2024 Best Music Master's Degree Schools in Pennsylvania
Music is above average in terms of popularity with it being the #36 most popular master's degree program in the country. So, you have a fair amount of options to choose from when looking for a school.
For its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools in Pennsylvania to determine which ones were the best for music students pursuing a master's degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 225 master's degrees in music during the 2020-2021 academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
Choosing a Great Music School for Your Master's Degree
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. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
Overall Quality Is a Must
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.
Average Early-Career Salaries
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their master's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. After all, your master's degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.
Other Factors We Consider
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
- Major Focus - How many resources a school devotes to music students as compared to other majors.
- Major Demand - The number of music students who choose to seek a master's degree at the school.
- Educational Resources - The amount of money and other resources allocated to students while they are pursuing their degree. These resources include such things as number of students per instructor and education expenditures per student.
- Student Debt - How much debt music students go into to obtain their master's degree and how well they are able to pay back that debt.
- Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized music related body.
Our complete 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.
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 Best Music Master's Degree Schools in Pennsylvania list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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Featured Music Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
MBA in Music Business
Earn the music business degree that fits into the business world – and partners Southern New Hampshire University with world-renowned Berklee College of Music.
Learn More
Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Music in Pennsylvania
Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for music students seeking a a master's degree.
Top Pennsylvania Schools for a Master's in Music
It is hard to beat Carnegie Mellon University if you wish to pursue a master's degree in music. Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.
Students who graduate with their master's from the music program report average early career income of $22,609.
More information about a master’s in music from Carnegie Mellon University
Messiah University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a master's degree in music. Messiah is a small private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Mechanicsburg.
Music master's degree recipients from Messiah University receive an earnings boost of about $24,848 above the typical income of music graduates.
More information about a master’s in music from Messiah University
Temple University is a great choice for students interested in a master's degree in music. Located in the city of Philadelphia, Temple is a public university with a very large student population.
After graduating, music master's recipients usually make an average of $33,422 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a master’s in music from Temple University
It is difficult to beat University of Pennsylvania if you want to pursue a master's degree in music. Located in the city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in music from University of Pennsylvania
It's hard to beat West Chester University of Pennsylvania if you want to pursue a master's degree in music. WCUPA is a fairly large public university located in the large suburb of West Chester.More information about a master’s in music from West Chester University of Pennsylvania