2026 Best Value Music Education Schools in Nebraska

[Music Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/music-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 11 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value music education schools.
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2026 Best Value Music Education Schools in Nebraska
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in music education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Music Education Schools
For return on investment in music education, no school beat Peru State College this year. Peru State College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Peru. Students from in state pay about $8,433 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for music education graduates is $26,254. Soon after graduation, music education degree recipients from Peru State College generally make around $40,993. That is a strong return on a $26,254 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Chadron State College earned it the #2 place for music education. Chadron State College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Chadron. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,294. Students borrow a median of $24,943 to complete the music education program here. Early-career music education graduates make about $46,824. That is a strong return on a $24,943 median debt.
Wayne State College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value music education schools. Located in the town of Wayne, Wayne State College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,171. Students borrow a median of $25,957 to complete the music education program here. Music Education graduates of Wayne State College earn a median of $42,589 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a great value for students pursuing a degree in music education, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Lincoln, University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,434, with out-of-state students paying around $28,584. Music Education graduates carry a median of $23,000 in student loans. Early-career music education graduates make about $45,786. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in music education will find it at Hastings College, which ranked #5. Set in the town of Hastings, Hastings College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $37,770. Music Education graduates carry a median of $24,125 in student loans. Music Education graduates of Hastings College earn a median of $42,417 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,125 median debt. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Nebraska Wesleyan University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value music education schools. Set in the city of Lincoln, Nebraska Wesleyan University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $43,572. Students borrow a median of $27,667 to complete the music education program here. Early-career music education graduates make about $52,199. Set against $27,667 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 80% 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. 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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.