Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Music Performance

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k

17 Ranked Colleges
274 Degrees Awarded
$16,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 7,957 people earned their degree in music performance, making the major the 103rd most popular in the United States.

Across Illinois, there were 274 music performance graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 17 colleges that offered a degree in music performance. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality music performance programs that also have a lower cost than 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.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 17 Best Value Colleges for Music Performance (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

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 in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k. Northwestern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 34 ’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also took the #1 spot in our “Best Music Performance Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $1,866 for Illinois Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northwestern.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 Northwestern University Music Performance Report

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 21 ’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also took the #3 spot in our “Best Music Performance Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $5,477 for Illinois Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Music Performance at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#3

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northern Illinois University landed the #3 spot on the list. Northern Illinois University is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 40 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

NIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Music Performance Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northern Illinois University is $15,281 for Illinois Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full NIU Music Performance Report

#4

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Western Illinois University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k. WIU is located in Macomb, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 38 ’s music performance degrees to qualified students.

WIU also made our “Best Music Performance Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend WIU is $13,942 for illinois music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Music Performance at WIU

#5

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Illinois State University landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in Normal, Illinois, and it awarded 25 ’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Music Performance Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $14,470 for Illinois Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Illinois State University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Performance at Illinois State University

With a ranking of #6, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. UIC is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIC, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Music Performance Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Chicago is $10,648 for illinois music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.

Read full report on Music Performance at UIC

#7

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Wheaton, Illinois, and it awarded 8 ’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Illinois did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Music Performance Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Illinois is $18,440 for Illinois Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Wheaton College Illinois Music Performance Report

#8

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois

Millikin University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Millikin is a small school located in Decatur, Illinois that handed out 21 ’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.

Millikin also took the #9 spot in our “Best Music Performance Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $17,656 for illinois music performance students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Millikin.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Music Performance at Millikin

#9

North Park University

Chicago, Illinois

North Park University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 4 ’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.

North Park also took the #7 spot in our “Best Music Performance Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Park University is $17,808 for illinois music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Music Performance at North Park University

#10

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois

With a ranking of #10, Elmhurst University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Elmhurst is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Elmhurst, Illinois. It awarded 5 ’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Elmhurst, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Music Performance Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Elmhurst is $16,903 for Illinois Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Performance at Elmhurst

#11

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois

Bradley University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. Bradley University is located in Peoria, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 ’s music performance degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Bradley, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Music Performance Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bradley University is $17,205 for Illinois Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music Performance at Bradley University

#12

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Olivet Nazarene University is a small school located in Bourbonnais, Illinois that handed out 1 ’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois music performance students whose families make $0-$30k list, Olivet Nazarene has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Music Performance Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Olivet Nazarene is $15,806 for Illinois Music Performance students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Performance at Olivet Nazarene

#13

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois

Augustana College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Rock Island, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s music performance degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Augustana, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Music Performance Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Augustana College is $20,355 for illinois 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 85%. The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.

Read more about Music Performance at Augustana College

#14

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois

Illinois Wesleyan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. Illinois Wesleyan University is located in Bloomington, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 ’s music performance degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois Wesleyan, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Music Performance Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Illinois Wesleyan is $18,570 for illinois music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%.

Read more about Music Performance at Illinois Wesleyan University

#15

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Columbia College Chicago came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s music performance degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

Columbia also made our “Best Music Performance Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend Columbia is $27,120 for illinois music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Columbia Music Performance Report

#16

Roosevelt University

Chicago, Illinois

Roosevelt University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. Roosevelt University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois music performance students whose families make $0-$30k list, Roosevelt has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Music Performance Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Roosevelt is $20,398 for illinois music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Roosevelt University Music Performance Report

#17

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Performance Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. DePaul University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 59 ’s music performance degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at DePaul, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Music Performance Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend DePaul University is $26,173 for illinois music performance students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music Performance at DePaul

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

Find Schools Near You