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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Music

321 Ranked Colleges
5,531 Degrees Awarded
$27,036 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Music Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major” ranking.

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 master’s degree level specifically, there were 5,531 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,979 and $43,370 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major” ranking, we looked at 321 colleges that offer 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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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major

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

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Music

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Longy School of Music of Bard College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major. This small school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it awarded 21 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 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 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Longy Music Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The New England Conservatory of Music. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major. The New England Conservatory of Music is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 103 masters’s music 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%. 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.

Full The New England Conservatory of Music Music Report

3
SFCM crest
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
San Francisco, California

Out of the 321 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major that were part of this year’s ranking, San Francisco Conservatory of Music landed the #3 spot on the list. SFCM is a small school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 56 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 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 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full SFCM Music Report

4
Manhattan School of Music crest
Manhattan School of Music
New York, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Manhattan School of Music. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major. Manhattan School of Music is a small private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 173 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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.

Read more about Music at Manhattan School 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 Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major. Cleveland Institute of Music is a small school located in Cleveland, Ohio that handed out 40 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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
Juilliard crest
The Juilliard School
New York, New York

The Juilliard School landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. This small school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 153 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Juilliard Music Report

7
Seattle Film Institute crest
Seattle Film Institute
Seattle, Washington

Seattle Film Institute came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. Seattle Film Institute is a small private for-profit school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 11 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate 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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Music at Seattle Film Institute

8

California Institute of the Arts did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking, coming in at #8. California Institute of the Arts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Valencia, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 California Institute of the Arts Music Report

9
Berklee College of Music crest
Berklee College of Music
Boston, Massachusetts

Berklee College of Music landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. Berklee College of Music is a private not-for-profit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 124 masters’s 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Berklee College of Music Music Report

10

With a ranking of #10, Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major list. Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music is located in San Juan, Puerto Rico and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 65 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.

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.

Read more about Music at Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music

11

University of North Carolina School of the Arts ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major list. Located in Winston Salem, North Carolina, this small public school awarded 17 diplomas to qualified masters’s music students in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 1.2% 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 UNCSA

12
VCFA crest
Vermont College of Fine Arts
Montpelier, Vermont

Vermont College of Fine Arts ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major list. VCFA is a small school located in Montpelier, Vermont that handed out 15 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 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 VCFA

13
Bard crest
Bard College
Annandale-On-Hudson, New York

With a ranking of #13, Bard College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major list. Bard College is located in Annandale-On-Hudson, New York and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 25 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Bard Music Report

14
Messiah crest
Messiah University
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

Messiah University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. This small school is located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 36 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 full report on Music at Messiah University

15

The Baptist College of Florida landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. The Baptist College of Florida is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Graceville, Florida. It awarded 5 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Read full report on Music at The Baptist College of Florida

16
UVF crest
University of Valley Forge
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania

University of Valley Forge came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. Located in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 3 degrees to qualified masters’s music students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UVF Music Report

17
New School University crest
The New School
New York, New York

The New School came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. This fairly large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 92 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Full New School University Music Report

18
Roosevelt crest
Roosevelt University
Chicago, Illinois

Roosevelt University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 29 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music at Roosevelt

19
OCU crest
Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Oklahoma City University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. OCU is a small school located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma that handed out 22 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read full report on Music at OCU

20
UHart crest
University of Hartford
West Hartford, Connecticut

University of Hartford came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. University of Hartford is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in West Hartford, Connecticut. It awarded 43 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%. The impressive undergraduate 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 full report on Music at University of Hartford

21
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

With a ranking of #21, Yale University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major list. Yale is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Haven, Connecticut. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 106 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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.

Full Yale University Music Report

22
Bethesda crest
Bethesda University
Anaheim, California

With a ranking of #22, Bethesda University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major list. Bethesda is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Anaheim, California. It awarded 2 masters’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 full report on Music at Bethesda University

23
Five Towns College crest
Five Towns College
Dix Hills, New York

Five Towns College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking, coming in at #23. This small school is located in Dix Hills, New York, and it awarded 6 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read more about Music at Five Towns College

24
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas

Rice University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking, coming in at #24. This medium-sized school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 85 masters’s music degrees 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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Rice Music Report

25
Salem crest
Salem College
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Salem College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major ranking. Salem is a small school located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that handed out 4 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Music at Salem College

Rest of the Best 49 in Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major

Not only did these schools make the top 49 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
Shenandoah crest
Shenandoah University
Winchester, VA
27
Houghton crest
Houghton College
Houghton, NY
28
Mills crest
Mills College
Oakland, CA
29
30
31
Purchase College crest
Purchase College
Purchase, NY
32
33
34
35
Ithaca crest
Ithaca College
Ithaca, NY
36
Lynn University Fighting Knights crest
Lynn University
Boca Raton, FL
37
Academy of Art University crest
Academy of Art University
San Francisco, CA
38
39
40
41
42
SUNY Fredonia crest
SUNY Fredonia
Fredonia, NY
43
Butler crest
Butler University
Indianapolis, IN
44
Brooklyn College crest
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, NY
45
Rider crest
Rider University
Lawrenceville, NJ
46
Carthage crest
Carthage College
Kenosha, WI
47
48
49
U Miami crest
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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