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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.
Learn More
Best Schools for Music Education in Illinois
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the music education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Music Education
Our analysis ranked University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign the best school in the country for a degree in music education. This very large public university is located in the city of Champaign. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign graduates 85% of students within six years. There were roughly 50 music education students who graduated with this degree at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign in the most recent data year. Graduates of the music education program make about $51,105 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $21,500.
Get the full music education details for University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign
A rank of #2 makes Illinois State University one of the top schools for music education. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Normal. About 64% of students finish within six years. Illinois State University awarded about 36 music education degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, music education degree recipients from Illinois State University generally make around $50,102. Typical student debt for the program is $24,149.
See the full music education program report for Illinois State University
A rank of #3 makes Depaul University one of the top schools for music education. Located in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 68%. Depaul University awarded about 12 music education degrees in the most recent data year. Music Education graduates of Depaul University earn a median of $52,130 early in their careers. Depaul University graduates carry a median of $26,910 in student loans.
Read more about the music education program at Depaul University
Augustana College Illinois came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best music education schools. Located in the city of Rock Island, Augustana College Illinois is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. About 73% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 11 music education students who graduated with this degree at Augustana College Illinois in the most recent data year. Music Education graduates of Augustana College Illinois earn a median of $45,145 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000.
Get the full music education details for Augustana College Illinois
A rank of #5 makes Millikin University one of the top schools for music education. Located in the city of Decatur, Millikin University is a small private not-for-profit university. About 55% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 16 music education students who graduated with this degree at Millikin University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, music education degree recipients from Millikin University generally make around $43,936. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in music education from Millikin University
Vandercook College Of Music came in at #6 for music education this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Vandercook College Of Music is a small private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 67% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 50 music education students who graduated with this degree at Vandercook College Of Music in the most recent data year. Students who receive their music education degree from Vandercook College Of Music earn around $43,100 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree.
Read more about the music education program at Vandercook College Of Music
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 30 schools evaluated.
- 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.
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