2027 Best Value General Music Schools in Minnesota

[General Music](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/general-music/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general music students.
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2027 Best Value General Music Schools in Minnesota
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general music, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Music Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Minnesota Twin Cities the best value for a degree in general music in Minnesota. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public school located in the city of Minneapolis. In-state tuition and fees average $17,214, with out-of-state students paying around $38,362. General Music graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans. General Music graduates of University Of Minnesota Twin Cities earn a median of $28,677 early in their careers. Set against $19,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general music will find it at University Of Minnesota Duluth, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Duluth, University Of Minnesota Duluth is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,608, while out-of-state students pay about $20,134. General Music graduates carry a median of $24,427 in student loans. General Music graduates of University Of Minnesota Duluth earn a median of $31,780 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Gustavus Adolphus College earned it the #3 place for general music. Set in the town of Saint Peter, Gustavus Adolphus College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $56,076. Students borrow a median of $26,197 to complete the general music program here. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from Gustavus Adolphus College generally make around $44,396. Set against $26,197 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 61%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at St Olaf College earned it the #4 place for general music. Located in the town of Northfield, St Olaf College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $59,760. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $23,750. Early-career general music graduates make about $24,732. Set against $23,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 48%.
Students looking for strong value in general music will find it at Concordia College At Moorhead, which ranked #5. Concordia College At Moorhead is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Moorhead. In-state tuition and fees average $31,170. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general music program here. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from Concordia College At Moorhead generally make around $44,611. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Concordia College At Moorhead admits about 63% of applicants.
University Of St Thomas Minnesota landed the #6 spot for general music value this year. University Of St Thomas Minnesota is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Paul. In-state tuition and fees average $54,398. General Music graduates carry a median of $23,923 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from University Of St Thomas Minnesota generally make around $65,183. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.
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 · 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.