2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition
169
Ranked Colleges
718
Degrees Awarded
$36,000
Avg Cost*
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major” ranking.
In 2021-2022, 1,194 people earned their degree in music theory & composition, making the major the 390th most popular in the United States.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 718 music theory & composition graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,724 and $23,030 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major” ranking, we looked at 169 colleges that offer a degree in music theory & composition. That schools that top this list have a program in music theory & composition in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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.
Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major”.
Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music Theory & Composition
Out of the 169 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Los Angeles College of Music landed the #1 spot on the list. LACM is a small school located in Pasadena, California that handed out 10 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full Los Angeles College of Music Music Theory & Composition Report
Out of the 169 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Berklee College of Music landed the #2 spot on the list. Berklee College of Music is a private not-for-profit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 199 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Berklee College of Music
Out of the 169 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Musicians Institute landed the #3 spot on the list. Hollywood, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music composition degrees to 14 students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full Musicians Institute Music Theory & Composition Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Los Angeles Film School. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Hollywood, California, and it awarded 95 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Los Angeles Film School
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major. Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music is located in San Juan, Puerto Rico and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.
The impressive undergraduate 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.
Full Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music Music Theory & Composition Report
With a ranking of #6, Cleveland Institute of Music did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major list. Cleveland, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music composition degrees to 1 students in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Cleveland Institute of Music
With a ranking of #7, The New England Conservatory of Music did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major list. The New England Conservatory of Music is a small school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 3 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full The New England Conservatory of Music Music Theory & Composition Report
With a ranking of #8, DigiPen Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major list. This small school is located in Redmond, Washington, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Digipen
California Institute of the Arts came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major ranking. CalArts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Valencia, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full California Institute of the Arts Music Theory & Composition Report
The Juilliard School came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major ranking. This small school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Music Theory & Composition at The Juilliard School
Purchase College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major ranking, coming in at #11. Purchase College is a public institution located in Purchase, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Purchase College Music Theory & Composition Report
Lawrence University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major ranking, coming in at #12. Lawrence U is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Appleton, Wisconsin. It awarded 6 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2021-2022.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Lawrence University Music Theory & Composition Report
With a ranking of #13, Western Connecticut State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major list. WestConn is a small public school situated in Danbury, Connecticut. It awarded 11 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Music Theory & Composition at WestConn
Lewis & Clark College landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major ranking. Lewis and Clark College is a small school located in Portland, Oregon that handed out 3 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Lewis & Clark College
San Francisco Conservatory of Music did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major ranking, coming in at #15. SFCM is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate 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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Music Theory & Composition at SFCM
Manhattan School of Music did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major ranking, coming in at #16. New York, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music composition degrees to 4 students in 2021-2022.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Manhattan School of Music Music Theory & Composition Report
Oakwood University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major ranking. Oakwood University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Huntsville, Alabama. It awarded 0 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Oakwood
Baldwin Wallace University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major ranking, coming in at #18. Baldwin Wallace University is a small school located in Berea, Ohio that handed out 4 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Baldwin Wallace College
Academy of Art University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major ranking. Academy of Art University is a private for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Academy of Art University Music Theory & Composition Report
With a ranking of #20, Ithaca College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Ithaca, New York, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Ithaca College
SUNY Fredonia ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major list. This small school is located in Fredonia, New York, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 SUNY Fredonia
Hardin - Simmons University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major ranking. This small school is located in Abilene, Texas, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Hardin - Simmons University Music Theory & Composition Report
With a ranking of #23, Indiana Wesleyan University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major list. This small school is located in Marion, Indiana, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Indiana Wesleyan University
Maryville College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major ranking, coming in at #24. Maryville College is located in Maryville, Tennessee and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 0 bachelors’s music composition degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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%.
Full Maryville College Music Theory & Composition Report
Bushnell University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Composition Major ranking, coming in at #25. This small school is located in Eugene, Oregon, and it awarded 0 bachelors’s music composition degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Bushnell University
