by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools in Illinois to determine which ones were the best for music students pursuing a master's degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 292 master's degrees in music during the 2021-2022 academic year.
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 schools 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 Illinois.
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.
Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for music students seeking a a master's degree.
Northwestern University is one of the best schools in the country for getting a master's degree in music. Northwestern is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Evanston.
After graduation, music master's recipients usually earn around $21,290 in their early careers.
More information about a master’s in music from Northwestern University
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a wonderful option for individuals interested in a master's degree in music. Located in the small city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Students who graduate with their master's from the music program state that they receive average early career earnings of $23,379.
More information about a master’s in music from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
DePaul University is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a master's degree in music. Located in the city of Chicago, DePaul is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.
After graduation, music master's recipients typically make an average of $26,615 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a master’s in music from DePaul University
Roosevelt University is a good choice for individuals pursuing a master's degree in music. Located in the city of Chicago, Roosevelt is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.
After graduating, music master's recipients generally earn an average of $29,974 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a master’s in music from Roosevelt University
Located in the large city of Chicago, Columbia is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a master’s in music from Columbia College Chicago
Located in the medium-sized suburb of Normal, Illinois State is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Those music students who get their master's degree from Illinois State University earn $8,779 more than the typical music student.
More information about a master’s in music from Illinois State University
NIU is a fairly large public university located in the small suburb of Dekalb.
Music master's degree recipients from Northern Illinois University earn a boost of approximately $10,340 over the typical earnings of music majors.
More information about a master’s in music from Northern Illinois University
EIU is a medium-sized public university located in the town of Charleston.More information about a master’s in music from Eastern Illinois University
WIU is a moderately-sized public university located in the remote town of Macomb.More information about a master’s in music from Western Illinois University
SIUC is a large public university located in the town of Carbondale.More information about a master’s in music from Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Explore all the Best Music Schools in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.
Music is one of 10 different types of Visual & Performing Arts programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Music | 126 |
| Music Performance | 75 |
| Voice Performance | 27 |
| Stringed Instruments | 24 |
| Other Music | 13 |
| Music Theory & Composition | 9 |
| Keyboard Instruments | 9 |
| Conducting | 3 |
| Jazz Studies | 3 |
| Woodwind Instruments | 2 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Fine & Studio Arts | 278 |
| Arts & Media Management | 145 |
| Drama & Theater Arts | 121 |
| Design & Applied Arts | 82 |
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 62 |
| General Visual & Performing Arts | 10 |
| Dance | 5 |
