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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Music in California

34 Ranked Colleges
479 Degrees Awarded
$23,050 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Music Major in California

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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.

Across California, there were 3,501 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $23,084 and $26,111 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 479 music graduates with average earnings and debt of $63,735 and $51,649 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California” ranking looked at 34 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in music. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in music.

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 in California” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California

The colleges and universities below are the best for california master’s degree music students.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Music in California

1
SFCM crest
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
San Francisco, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend San Francisco Conservatory of Music. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California. 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 56 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 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.

Read more about Music at SFCM

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Institute of the Arts. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California list. Valencia, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s music degrees to 12 students in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 1.6% 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 CalArts

3
Bethesda crest
Bethesda University
Anaheim, California

Out of the 34 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Bethesda University landed the #3 spot on the list. Bethesda is a small school located in Anaheim, California that handed out 2 masters’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.

Full Bethesda University Music Report

4
5
Academy of Art University crest
Academy of Art University
San Francisco, California

Out of the 34 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Academy of Art University landed the #5 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 12 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

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 Academy of Art University

6
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Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, California

Azusa Pacific University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California ranking. Azusa, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s music degrees to 20 students 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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music at Azusa Pacific

7
Claremont Graduate University crest
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont, California

Claremont Graduate University ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California list. Claremont Graduate University is located in Claremont, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.

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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Claremont Graduate University Music Report

8
Cal Baptist crest
California Baptist University
Riverside, California

California Baptist University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California ranking, coming in at #8. Cal Baptist is located in Riverside, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 12 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California Baptist University Music Report

9

With a ranking of #9, California State University - Northridge did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California list. This large school is located in Northridge, California, and it awarded 48 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Music at California State University - Northridge

10
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California ranking, coming in at #10. USC is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 100 masters’s music 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%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Music at University of Southern California

11

With a ranking of #11, California State University - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school handed out 23 diplomas to qualified masters’s music students in 2021-2022.

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 full report on Music at Cal State LA

12
University of Redlands crest
University of Redlands
Redlands, California

University of Redlands came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California ranking. University of Redlands is a private not-for-profit institution located in Redlands, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 18 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Full University of Redlands Music Report

13
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

With a ranking of #13, Stanford University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California list. Stanford University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 9 masters’s 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.2% 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 full report on Music at Stanford

14

With a ranking of #14, California State University - Fresno did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California list. Located in Fresno, California, this large public school handed out 7 diplomas to qualified masters’s music students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Read more about Music at California State University - Fresno

15

California State University - Fullerton landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California ranking. California State University - Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 22 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, 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 87%.

Full California State University - Fullerton Music Report

16

California State University - Long Beach came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California ranking. Long Beach, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s music degrees to 24 students 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about Music at CSULB

17
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California ranking. San Jose State is located in San Jose, California and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 17 masters’s music degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Music at San Jose State

18

University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California ranking, coming in at #18. University of California - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 23 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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 University of California - Los Angeles Music Report

19

With a ranking of #19, California State University - East Bay did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California list. This fairly large school is located in Hayward, California, and it awarded 7 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 full report on Music at California State University - East Bay

20
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California list. Located in San Diego, California, this large public school handed out 10 diplomas to qualified masters’s music students in 2021-2022.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read full report on Music at San Diego State University

21
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California list. Located in San Francisco, California, this large public school handed out 11 degrees to qualified masters’s music students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Music at San Francisco State University

22

With a ranking of #22, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California list. University of California - Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 2 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on Music at University of California - Irvine

23

University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California list. UC Santa Cruz is a fairly large public school situated in Santa Cruz, California. It awarded 2 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%. 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 University of California - Santa Cruz

24

California State University - Sacramento ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California list. This large school is located in Sacramento, California, and it awarded 2 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

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 full report on Music at Sac State

25

With a ranking of #25, University of California - Berkeley did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Music Major in California list. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 4 masters’s music degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of California - Berkeley Music Report

Notes and References

References

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