2026 Best Value Music Education Schools in Washington
[Music Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/music-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong music education education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value music education schools.
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Featured Music Education Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
MBA in Music Business
Earn the music business degree that fits into the business world – and partners Southern New Hampshire University with world-renowned Berklee College of Music.
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2026 Best Value Music Education Schools in Washington
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the music education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Music Education Schools
Leading the list is Eastern Washington University, our #1 best value for music education in Washington. Eastern Washington University is a large public school located in the town of Cheney. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,586, while out-of-state students pay about $26,583. Students borrow a median of $23,009 to complete the music education program here. Early-career music education graduates make about $41,914. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Eastern Washington University admits about 91% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Washington Seattle Campus one of the best values for music education. Set in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,973, with out-of-state students paying around $43,209. Music Education graduates carry a median of $16,481 in student loans. Early-career music education graduates make about $71,315. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Washington Seattle Campus admits about 39% of applicants.
Central Washington University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value music education schools. Central Washington University is a very large public school located in the town of Ellensburg. Students from in state pay about $9,417 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $27,526. Music Education graduates carry a median of $23,377 in student loans. Soon after graduation, music education degree recipients from Central Washington University generally make around $49,177. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Central Washington University admits about 91% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in music education will find it at Western Washington University, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Bellingham, Western Washington University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,582, with out-of-state students paying around $28,707. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the music education program here. Early-career music education graduates make about $37,520. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 93%.
Students looking for strong value in music education will find it at Pacific Lutheran University, which ranked #5. Located in the suburb of Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $50,916 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for music education graduates is $29,740. Early-career music education graduates make about $57,683. Set against $29,740 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
More Music Education Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
