2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Doctorate in California For Those Getting Aid

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 California For Those Getting Aid” 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 California, there were 253 music theory and composition graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 13 music theory and composition graduates with average earnings and debt of $71,544 and $133,402 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Doctorate in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 4 colleges that offer a degree 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the music theory and composition program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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 California For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Doctorate in California For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Doctorate in California For Those Getting Aid.

Top 4 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition in California (With Aid)

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California

#1 in overall quality

$55,011 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Doctorate in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. 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 California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford University are $55,011.

Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Stanford University

#2

University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California

#3 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 #2 on our 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Doctorate in California For Those Getting Aid list. University of California - Santa Cruz is a fairly large school located in Santa Cruz, California that handed out 3 doctorate’s music composition degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california doctor’s degree music composition students with aid list, UC Santa Cruz has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Music Theory & Composition Doctor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Santa Cruz are $28,952, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at UC Santa Cruz

#3

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

#1 in overall quality

$48,715 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Southern California. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Doctorate in California For Those Getting Aid list. University of Southern California is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 4 doctorate’s music composition degrees 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 California” 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

#4

California Institute of the Arts

Valencia, California

#2 in overall quality

$53,466 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Institute of the Arts. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Music Composition Schools for a Doctorate in California For Those Getting Aid list. California Institute of the Arts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Valencia, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 doctorate’s degrees in 2019-2020.

CalArts also made our “Best Music Theory & Composition Doctor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #2. Average graduate tuition and fees at California Institute of the Arts are $53,466, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full California Institute of the Arts Music Theory & Composition Report

• Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition in the Far Western US Region (With Aid)
• Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition (With Aid)

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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