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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region

49 Ranked Colleges
1,633 Degrees Awarded
$9,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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 the Southwest region, there were 2,964 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,126 and $28,647 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,633 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,896 and $23,899 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 49 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in music. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great music programs and cost less that 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.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region

#1

Rice University

Houston, Texas
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 49 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Rice University landed the #1 spot on the list. Rice is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 25 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Rice not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Rice University is $7,534 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. The 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. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Music at Rice

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Edinburg, Texas, this large public school handed out 39 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.

UT Rio Grande Valley also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend UT Rio Grande Valley is $3,473 for southwest region 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%.

Read full report on Music at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Texas. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k. UNT is a large school located in Denton, Texas that handed out 186 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

UNT also took the #8 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $9,082 for southwest region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UNT.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Music at University of North Texas

Out of the 49 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Texas A&M International University landed the #4 spot on the list. Laredo, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k list, Texas A&M International University has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Texas A&M International University is $2,298 for southwest region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Music at Texas A&M International University

Out of the 49 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Texas at San Antonio landed the #5 spot on the list. UTSA is a large school located in San Antonio, Texas that handed out 42 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

UTSA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UTSA is $11,109 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Music at UTSA

#6

University of Houston

Houston, Texas

With a ranking of #6, University of Houston did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 66 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

UH also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend UH is $9,925 for southwest region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of Houston Music Report

#7

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas

With a ranking of #7, Texas Tech University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Lubbock, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 63 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Texas Tech, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Texas Tech University is $13,326 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Texas Tech Music Report

Texas Woman’s University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Denton, Texas, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

TWU also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #22. The yearly cost to attend Texas Woman’s University is $7,050 for southwest region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Texas Woman’s University Music Report

The University of Texas at El Paso landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UTEP is a public institution located in El Paso, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UTEP did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at El Paso is $7,427 for southwest region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full UTEP Music Report

With a ranking of #10, The University of Texas at Austin did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. The University of Texas at Austin is a large school located in Austin, Texas that handed out 59 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Austin, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at Austin is $13,575 for southwest region 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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UT Austin Music Report

Stephen F Austin State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. Stephen F Austin State University is located in Nacogdoches, Texas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 83 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SFASU, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SFASU is $10,816 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Music at SFASU

#20 in overall quality

Oklahoma State University - Main Campus landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Oklahoma State University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Stillwater, Oklahoma. It awarded 19 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

OSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $9,962 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend OSU.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Music at Oklahoma State University - Main Campus

#13

Texas State University

San Marcos, Texas

With a ranking of #13, Texas State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Texas State University is a large public school situated in San Marcos, Texas. It awarded 74 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Texas State, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Texas State University is $12,292 for southwest region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Texas State Music Report

The University of Texas at Tyler landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Tyler, Texas, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $7,058 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UT Tyler.

Full UT Tyler Music Report

University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma is a small school located in Chickasha, Oklahoma that handed out 4 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $7,432 for southwest region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend USAO.

Read full report on Music at University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma

Texas A&M University - Kingsville did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. Texas A&M Kingsville is a medium-sized school located in Kingsville, Texas that handed out 27 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Texas A&M Kingsville also made our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $11,721 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Texas A&M University - Kingsville.

Full Texas A&M Kingsville Music Report

With a ranking of #17, Texas A&M University - Commerce did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Commerce, Texas, this fairly large public school awarded 39 degrees to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k list, Texas A&M Commerce has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $10,580 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Texas A&M University - Commerce.

Full Texas A&M University - Commerce Music Report

#18

West Texas A&M University

Canyon, Texas

With a ranking of #18, West Texas A&M University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. West Texas A&M University is a fairly large public school situated in Canyon, Texas. It awarded 51 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

West Texas A&M University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for West Texas A&M University is $10,146 for southwest region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full West Texas A&M University Music Report

#19

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona

University of Arizona did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Tucson, Arizona, this large public school handed out 41 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,466 for southwest region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Arizona.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Arizona Music Report

#20

Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, Texas

Sam Houston State University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. SHSU is a large school located in Huntsville, Texas that handed out 44 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

SHSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Sam Houston State University is $11,634 for southwest region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Music at SHSU

Arizona State University - Tempe came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Tempe, Arizona, and it awarded 60 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,921 for southwest region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Arizona State University - Tempe.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read full report on Music at Arizona State University - Tempe

Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. ENMU - Main Campus is a public institution located in Portales, New Mexico. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Eastern New Mexico University - Main Campus is $8,219 for southwest region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Music at ENMU - Main Campus

With a ranking of #23, The University of Texas at Arlington did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Arlington, Texas, this large public school awarded 50 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k list, UT Arlington has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Music Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at Arlington is $12,974 for southwest region bachelor’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Music at UT Arlington

#24

Northeastern State University

Tahlequah, Oklahoma

Northeastern State University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. NSU is a medium-sized school located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma that handed out 1 bachelors’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern State University is $7,543 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Music at NSU

#25

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, Arizona

Northern Arizona University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Flagstaff, Arizona, this large public school handed out 19 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,799 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Music students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Northern Arizona University.

Read more about Music at Northern Arizona University

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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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