[Music Performance](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/music-performance/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong music performance education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 21 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for music performance students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in music performance, balancing cost against outcomes.
Our analysis ranked University Of North Carolina At Greensboro the best value for a degree in music performance in North Carolina. University Of North Carolina At Greensboro is a large public school located in the city of Greensboro. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,661, while out-of-state students pay about $24,012. Music Performance graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Early-career music performance graduates make about $24,315. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. University Of North Carolina At Greensboro admits about 88% of applicants.
University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a great value for students pursuing a degree in music performance, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,994, with out-of-state students paying around $41,203. Students borrow a median of $19,000 to complete the music performance program here. Music Performance graduates of University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill earn a median of $32,880 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 15% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in music performance will find it at Western Carolina University, which ranked #3. Set in the town of Cullowhee, Western Carolina University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,630, compared with $8,630 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the music performance program here. Music Performance graduates of Western Carolina University earn a median of $26,135 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Western Carolina University admits about 82% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in music performance will find it at University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts, which ranked #4. University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts is a small public school located in the city of Winston Salem. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,477, while out-of-state students pay about $27,211. Typical student debt for music performance graduates is $23,143. Soon after graduation, music performance degree recipients from University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts generally make around $19,939. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 30%.
University Of North Carolina At Charlotte came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value music performance schools. Located in the city of Charlotte, University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $7,239, with out-of-state students paying around $22,492. Students borrow a median of $25,858 to complete the music performance program here. Soon after graduation, music performance degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Charlotte generally make around $38,831. That is a strong return on a $25,858 median debt. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
East Carolina University landed the #6 spot for music performance value this year. Set in the city of Greenville, East Carolina University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,361, with out-of-state students paying around $23,638. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the music performance program here. Soon after graduation, music performance degree recipients from East Carolina University generally make around $51,931. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
More Music Performance Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 21 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.
