2022 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition (Income $30-$48k) in the Far Western US Region

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Doctorate in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 1,117 people earned their degree in music theory and composition, making the major the 415th most popular in the United States.

Across the Far Western US region, there were 295 music theory and composition graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 16 music theory and composition graduates with average earnings and debt of $72,342 and $136,270 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Doctorate in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 5 colleges that offer a degree in music theory and composition. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality music theory and composition 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 theory and composition 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 picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Doctorate in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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 Composition Schools for a Doctorate in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Doctorate in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 5 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition (Income $30-$48k) in the Far Western US Region

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California

#1 in overall quality

$55,011 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Doctorate in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Stanford, California, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Stanford also took the #1 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford are $55,011, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Stanford University

#2

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

#1 in overall quality

$48,715 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Southern California. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Doctorate in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s music composition degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

USC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at USC are $48,715, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of Southern California Music Theory & Composition Report

#3

University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California

#4 in overall quality

$28,952 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Santa Cruz. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Doctorate in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Santa Cruz, California, this fairly large public school awarded 3 degrees to qualified doctorate’s music composition students in 2019-2020.

UC Santa Cruz also took the #4 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Santa Cruz are $28,952.

Full UC Santa Cruz Music Theory & Composition Report

#4

University of Oregon

Eugene, Oregon

#2 in overall quality

$29,991 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Doctorate in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Oregon landed the #4 spot on the list. University of Oregon is a large school located in Eugene, Oregon that handed out 3 doctorate’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our far western us region doctor’s degree music composition students whose families make $30-$48k list, UO has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UO are $29,991, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at University of Oregon

#5

California Institute of the Arts

Valencia, California

#3 in overall quality

$53,466 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Doctorate in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of the Arts landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Valencia, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s music composition students in 2019-2020.

CalArts did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at California Institute of the Arts are $53,466, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at CalArts

• Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition (Income $30-$48k)

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.

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