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2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k

13 Ranked Colleges
82 Degrees Awarded
$33,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $75-$110k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Music Theory & Composition is the 415th most popular major in the country with 1,117 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across California, there were 253 music theory and composition graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 82 music theory and composition graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking looked at 13 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in music theory and composition. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great music theory and composition programs and cost less that 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.

More Ways to Rank Music Theory & Composition Schools

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest 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 Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $75-$110k.

Top 13 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition (Income $75-$110k) in California

#1

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k. University of California - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

UCLA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $19,590 for california bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UCLA.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at UCLA

#2

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #2 spot on the list. University of California - Santa Barbara is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSB, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCSB is $22,226 for california bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at University of California - Santa Barbara

#3

University of Redlands

Redlands, California
#8 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Redlands. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k. Located in Redlands, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 3 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music composition students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $75-$110k list, University of Redlands has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Redlands is $27,920 for California Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 Theory & Composition at University of Redlands

#4

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Southern California. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. USC is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $75-$110k list, USC has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for USC is $30,858 for california bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at USC

#5

University of the Pacific

Stockton, California
#10 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of the Pacific. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k. University of the Pacific is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stockton, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $75-$110k list, Pacific has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Pacific is $30,956 for California Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 more about Music Theory & Composition at University of the Pacific

#6

San Francisco Conservatory of Music

San Francisco, California
#6 in overall quality

San Francisco Conservatory of Music landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. SFCM is a small private not-for-profit school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 2 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SFCM, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $39,757 for California Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend SFCM.

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%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at SFCM

#7

Biola University

La Mirada, California
#9 in overall quality

Biola University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. La Mirada, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music composition degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

Biola did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $32,123 for California Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Biola University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Biola

#8

Pepperdine University

Malibu, California
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Pepperdine University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Pepperdine University is located in Malibu, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $75-$110k list, Pepperdine has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $33,611 for California Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Pepperdine.

The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Pepperdine University Music Theory & Composition Report

#9

Point Loma Nazarene University

San Diego, California
#11 in overall quality

Point Loma Nazarene University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This small school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree music composition students whose families make $75-$110k list, PLNU has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $33,138 for California Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Point Loma Nazarene University.

The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 Theory & Composition at Point Loma Nazarene University

#10

Chapman University

Orange, California
#4 in overall quality

Chapman University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Orange, California, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

Chapman also took the #4 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Chapman is $37,848 for California Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, 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 85%.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Chapman

#11

California Institute of the Arts

Valencia, California
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, California Institute of the Arts did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. California Institute of the Arts is located in Valencia, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

CalArts not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for CalArts is $53,382 for California Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at California Institute of the Arts

#12

Academy of Art University

San Francisco, California
#12 in overall quality

Academy of Art University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #12. Academy of Art University is located in San Francisco, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.

Academy of Art University also took the #12 spot in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Academy of Art University is $36,626 for California Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full Academy of Art University Music Theory & Composition Report

#13

Los Angeles Film School

Hollywood, California
#13 in overall quality

Los Angeles Film School ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Los Angeles Film School is a medium-sized school located in Hollywood, California that handed out 6 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

LA Film School not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Music Theory & Composition Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for LA Film School is $33,686 for California Bachelor’s Degree Music Composition students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at LA Film School

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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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