2027 Best Value Musicology & Ethnomusicology Schools in the Southwest Region
[Musicology & Ethnomusicology](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/musicology-and-ethnomusicology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for musicology & ethnomusicology students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Musicology & Ethnomusicology Schools in the Southwest Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the musicology & ethnomusicology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Musicology & Ethnomusicology Schools
Rice University earned the #1 spot for value among musicology & ethnomusicology schools in the Southwest Region. Located in the city of Houston, Rice University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,247. Typical student debt for musicology & ethnomusicology graduates is $11,904. Musicology & Ethnomusicology graduates of Rice University earn a median of $30,454 early in their careers. Set against $11,904 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 8%.
Northern Arizona University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in musicology & ethnomusicology, landing the #2 spot this year. Northern Arizona University is a very large public school located in the city of Flagstaff. Students from in state pay about $12,619 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $20,044. Musicology & Ethnomusicology graduates carry a median of $21,645 in student loans. Musicology & Ethnomusicology graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median of $47,056 early in their careers. Set against $21,645 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Texas Tech University one of the best values for musicology & ethnomusicology. Located in the city of Lubbock, Texas Tech University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,852, with out-of-state students paying around $24,157. Musicology & Ethnomusicology graduates carry a median of $27,816 in student loans. Early-career musicology & ethnomusicology graduates make about $50,332. That is a strong return on a $27,816 median debt. Roughly 73% of applicants are accepted.
Texas Christian University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in musicology & ethnomusicology, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Fort Worth, Texas Christian University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,740. Typical student debt for musicology & ethnomusicology graduates is $23,500. Musicology & Ethnomusicology graduates of Texas Christian University earn a median of $60,035 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 44%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Baylor University earned it the #5 place for musicology & ethnomusicology. Located in the city of Waco, Baylor University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $58,100 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for musicology & ethnomusicology graduates is $27,000. Early-career musicology & ethnomusicology graduates make about $49,888. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Baylor University admits about 51% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
