by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2024, College Factual analyzed 233 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Music Master's Degree Schools ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 5,778 master's degrees in music during the 2020-2021 academic year.
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The music master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality music program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their master's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their master's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for music students working on their master's degree.
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 Music Master's Degree Schools list to help you make the college decision.
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
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Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in music. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
Every student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in music needs to take a look at Rice University. Rice is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Houston.
Soon after graduation, music master's recipients typically make an average of $28,275 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a master’s in music from Rice University
Every student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in music needs to take a look at Northwestern University. Northwestern is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Evanston.
Master's graduates who receive their degree from the music program make around $21,311 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a master’s in music from Northwestern University
It's difficult to beat Yale University if you want to pursue a master's degree in music. Located in the medium-sized city of New Haven, Yale is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.
After graduation, music master's recipients usually earn about $20,839 in their early careers.
More information about a master’s in music from Yale University
It is difficult to beat University of Southern California if you want to pursue a master's degree in music. USC is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Los Angeles.
Master's students who receive their degree from the music program earn an average of $22,177 in the first couple years of working.
More information about a master’s in music from University of Southern California
Located in the city of New York, NYU is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.
Music master's degree recipients from New York University receive an earnings boost of about $5,129 above the average income of music majors.
More information about a master’s in music from New York University
Located in the large city of New York, Juilliard is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
After graduation, music master's recipients typically make around $18,174 in their early careers.
More information about a master’s in music from The Juilliard School
Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Master's recipients from the music degree program at Michigan State University earn $11,705 more than the typical college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More information about a master’s in music from Michigan State University
Located in the large city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in music from Duke University
Johns Hopkins is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Baltimore.
Master's graduates who receive their degree from the music program make around $22,765 in their early career salary.
More information about a master’s in music from Johns Hopkins University
Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.
Master's graduates who receive their degree from the music program earn an average of $22,609 for their early career.
More information about a master’s in music from Carnegie Mellon University
U-M is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Ann Arbor.
Soon after graduation, music master's recipients typically make about $20,068 in their early careers.
More information about a master’s in music from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Boston U is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Boston.
After graduating, music master's recipients generally make around $27,986 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a master’s in music from Boston University
IU Bloomington is a very large public university located in the small city of Bloomington.
Students who graduate with their master's from the music program state that they receive average early career earnings of $25,007.
More information about a master’s in music from Indiana University - Bloomington
Dartmouth is a medium-sized private not-for-profit college located in the remote town of Hanover.More information about a master’s in music from Dartmouth College
Located in the city of Fort Worth, TCU is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a master’s in music from Texas Christian University
Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in music from University of California - Los Angeles
Located in the large suburb of Dallas, SMU is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.
After graduating, music master's recipients generally make around $25,103 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a master’s in music from Southern Methodist University
Located in the small city of Coral Gables, U Miami is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.
Master's graduates who receive their degree from the music program make about $21,947 in their early career salary.
More information about a master’s in music from University of Miami
Messiah is a small private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Mechanicsburg.
Music master's degree recipients from Messiah University earn a boost of around $32,380 over the typical earnings of music graduates.
More information about a master’s in music from Messiah University
Located in the city of Austin, UT Austin is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Students who graduate with their master's from the music program state that they receive average early career income of $24,153.
More information about a master’s in music from The University of Texas at Austin
Located in the city of Rochester, University of Rochester is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.
Master's graduates who receive their degree from the music program earn an average of $20,070 for their early career.
More information about a master’s in music from University of Rochester
Located in the large city of New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in music from Columbia University in the City of New York
Located in the city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a fairly large student population.
After graduation, music master's recipients typically make an average of $22,243 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a master’s in music from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The New England Conservatory of Music is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Boston.
Master's graduates who receive their degree from the music program earn an average of $20,682 for their early career.
More information about a master’s in music from The New England Conservatory of Music
Located in the city of Waltham, Brandeis is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population.More information about a master’s in music from Brandeis University
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Music Master's Degree Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | University of Florida | Gainesville, FL |
| 36 | Ohio State University - Main Campus | Columbus, OH |
| 37 | The New School | New York, NY |
| 38 | University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT |
| 39 | University of Kentucky | Lexington, KY |
| 40 | University of Delaware | Newark, DE |
| 41 | Cleveland Institute of Music | Cleveland, OH |
| 42 | Florida State University | Tallahassee, FL |
| 43 | Brown University | Providence, RI |
| 44 | University of Maryland - College Park | College Park, MD |
| 45 | Ohio University - Athens Campus | Athens, OH |
| 46 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus | Seattle, WA |
View the Best Music Master's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
Music is one of 10 different types of Visual & Performing Arts programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Music Performance | 2,066 |
| General Music | 1,777 |
| Music Theory & Composition | 297 |
| Keyboard Instruments | 262 |
| Stringed Instruments | 249 |
| Voice Performance | 246 |
| Other Music | 192 |
| Jazz Studies | 183 |
| Music Pedagogy | 138 |
| Conducting | 111 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Fine & Studio Arts | 2,984 |
| Design & Applied Arts | 1,931 |
| Drama & Theater Arts | 1,611 |
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 1,610 |
| Arts & Media Management | 1,115 |
| General Visual & Performing Arts | 343 |
| Dance | 245 |
| Other Visual Art | 215 |
| Crafts, Folk Art & Artisanry | 13 |
