](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/general-music/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general music education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for general music students.
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2027 Best Value General Music Schools in Kentucky
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general music degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Music Schools
Murray State University tops our 2027 list of the best value general music schools in Kentucky. Set in the town of Murray, Murray State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,900, with out-of-state students paying around $19,836. Students borrow a median of $26,731 to complete the general music program here. General Music graduates of Murray State University earn a median of $34,098 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general music will find it at Morehead State University, which ranked #2. Located in the town of Morehead, Morehead State University is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $10,024 in tuition and fees, compared with $14,980 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $25,000. General Music graduates of Morehead State University earn a median of $31,088 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.
A rank of #3 makes Eastern Kentucky University one of the best values for general music. Eastern Kentucky University is a large public school located in the town of Richmond. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,320, with out-of-state students paying around $21,230. General Music graduates carry a median of $20,379 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from Eastern Kentucky University generally make around $30,106. That is a strong return on a $20,379 median debt. Eastern Kentucky University admits about 78% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Louisville earned it the #4 place for general music. Set in the city of Louisville, University Of Louisville is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,136, while out-of-state students pay about $29,482. General Music graduates carry a median of $20,745 in student loans. Early-career general music graduates make about $19,816. That is a strong return on a $20,745 median debt. University Of Louisville admits about 79% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Kentucky one of the best values for general music. Set in the city of Lexington, University Of Kentucky is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,502, compared with $34,140 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,000 to complete the general music program here. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from University Of Kentucky generally make around $30,818. Set against $23,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Kentucky admits about 93% of applicants.
Bellarmine University landed the #6 spot for general music value this year. Bellarmine University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Louisville. Students from in state pay about $48,770 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $26,766. Early-career general music graduates make about $46,024. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Bellarmine University admits about 86% of applicants.
More General Music Rankings
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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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.