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2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major

1,073 Ranked Colleges
15,545 Degrees Awarded
$26,018 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Music Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Music is the 43rd most popular major in the country with 25,860 degrees awarded in 2021-2022. In , music graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $27,123 and had an average of $27,532 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 15,545 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,724 and $23,030 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major” ranking analyzed 1,073 colleges that offered a degree in music. That schools that top this list have a program in music in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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The music school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. 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.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major”.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Music

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major. Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music is a small school located in San Juan, Puerto Rico that handed out 63 bachelors’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Music at Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music

2
California Jazz Conservatory crest
California Jazz Conservatory
Berkeley, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Jazz Conservatory. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major list. California Jazz Conservatory is a small school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 5 bachelors’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California Jazz Conservatory Music Report

3
LACM crest
Los Angeles College of Music
Pasadena, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Los Angeles College of Music. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major list. LACM is a small private for-profit school situated in Pasadena, California. It awarded 33 bachelors’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Music at LACM

4
Curtis Institute of Music crest
Curtis Institute of Music
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Curtis Institute of Music. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major list. Curtis Institute of Music is a private not-for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 39 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 2 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Music at Curtis Institute of Music

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Cleveland Institute of Music. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major. Cleveland Institute of Music is a small school located in Cleveland, Ohio that handed out 45 bachelors’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Music at Cleveland Institute of Music

6

The New England Conservatory of Music came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. This small school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 85 bachelors’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read full report on Music at The New England Conservatory of Music

7
Juilliard crest
The Juilliard School
New York, New York

The Juilliard School came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. The Juilliard School is located in New York, New York and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 89 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read full report on Music at The Juilliard School

8
Berklee College of Music crest
Berklee College of Music
Boston, Massachusetts

Berklee College of Music ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major list. Berklee College of Music is a medium-sized school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 656 bachelors’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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 Berklee College of Music

9
Manhattan School of Music crest
Manhattan School of Music
New York, New York

Manhattan School of Music did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking, coming in at #9. Manhattan School of Music is a small private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 92 bachelors’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad 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 Manhattan School of Music Music Report

10
SFCM crest
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
San Francisco, California

San Francisco Conservatory of Music came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. San Francisco Conservatory of Music is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 46 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Music at San Francisco Conservatory of Music

11
Musicians Institute crest
Musicians Institute
Hollywood, California

Musicians Institute ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major list. Musicians Institute is located in Hollywood, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 57 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music at Musicians Institute

12
Lawrence U crest
Lawrence University
Appleton, Wisconsin

Lawrence University ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major list. Lawrence University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Appleton, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 57 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music at Lawrence U

13
Five Towns College crest
Five Towns College
Dix Hills, New York

Five Towns College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking, coming in at #13. Five Towns College is a small school located in Dix Hills, New York that handed out 19 bachelors’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate 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 undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music at Five Towns College

14
Oberlin crest
Oberlin College
Oberlin, Ohio

With a ranking of #14, Oberlin College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major list. Oberlin is a private not-for-profit institution located in Oberlin, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 140 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Oberlin College Music Report

15
Cornish College of the Arts crest
Cornish College of the Arts
Seattle, Washington

Cornish College of the Arts did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Seattle, Washington, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 15 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s music students in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Cornish College of the Arts Music Report

16

The Baptist College of Florida landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. This small school is located in Graceville, Florida, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full The Baptist College of Florida Music Report

17

Baptist University of the Americas did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking, coming in at #17. This small school is located in San Antonio, Texas, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate 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 more about Music at Baptist University of the Americas

18
Bethesda crest
Bethesda University
Anaheim, California

Bethesda University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. Bethesda is located in Anaheim, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Music at Bethesda University

19
OCU crest
Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Oklahoma City University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. Oklahoma City University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It awarded 71 bachelors’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%.

Full OCU Music Report

20

California Institute of the Arts came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. California Institute of the Arts is located in Valencia, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 39 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 CalArts

21

University of North Carolina School of the Arts landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. This small school is located in Winston Salem, North Carolina, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music at UNCSA

22
23
Bennington crest
Bennington College
Bennington, Vermont

With a ranking of #23, Bennington College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major list. Bennington is located in Bennington, Vermont and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 15 bachelors’s music degrees to qualified students.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music at Bennington College

24
Luther crest
Luther College
Decorah, Iowa

Luther College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking, coming in at #24. Luther College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Decorah, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music at Luther

25
Visible Music College crest
Visible Music College
Memphis, Tennessee

Visible Music College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. Memphis, Tennessee is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s music degrees to 18 students in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate 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 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Visible Music College Music Report

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
St. Olaf crest
St Olaf College
Northfield, MN
28
29
30
31
32
Calvary crest
Calvary University
Kansas City, MO
33
34
35
Fisk crest
Fisk University
Nashville, TN
35
Toccoa Falls crest
Toccoa Falls College
Toccoa Falls, GA
37
SUNY Potsdam crest
SUNY Potsdam
Potsdam, NY
38
Purchase College crest
Purchase College
Purchase, NY
39
Edward Waters College crest
Edward Waters College
Jacksonville, FL
40
41
Capital crest
Capital University
Columbus, OH
42
Belmont crest
Belmont University
Nashville, TN
43
44
Brevard College crest
Brevard College
Brevard, NC
45
Rider crest
Rider University
Lawrenceville, NJ
46
47
SUNY Fredonia crest
SUNY Fredonia
Fredonia, NY
48
Rollins crest
Rollins College
Winter Park, FL
49
Talladega College crest
Talladega College
Talladega, AL
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Music Major

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51The New SchoolNew York, NY
52Goshen CollegeGoshen, IN
53Arkansas Baptist CollegeLittle Rock, AR
54Bethel College - North NewtonNorth Newton, KS
55Baldwin Wallace UniversityBerea, OH
56Dillard UniversityNew Orleans, LA
57Cogswell CollegeSan Jose, CA
58Valley City State UniversityValley City, ND
59University of HartfordWest Hartford, CT
60Cairn UniversityLanghorne, PA
61Greenville UniversityGreenville, IL
62Concordia College at MoorheadMoorhead, MN
63Ithaca CollegeIthaca, NY
64Bethany Lutheran CollegeMankato, MN
65Brewton - Parker CollegeMount Vernon, GA
RankCollegeLocation
66The Master’s University and SeminarySanta Clarita, CA
67Centenary College of LouisianaShreveport, LA
68Westmont CollegeSanta Barbara, CA
69Full Sail UniversityWinter Park, FL
70Lane CollegeJackson, TN
70Allen UniversityColumbia, SC
72Stetson UniversityDeLand, FL
73University of RochesterRochester, NY
74DePauw UniversityGreencastle, IN
75Principia CollegeElsah, IL
76Southwestern Adventist UniversityKeene, TX
77Middle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboro, TN
78Northwest UniversityKirkland, WA
79Wittenberg UniversitySpringfield, OH
80DigiPen Institute of TechnologyRedmond, WA
81Catholic University of AmericaWashington, DC
82University of MontevalloMontevallo, AL
83Washington CollegeChestertown, MD
84Nyack CollegeNew York, NY
85Northern Vermont UniversityJohnson, VT
86Bard CollegeAnnandale-On-Hudson, NY
87Bethune - Cookman UniversityDaytona Beach, FL
88Maranatha Baptist UniversityWatertown, WI
89Texas A&M University - KingsvilleKingsville, TX
90University of North Carolina at AshevilleAsheville, NC
RankCollegeLocation
91Lee UniversityCleveland, TN
92Wesleyan CollegeMacon, GA
93Mars Hill UniversityMars Hill, NC
94Stephen F Austin State UniversityNacogdoches, TX
95Kentucky State UniversityFrankfort, KY
96Ave Maria UniversityAve Maria, FL
97Welch CollegeGallatin, TN
98Point UniversityWest Point, GA
99Shenandoah UniversityWinchester, VA
100Loyola University New OrleansNew Orleans, LA
101Texas Lutheran UniversitySeguin, TX
102Albright CollegeReading, PA
103Illinois Wesleyan UniversityBloomington, IL
104Muhlenberg CollegeAllentown, PA
105Central State UniversityWilberforce, OH
106Susquehanna UniversitySelinsgrove, PA
107Hampshire CollegeAmherst, MA
108Elizabeth City State UniversityElizabeth City, NC
109Howard Payne UniversityBrownwood, TX
110Bridgewater CollegeBridgewater, VA
110Western Connecticut State UniversityDanbury, CT
112Sewanee - The University of the SouthSewanee, TN
113Claflin UniversityOrangeburg, SC
114University of Maine at AugustaAugusta, ME
114Eureka CollegeEureka, IL
RankCollegeLocation
116Millersville University of PennsylvaniaMillersville, PA
117Ramapo College of New JerseyMahwah, NJ
118Texas CollegeTyler, TX
119Furman UniversityGreenville, SC
119Greensboro CollegeGreensboro, NC
121Coe CollegeCedar Rapids, IA
122Grace Christian UniversityWyoming, MI
123Washington & Jefferson CollegeWashington, PA
124Simpson CollegeIndianola, IA
125Urshan CollegeWentzville, MO
125Miles CollegeFairfield, AL
127Butler UniversityIndianapolis, IN
128Bob Jones UniversityGreenville, SC
129LaGrange CollegeLagrange, GA
129Benedictine CollegeAtchison, KS
131Corban UniversitySalem, OR
132William Paterson University of New JerseyWayne, NJ
133Roosevelt UniversityChicago, IL
134Virginia Wesleyan UniversityVirginia Beach, VA
135Eastern UniversitySaint Davids, PA
136Shorter UniversityRome, GA
137Converse CollegeSpartanburg, SC
138University of TulsaTulsa, OK
139Asbury UniversityWilmore, KY
140Wisconsin Lutheran CollegeMilwaukee, WI
RankCollegeLocation
141University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusDenver, CO
142University of North TexasDenton, TX
143Occidental CollegeLos Angeles, CA
144Washington Adventist UniversityTakoma Park, MD
145Houghton CollegeHoughton, NY
146Huston - Tillotson UniversityAustin, TX
147Gustavus Adolphus CollegeSaint Peter, MN
148Palm Beach Atlantic UniversityWest Palm Beach, FL
149Bethel University - MishawakaMishawaka, IN
150Le Moyne - Owen CollegeMemphis, TN
151Colorado State University - PuebloPueblo, CO
152Truman State UniversityKirksville, MO
153Kentucky Wesleyan CollegeOwensboro, KY
154Carthage CollegeKenosha, WI
155Pacific Lutheran UniversityTacoma, WA
156Berea CollegeBerea, KY
157Wheaton College MassachusettsNorton, MA
158Biola UniversityLa Mirada, CA
159Allegheny CollegeMeadville, PA
160Wartburg CollegeWaverly, IA
161Rochester UniversityRochester Hills, MI
162Skidmore CollegeSaratoga Springs, NY

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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