2026 Best Value Music Education Schools in Massachusetts
[Music Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/music-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for music education students.
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2026 Best Value Music Education Schools in Massachusetts
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in music education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Music Education Schools
Bridgewater State University earned the #1 spot for value among music education schools in Massachusetts. Bridgewater State University is a large public school located in the suburb of Bridgewater. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,734, with out-of-state students paying around $17,874. Typical student debt for music education graduates is $27,000. Music Education graduates of Bridgewater State University earn a median of $48,072 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Bridgewater State University admits about 88% of applicants.
Gordon College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in music education, landing the #2 spot this year. Gordon College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Wenham. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $30,700. Students borrow a median of $26,372 to complete the music education program here. Music Education graduates of Gordon College earn a median of $59,407 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Gordon College admits about 69% of applicants.
Boston University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in music education, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Boston, Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $68,102. Students borrow a median of $25,125 to complete the music education program here. Soon after graduation, music education degree recipients from Boston University generally make around $67,277. That is a strong return on a $25,125 median debt. The acceptance rate is 11%.
A rank of #4 makes Longy School Of Music Of Bard College one of the best values for music education. Located in the city of Cambridge, Longy School Of Music Of Bard College is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $55,275. Soon after graduation, music education degree recipients from Longy School Of Music Of Bard College generally make around $30,660.
Berklee College Of Music is a great value for students pursuing a degree in music education, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Boston, Berklee College Of Music is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $52,040 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $26,138 to complete the music education program here. Early-career music education graduates make about $26,374. Set against $26,138 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 44% of applicants are accepted.
More Music Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
