2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Music is the 40th most popular major in the country with 27,047 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, music graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $25,639 and had an average of $28,653 in loans still to pay off.
Across Illinois, there were 1,073 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $23,747 and $27,432 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 649 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 29 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in music. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality music programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the music program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k
The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k. Northwestern is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 98 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.
Northwestern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $3,995 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 5 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $2,800 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.
Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #3 spot on the list. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 51 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UIUC also took the #4 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $8,464 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UIUC.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Eastern Illinois University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. EIU is a public institution located in Charleston, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
EIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend EIU is $11,316 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k. SIUE is a public institution located in Edwardsville, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
SIUE also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $9,938 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about Music at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Western Illinois University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Western Illinois University is a medium-sized school located in Macomb, Illinois that handed out 38 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
WIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for WIU is $14,526 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k.
Northern Illinois University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. NIU is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 37 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
NIU also took the #14 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $15,861 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend NIU.
Illinois State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Illinois State is located in Normal, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 42 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.
Illinois State also took the #5 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State University is $14,999 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low 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%.
University of Illinois at Chicago came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UIC is a large public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 9 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIC, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $11,185 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UIC.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Music at University of Illinois at Chicago
Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. SIUC is a fairly large school located in Carbondale, Illinois that handed out 10 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
SIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $14,306 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SIUC.
Wheaton College Illinois came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wheaton, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Wheaton College Illinois also took the #2 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $16,212 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Wheaton College Illinois.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Northeastern Illinois University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.
Northeastern Illinois University also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern Illinois University is $15,513 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Music at Northeastern Illinois University
University of St Francis landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Joliet, Illinois, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
University of Saint Francis also took the #25 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Saint Francis is $11,229 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%.
Knox College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Knox College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Galesburg, Illinois. It awarded 10 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Knox is $19,186 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
North Park University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. North Park is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 14 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k list, North Park has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Park University is $17,270 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Olivet Nazarene University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Bourbonnais, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.
Olivet Nazarene also took the #15 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $15,390 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Olivet Nazarene.
The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.
Millikin University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Millikin University is located in Decatur, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 30 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.
Millikin did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $17,692 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Millikin.
The 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.
Lake Forest College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #18. Lake Forest is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lake Forest, Illinois. It awarded 7 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lake Forest, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lake Forest College is $19,152 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%.
Elmhurst University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Elmhurst, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 16 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.
Elmhurst also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #18. It costs about $17,837 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Elmhurst University.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Bradley University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. Bradley is a medium-sized school located in Peoria, Illinois that handed out 8 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Bradley, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bradley University is $18,232 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Dominican University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Dominican U is a small school located in River Forest, Illinois that handed out 1 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Dominican U is $17,586 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.
The 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.
Augustana College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Augustana College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Rock Island, Illinois. It awarded 3 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
Augustana also took the #13 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Augustana College is $16,249 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Illinois Wesleyan University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Illinois Wesleyan University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bloomington, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k list, Illinois Wesleyan has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $19,857 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Illinois Wesleyan University.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
North Central College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #24. North Central College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Naperville, Illinois. It awarded 8 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
North Central also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend North Central is $20,128 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Trinity International University - Illinois landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Trinity International University - Illinois is located in Deerfield, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend Trinity International University - Illinois is $20,693 for illinois bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.
The impressive 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.
Read more about Music at Trinity International University - Illinois
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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