2026 Best Value Music Therapy Schools in California
[Music Therapy](/majors/health-care-professions/rehab-and-therapeutic-professions/music-therapy/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong music therapy education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for music therapy students.
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2026 Best Value Music Therapy Schools in California
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the music therapy degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Music Therapy Schools
Our analysis ranked California State University Northridge the best value for a degree in music therapy in California. Located in the city of Northridge, California State University Northridge is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,458 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $20,058. Students borrow a median of $16,202 to complete the music therapy program here. Soon after graduation, music therapy degree recipients from California State University Northridge generally make around $55,764. Set against $16,202 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Mount St Marys College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in music therapy, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Los Angeles, Mount St Marys College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $49,564 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,555 to complete the music therapy program here. Early-career music therapy graduates make about $58,110. Set against $27,555 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 73% of applicants are accepted.
University Of The Pacific came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value music therapy schools. Set in the city of Stockton, University Of The Pacific is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $57,080. Music Therapy graduates carry a median of $23,514 in student loans. Music Therapy graduates of University Of The Pacific earn a median of $88,755 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 71%.
More Music Therapy Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
