by our College Data Analytics Team
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Well Attended Music Composition Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Music Theory & Composition is the 390th most popular major in the country with 1,175 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.
This year’s “Most Well Attended Music Composition Major” ranking looked at 197 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in music theory and composition. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular music theory and composition programs in the United States.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
The music composition school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Most Well Attended Music Composition Major”.
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. 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.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Music Composition Major”.
Out of the 197 schools in the Most Well Attended Music Composition Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Los Angeles Film School landed the #1 spot on the list. Los Angeles Film School is a medium-sized school located in Hollywood, California that handed out 181 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Berklee College of Music. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Music Composition Major list. Berklee College of Music is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 169 ’s music composition degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full Berklee College of Music Music Theory & Composition Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend New York University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Music Composition Major list. NYU is a large private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 50 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 1.7%, 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 90%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California Institute of the Arts. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Music Composition Major. CalArts is located in Valencia, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 ’s music composition degrees to qualified students.
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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% 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%.
Out of the 197 schools in the Most Well Attended Music Composition Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Academy of Art University landed the #4 spot on the list. Academy of Art University is a medium-sized private for-profit school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 32 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 Academy of Art University Music Theory & Composition Report
Brooklyn College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Music Composition Major ranking, coming in at #6. Brooklyn College is a public institution located in Brooklyn, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 26 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Brooklyn College
University of Cincinnati - Main Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Music Composition Major ranking. Cincinnati, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s music composition degrees to 24 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
The New England Conservatory of Music ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Music Composition Major list. The New England Conservatory of Music is a small school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 24 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Full The New England Conservatory of Music Music Theory & Composition Report
Michigan State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Music Composition Major ranking, coming in at #9. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 22 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Michigan State University
Johns Hopkins University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Music Composition Major ranking, coming in at #10. Baltimore, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s music composition degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Los Angeles College of Music landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Music Composition Major ranking. Located in Pasadena, California, this small private for-profit school handed out 21 diplomas to qualified ’s music composition students in 2020-2021.
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
Musicians Institute did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Music Composition Major ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Hollywood, California, this small private for-profit school handed out 18 degrees to qualified ’s music composition students in 2020-2021.
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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 Musicians Institute
University of Missouri - Kansas City ranked #13 on this year’s Most Well Attended Music Composition Major list. UMKC is a fairly large public school situated in Kansas City, Missouri. It awarded 17 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #13, Purchase College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Music Composition Major list. This small school is located in Purchase, New York, and it awarded 17 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at Purchase College
With a ranking of #13, Western Connecticut State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Music Composition Major list. Danbury, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s music composition degrees to 17 students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Western Connecticut State University
University of Miami did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Music Composition Major ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Coral Gables, Florida, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 16 diplomas to qualified ’s music composition students in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad 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 Miami
The New School came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Music Composition Major ranking. New School University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 17 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate 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.
Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at New School University
With a ranking of #18, Florida State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Music Composition Major list. Florida State is a large school located in Tallahassee, Florida that handed out 14 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
The Juilliard School came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Music Composition Major ranking. New York, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s music composition degrees to 13 students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Bowling Green State University - Main Campus ranked #20 on this year’s Most Well Attended Music Composition Major list. Bowling Green, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s music composition degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.
Full Bowling Green State University - Main Campus Music Theory & Composition Report
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Music Composition Major ranking, coming in at #20. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 13 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Music Theory & Composition at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
With a ranking of #20, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Music Composition Major list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s music composition degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at University of Southern California
With a ranking of #20, Boston University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Music Composition Major list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 12 diplomas to qualified ’s music composition students in 2020-2021.
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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%.
Ithaca College landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Music Composition Major ranking. Ithaca is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Ithaca, New York. It awarded 11 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
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 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read more about Music Theory & Composition at Ithaca College
University of Rochester came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Music Composition Major ranking. University of Rochester is a fairly large school located in Rochester, New York that handed out 11 ’s music composition degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Music Theory & Composition at University of Rochester
Not only did these schools make the top 30 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Read more about our data sources and methodologies