2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music Performance (Income $0-$30k)
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2019-2020, 7,957 people earned their degree in music performance, making the major the 103rd most popular in the United States.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 4,318 music performance graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 263 colleges that offer a degree in music performance. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great music performance programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the music performance program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
Featured Fine Arts & Design schools near Columbus, OH edit
More Ways to Rank Music Performance Schools
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music Performance (Income $0-$30k)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 20 bachelors’s music performance degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree music performance students whose families make $0-$30k list, Northwestern has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern University is $1,866 for bachelor’s degree music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Music Performance at Northwestern University
Out of the 263 schools in the Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Johns Hopkins University landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Baltimore, Maryland, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 52 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music performance students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Johns Hopkins, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Johns Hopkins University is $3,526 for bachelor’s degree music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Music Performance at Johns Hopkins University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school awarded 53 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music performance students in 2019-2020.
U-M also made our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $3,166 for bachelor’s degree music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Full University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Music Performance Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNC Chapel Hill, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UNC Chapel Hill is $4,026 for bachelor’s degree music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.
Read full report on Music Performance at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. UT Rio Grande Valley is a large public school situated in Edinburg, Texas. It awarded 7 bachelors’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree music performance students whose families make $0-$30k list, UT Rio Grande Valley has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UT Rio Grande Valley is $2,993 for bachelor’s degree music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. UW - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree music performance students whose families make $0-$30k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $4,367 for Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Music Performance at University of Wisconsin - Madison
With a ranking of #7, Hunter College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s music performance degrees to 32 students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $320 for Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Hunter College.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Florida State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this large public school awarded 29 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music performance students in 2019-2020.
Florida State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Florida State University is $5,360 for bachelor’s degree music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low student loan default rate of 3.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 21 bachelors’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.
UIUC also claimed a top spot on our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for UIUC is $5,477 for bachelor’s degree music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Music Performance at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school handed out 5 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s music performance students in 2019-2020.
UW Seattle excels when it comes to music performance quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for University of Washington - Seattle Campus is $7,850 for bachelor’s degree music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
California State University - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. California State University - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $1,379 for Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cal State LA.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full California State University - Los Angeles Music Performance Report
University of Maryland - College Park ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. UMCP is a public institution located in College Park, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, UMCP is in the top on our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for UMCP is $8,054 for Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Brigham Young University - Idaho ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Rexburg, Idaho, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 37 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music performance students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for BYU - I is $2,637 for bachelor’s degree music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low student loan default rate of 3.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
University of North Texas ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of North Texas is located in Denton, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 46 bachelors’s music performance degrees to qualified students.
UNT excels when it comes to music performance quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Texas is $8,521 for bachelor’s degree music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. IU Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 116 bachelors’s music performance degrees to qualified students.
On top of its placing in this ranking, IU Bloomington also did well on our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $4,969 for bachelor’s degree music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
The City College of New York landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. The City College of New York is located in New York, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s music performance degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend CCNY is $704 for bachelor’s degree music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
Truman State University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Truman State is located in Kirksville, Missouri and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s music performance degrees to qualified students.
Truman State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Truman State University is $7,564 for Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #18, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Michigan State is a large public school situated in East Lansing, Michigan. It awarded 18 bachelors’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Michigan State is also in the top of our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State University is $6,686 for Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Central Florida landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UCF is a public institution located in Orlando, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for UCF is $6,211 for Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Queens College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Queens, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s music performance degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Queens College is $1,255 for bachelor’s degree music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
University of North Carolina School of the Arts ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of North Carolina School of the Arts is a public institution located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for University of North Carolina School of the Arts is $3,456 for Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full University of North Carolina School of the Arts Music Performance Report
University of California - Los Angeles came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UCLA is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UCLA also took the #10 spot in our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $8,553 for Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Music Performance at University of California - Los Angeles
Oberlin College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Oberlin College is a small school located in Oberlin, Ohio that handed out 98 bachelors’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.
Oberlin also made our “Best Music Performance Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for Oberlin College is $9,037 for Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
University of California - Irvine came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of California - Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s music performance degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Irvine is $9,558 for bachelor’s degree music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
California State University - Fullerton landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Fullerton, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s music performance degrees to 33 students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fullerton is $4,291 for Bachelor’s Degree Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Music Performance at California State University - Fullerton
Rest of the Best 40 in Best Value Music Performance Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k
Not only did these schools make the top 40 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Narrow Results by Region
Southeast
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Performance (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region
Rocky Mountains
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Performance (Income $0-$30k) in the Rocky Mountains Region
Middle Atlantic
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Performance (Income $0-$30k) in the Middle Atlantic Region
Southwest
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Performance (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region
New England
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Performance (Income $0-$30k) in the New England Region
Plains States
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Performance (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region
Far Western US
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Performance (Income $0-$30k) in the Far Western US Region
Great Lakes
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Performance (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
Switch to a More General Major
Switch to a Similar Major
General Music
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for General Music (Income $0-$30k)
Music Theory & Composition
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition (Income $0-$30k)
Conducting
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Conducting (Income $0-$30k)
Voice Performance
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Voice Performance (Income $0-$30k)
Stringed Instruments
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Stringed Instruments (Income $0-$30k)
Music Technology
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Technology (Income $0-$30k)
Woodwind Instruments
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Woodwind Instruments (Income $0-$30k)
Other Music
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Other Music (Income $0-$30k)
Music History
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music History (Income $0-$30k)
Musicology & Ethnomusicology
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Musicology & Ethnomusicology (Income $0-$30k)
Keyboard Instruments
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Keyboard Instruments (Income $0-$30k)
Jazz Studies
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Jazz Studies (Income $0-$30k)
Music Pedagogy
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Pedagogy (Income $0-$30k)
Brass Instruments
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Brass Instruments (Income $0-$30k)
Percussion Instruments
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Percussion Instruments (Income $0-$30k)
Switch to a Different Ranking Method
Best Music Performance Bachelor's Degree Schools
Music Performance students
Most Focused Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Performance
Music Performance students
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Online Music Performance Schools
Music Performance students
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Performance (Income $0-$30k)
Music Performance students with family income less than $30k
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Performance (Income $48-$75k)
Music Performance students with family income $48-$75k
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Performance (Income Over $110k)
Music Performance students with family income exceeding $110k
Highest Paid Bachelor's Degree Music Performance Graduates
Music Performance students
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Performance
Music Performance students
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Performance (With Aid)
Music Performance students getting aid
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Performance (Income $30-$48k)
Music Performance students with family income $30-$48k
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music Performance (Income $75-$110k)
Music Performance students with family income $75-$110k
Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Featured Performing Arts Schools
Request Info
|
Southern New Hampshire University
You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs ... Learn More > |
College Factual provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© 2025 College Factual – All Rights Reserved.