2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2019-2020, 27,047 people earned their degree in music, making the major the 40th most popular in the United States. 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 California, there were 3,681 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $20,710 and $32,646 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 526 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $60,281 and $50,119 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 25 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in music. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent music programs, but they also 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k
The colleges and universities below are the best for california master’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Music (Income $30-$48k) in California
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Stanford is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 14 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
Stanford also took the #1 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford University are $55,011, but some majors have different tuition rates.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Los Angeles. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. California State University - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k list, Cal State LA has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State LA are $17,723, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Out of the 25 schools in the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Irvine landed the #3 spot on the list. University of California - Irvine is a large school located in Irvine, California that handed out 5 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
UC Irvine also took the #5 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Irvine are $28,456, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s music degrees to 26 students in 2019-2020.
UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCLA are $28,131, but some majors have different tuition rates.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fullerton. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k. California State University - Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 21 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
Cal State Fullerton also made our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #16. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Fullerton are $17,892, but some majors have different tuition rates.
California State University - Northridge landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Northridge, California, this large public school handed out 56 diplomas to qualified masters’s music students in 2019-2020.
CSUN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Northridge are $17,955, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of California - Berkeley landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UC Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 4 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
UC Berkeley also made our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #6. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Berkeley are $29,347.
California State University - Fresno came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Fresno, California, this large public school awarded 7 degrees to qualified masters’s music students in 2019-2020.
Fresno State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Fresno are $17,581.
California State University - Long Beach landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. CSULB is a large school located in Long Beach, California that handed out 32 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
CSULB also took the #14 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at CSULB are $17,784, but some majors have different tuition rates.
San Diego State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. San Diego State University is a public institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 13 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
SDSU also took the #11 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at SDSU are $18,658, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UCSB is a large public school situated in Santa Barbara, California. It awarded 8 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSB, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UCSB are $28,670.
University of California - Riverside landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UCR is a large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 1 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
UCR did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #0 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Riverside are $28,686, but some majors have different tuition rates.
California State University - Sacramento came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Sacramento, California, this large public school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified masters’s music students in 2019-2020.
Sac State also took the #21 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Sacramento are $18,356, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of California - San Diego landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UCSD is a large school located in La Jolla, California that handed out 4 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
UCSD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCSD are $28,631, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #15, San Jose State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. San Jose State is a large school located in San Jose, California that handed out 9 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
San Jose State also made our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #13. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at San Jose State University are $18,790.
California State University - East Bay ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. California State University - East Bay is located in Hayward, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k list, Cal State East Bay has also earned the #0 rank in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State East Bay are $17,828.
Read full report on Music at California State University - East Bay
University of Southern California landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s music degrees to 81 students in 2019-2020.
USC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Southern California are $48,715, but some majors have different tuition rates.
San Francisco State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. SFSU is a large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 13 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
SFSU also took the #20 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at SFSU are $17,944, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. Santa Cruz, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s music degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k list, UC Santa Cruz has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Santa Cruz are $28,952, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
With a ranking of #20, University of Redlands did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Redlands is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Redlands, California. It awarded 15 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
University of Redlands also made our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #8. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Redlands are $22,852.
Mills College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Oakland, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s music degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.
Mills also took the #17 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Mills are $36,263, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Azusa Pacific University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Azusa Pacific University is located in Azusa, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 28 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
Azusa Pacific did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Azusa Pacific are $16,571, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
San Francisco Conservatory of Music ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. SFCM is located in San Francisco, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 81 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SFCM, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at SFCM are $49,050, but some majors have different tuition rates.
California Institute of the Arts landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Valencia, California, and it awarded 35 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
CalArts also took the #7 spot in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California Institute of the Arts are $53,466.
Academy of Art University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 16 masters’s music degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree music students whose families make $30-$48k list, Academy of Art University has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Music Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Academy of Art University are $27,688, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
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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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