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2022 Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k

30 Ranked Colleges
1,073 Degrees Awarded
$21,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking.

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 Illinois, there were 1,073 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $23,747 and $27,432 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, we looked at 30 colleges that offer a degree 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Music Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k” 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 by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Music (Income $75-$110k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 160 degrees to qualified ’s music students in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also took the #1 spot in our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $16,784 for Illinois Music students whose families make $75-$110k.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%.

Full Northwestern University Music Report

#2

Elgin Community College

Elgin, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Elgin Community College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k. ECC is a medium-sized school located in Elgin, Illinois that handed out 4 ’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend ECC is $7,348 for Illinois Music students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Music at ECC

#3

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 ’s music degrees to qualified students.

UChicago also made our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for UChicago is $17,929 for Illinois Music students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music at UChicago

#4

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Eastern Illinois University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Charleston, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 20 diplomas to qualified ’s music students in 2019-2020.

EIU also took the #7 spot in our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for EIU is $19,147 for Illinois Music students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full Eastern Illinois University Music Report

#5

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northern Illinois University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Dekalb, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 71 diplomas to qualified ’s music students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois music students whose families make $75-$110k list, NIU has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $21,425 for illinois music students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend NIU.

Read full report on Music at Northern Illinois University

#6

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

Western Illinois University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Macomb, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s music degrees to 51 students in 2019-2020.

WIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Western Illinois University is $20,181 for illinois music students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Music at WIU

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 141 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also made our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $21,998 for illinois music students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Music at UIUC

#8

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Wheaton College Illinois is located in Wheaton, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 26 ’s music degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois music students whose families make $75-$110k list, Wheaton College Illinois has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Illinois is $24,299 for Illinois Music students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Music at Wheaton College Illinois

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a public institution located in Edwardsville, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 40 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SIUE, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $18,928 for Illinois Music students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend SIUE.

Read more about Music at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

#10

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois

Millikin University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Decatur, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 31 degrees to qualified ’s music students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Millikin, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Millikin University is $23,486 for Illinois Music students whose families make $75-$110k.

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.

Read full report on Music at Millikin

#11

North Park University

Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #11, North Park University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. North Park University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 ’s music degrees to qualified students.

North Park not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend North Park University is $19,563 for Illinois Music students whose families make $75-$110k.

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.

Full North Park University Music Report

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #12. SIUC is located in Carbondale, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 19 ’s music degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SIUC, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Southern Illinois University Carbondale is $20,698 for illinois music students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Music at SIUC

University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #13. UIC is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois music students whose families make $75-$110k list, UIC has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Chicago is $20,270 for illinois music students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UIC Music Report

Northeastern Illinois University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s music degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.

Northeastern Illinois University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $22,526 for illinois music students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Northeastern Illinois University.

Read more about Music at Northeastern Illinois University

#15

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Bourbonnais, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s music degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois music students whose families make $75-$110k list, Olivet Nazarene has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $21,306 for illinois music students whose families make $75-$110k 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%.

Read more about Music at Olivet Nazarene

#16

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Illinois State University is a large school located in Normal, Illinois that handed out 67 ’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois State, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State is $25,379 for illinois music students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music at Illinois State University

#17

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois

University of St Francis landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This small school is located in Joliet, Illinois, and it awarded 6 ’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Saint Francis also took the #25 spot in our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Saint Francis is $20,629 for illinois music students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music at University of St Francis

#18

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois

Elmhurst University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Elmhurst, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 16 diplomas to qualified ’s music students in 2019-2020.

Elmhurst did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Elmhurst is $23,604 for illinois music students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.0% 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%.

Read more about Music at Elmhurst

#19

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois

Augustana College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #19. Rock Island, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s music degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

Augustana also made our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend Augustana College is $23,730 for Illinois Music students whose families make $75-$110k.

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

Read full report on Music at Augustana College

#20

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois

Dominican University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Dominican University is a private not-for-profit institution located in River Forest, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Dominican University is $21,979 for Illinois Music students whose families make $75-$110k.

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.

Read more about Music at Dominican U

#21

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois

Knox College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Knox is a private not-for-profit institution located in Galesburg, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Knox College is $23,813 for illinois music students whose families make $75-$110k.

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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music at Knox College

#22

North Central College

Naperville, Illinois

North Central College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #22. This small school is located in Naperville, Illinois, and it awarded 8 ’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

North Central did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for North Central is $25,778 for Illinois Music students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.

Read more about Music at North Central College

Trinity International University - Illinois landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Trinity International University - Illinois is a small school located in Deerfield, Illinois that handed out 5 ’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $23,684 for Illinois Music students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend TIU Illinois.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full TIU Illinois Music Report

#24

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois

Bradley University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Bradley is a medium-sized school located in Peoria, Illinois that handed out 8 ’s music degrees in 2019-2020.

Bradley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Music Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Bradley University is $28,169 for Illinois Music students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Music at Bradley

#25

Roosevelt University

Chicago, Illinois

Roosevelt University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Music Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #25. Roosevelt is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 56 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Roosevelt University is $23,695 for Illinois Music students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full Roosevelt Music Report

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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