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2022 Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music in Illinois

47 Colleges in Illinois
649 Bachelor's Degrees
$22,138 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you plan on getting your bachelor's degree in music, you won't be alone since the degree program is ranked #34 in the country in terms of popularity. So, you have a fair amount of options to choose from when looking for a school.

For its 2022 ranking, College Factual looked at 47 schools in Illinois to determine which ones were the most popular for music students pursuing a bachelor's degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 649 bachelor's degrees in music during the 2019-2020 academic year.

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Choosing a Great Music School for Your Bachelor's Degree

Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music in Illinois Your choice of school for getting your bachelor's degree in music matters. We created our Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Music in Illinois ranking to make it a little easier to choose the right one for you.

While being high in popularity does not always mean a school has a quality music program, it is a sign that a large number of students choose the school. Sometimes this is because the school offers a great educational experience, it is a good value, or it is highly focused on the program.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Associate Degrees in Music
Master's Degrees in Music
Doctor's Degrees in Music
Overall Popularity in Music

We have also developed a number of other rankings to help guide you in your decision-making process. To begin with, if this is not the degree level you are most interested in, you may want to check out one of the others noted above. If you would prefer to limit your search to a specific state or region of the county, see our rankings by location. Plus, you can view our other rankings for music.

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.

Explore the most popular colleges and universities for music students seeking a a bachelor's degree.

10 Most Well Attended Schools for Music Students Working on Their Bachelor's

1
98 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#1 Best Quality In IL
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type

Northwestern University is one of the most popular schools in the country for getting a bachelor's degree in music. Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Evanston. Potential students might also be interested to know that the school ranks #1 in quality for bachelor's degrees in music in Illinois.

There were approximately 98 music students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent year we have data available.

Bachelor's graduates who receive their degree from the music program make an average of $22,400 in their early career salary.

More information about a bachelor’s in music from Northwestern University

2
56 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#23 Best Quality In IL
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type

Any student pursuing a degree in a bachelor's degree in music needs to take a look at Columbia College Chicago. Located in the city of Chicago, Columbia is a private not-for-profit college with a medium-sized student population.

There were approximately 56 music individuals who graduated with this degree at Columbia in the most recent year we have data available.

Bachelor's graduates who receive their degree from the music program make around $18,200 for their early career.

More information about a bachelor’s in music from Columbia College Chicago

3
51 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#4 Best Quality In IL
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type

Every student pursuing a degree in a bachelor's degree in music needs to take a look at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Located in the small city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a very large student population. You also may be intersted to know that the school ranks #4 in quality for bachelor's degrees in music in Illinois.

There were approximately 51 music students who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent data year.

More information about a bachelor’s in music from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

4
42 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#5 Best Quality In IL
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type

You'll be surrounded by many like-minded peers at Illinois State University if you wish to pursue a bachelor's degree in music. Located in the midsize suburb of Normal, Illinois State is a public university with a fairly large student population. You also may be intersted to know that the school ranks #5 in quality for bachelor's degrees in music in Illinois.

There were roughly 42 music students who graduated with this degree at Illinois State in the most recent data year.

Music bachelor's degree recipients from Illinois State University earn a boost of around $12,863 over the typical income of music graduates.

More information about a bachelor’s in music from Illinois State University

5
38 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#7 Best Quality In IL
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type

WIU is a medium-sized public university located in the remote town of Macomb. You also may be intersted to know that the school ranks #7 in quality for bachelor's degrees in music in Illinois.

There were approximately 38 music students who graduated with this degree at WIU in the most recent data year.

Bachelor's recipients from the music major at Western Illinois University get $11,163 above the average college grad in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a bachelor’s in music from Western Illinois University

6
37 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#14 Best Quality In IL
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type

NIU is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Dekalb.

There were about 37 music individuals who graduated with this degree at NIU in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a bachelor’s in music from Northern Illinois University

7
30 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#12 Best Quality In IL
$17,200 Median Salary

Millikin is a small private not-for-profit university located in the city of Decatur.

There were approximately 30 music individuals who graduated with this degree at Millikin in the most recent data year.

After graduating, music bachelor's recipients usually make around $17,200 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a bachelor’s in music from Millikin University

8
27 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#28 Best Quality In IL
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type

Located in the large city of Chicago, Roosevelt is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.

There were about 27 music individuals who graduated with this degree at Roosevelt in the most recent year we have data available.

After graduation, music bachelor's recipients generally earn around $13,000 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a bachelor’s in music from Roosevelt University

9
26 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#2 Best Quality In IL
$21,000 Median Salary

Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit college located in the large suburb of Wheaton. This isn't the only ranking where the school placed. It's also #2 in quality for bachelor's degrees in music in Illinois.

There were approximately 26 music students who graduated with this degree at Wheaton College Illinois in the most recent data year.

Bachelor's graduates who receive their degree from the music program make around $21,000 in their early career salary.

More information about a bachelor’s in music from Wheaton College Illinois

9
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, IL
26 Annual Bachelor's Degrees
#20 Best Quality In IL
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type

Located in the city of Chicago, DePaul is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.

There were roughly 26 music individuals who graduated with this degree at DePaul in the most recent year we have data available.

After graduating, music bachelor's recipients usually make about $17,000 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a bachelor’s in music from DePaul University

Best Music Colleges in the Great Lakes Region

Explore all the Most Popular Music Colleges in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Michigan 255 425
Ohio 246 650
Indiana 227 382
Wisconsin 209 257

View All Rankings >

Music is one of 10 different types of Visual & Performing Arts programs to choose from.

Music Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
General Music 279
Music Performance 211
Jazz Studies 27
Stringed Instruments 27
Music Technology 26
Voice Performance 24
Music Theory & Composition 23
Other Music 13
Keyboard Instruments 7
Music Pedagogy 4

Related Major Annual Graduates
Fine & Studio Arts 1,321
Design & Applied Arts 804
Drama & Theater Arts 739
Film, Video & Photographic Arts 544
Arts & Media Management 164
Other Visual Art 88
Dance 47
General Visual & Performing Arts 37

Notes and References

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