by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 53 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for music theory & composition students pursuing a master's degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 297 master's degrees in music theory & composition during the 2020-2021 academic year.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The music composition master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we consider a school's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a collection of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for music theory & composition students working on their master's degree.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Music Theory & Composition Master's Degree Schools list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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 theory & composition students seeking a a master's degree.
Rice University is a wonderful option for students interested in a master's degree in music theory & composition. Located in the large city of Houston, Rice is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population.More information about a master’s in music theory & composition from Rice University
It's hard to beat Northwestern University if you want to pursue a master's degree in music theory & composition. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in music theory & composition from Northwestern University
It's hard to beat Yale University if you want to pursue a master's degree in music theory & composition. Yale is a large private not-for-profit university located in the medium-sized city of New Haven.More information about a master’s in music theory & composition from Yale University
It's hard to beat University of Southern California if you wish to pursue a master's degree in music theory & composition. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in music theory & composition from University of Southern California
NYU is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of New York.More information about a master’s in music theory & composition from New York University
Juilliard is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of New York.More information about a master’s in music theory & composition from The Juilliard School
Michigan State is a fairly large public university located in the city of East Lansing.More information about a master’s in music theory & composition from Michigan State University
Located in the city of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in music theory & composition from Johns Hopkins University
Carnegie Mellon is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Pittsburgh.More information about a master’s in music theory & composition from Carnegie Mellon University
Located in the midsize city of Ann Arbor, U-M is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in music theory & composition from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
View the Best Music Theory & Composition Master's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
Music Theory & Composition is one of 17 different types of Music programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Music Performance | 2,066 |
| General Music | 1,777 |
| Keyboard Instruments | 262 |
| Stringed Instruments | 249 |
| Voice Performance | 246 |
| Other Music | 192 |
| Jazz Studies | 183 |
| Music Pedagogy | 138 |
| Conducting | 111 |
| Music Technology | 67 |
