2026 Best Value Music Education Schools in Mississippi

[Music Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/music-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 12 schools to find the best return on investment for music education students.
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2026 Best Value Music Education Schools in Mississippi
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in music education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Music Education Schools
Copiah Lincoln Community College earned the #1 spot for value among music education schools in Mississippi. Located in the rural area of Wesson, Copiah Lincoln Community College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,200, while out-of-state students pay about $5,200. Median earnings reach $31,241 ten years out.
A rank of #2 makes Delta State University one of the best values for music education. Set in the town of Cleveland, Delta State University is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,605. Students borrow a median of $22,500 to complete the music education program here. Music Education graduates of Delta State University earn a median of $32,898 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 100% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Southern Mississippi is a great value for students pursuing a degree in music education, landing the #3 spot this year. University Of Southern Mississippi is a large public school located in the city of Hattiesburg. In-state tuition and fees average $9,998, while out-of-state students pay about $11,998. Students borrow a median of $25,415 to complete the music education program here. Early-career music education graduates make about $52,338. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Southern Mississippi admits about 99% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Mississippi State University one of the best values for music education. Located in the town of Mississippi State, Mississippi State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,202, with out-of-state students paying around $27,637. Typical student debt for music education graduates is $15,750. Music Education graduates of Mississippi State University earn a median of $44,420 early in their careers. Set against $15,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
William Carey University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value music education schools. Set in the city of Hattiesburg, William Carey University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,480. Students borrow a median of $25,524 to complete the music education program here. Soon after graduation, music education degree recipients from William Carey University generally make around $52,790. That is a strong return on a $25,524 median debt. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
Jackson State University landed the #6 spot for music education value this year. Set in the city of Jackson, Jackson State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,965, while out-of-state students pay about $11,965. Students borrow a median of $28,875 to complete the music education program here. Soon after graduation, music education degree recipients from Jackson State University generally make around $36,845. That is a strong return on a $28,875 median debt. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Mississippi College landed the #7 spot for music education value this year. Set in the suburb of Clinton, Mississippi College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $23,500. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the music education program here. Early-career music education graduates make about $39,558. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 29% of applicants are accepted.
More Music Education Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.