2026 Best Value General Music Schools in Washington
[General Music](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/general-music/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general music education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 27 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general music students.
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2026 Best Value General Music Schools in Washington
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general music, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Music Schools
Eastern Washington University earned the #1 spot for value among general music schools in Washington. Eastern Washington University is a large public school located in the town of Cheney. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,586, while out-of-state students pay about $26,583. Students borrow a median of $21,754 to complete the general music program here. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from Eastern Washington University generally make around $47,144. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Washington Seattle Campus one of the best values for general music. University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Seattle. Students from in state pay about $12,973 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $43,209. Students borrow a median of $16,481 to complete the general music program here. General Music graduates of University Of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of $65,681 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 39%.
Students looking for strong value in general music will find it at Washington State University, which ranked #3. Washington State University is a very large public school located in the town of Pullman. In-state tuition and fees average $13,391, compared with $29,950 for out-of-state students. General Music graduates carry a median of $24,503 in student loans. Early-career general music graduates make about $54,697. That is a strong return on a $24,503 median debt. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Students looking for strong value in general music will find it at Central Washington University, which ranked #4. Set in the town of Ellensburg, Central Washington University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,417, compared with $27,526 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $26,000. General Music graduates of Central Washington University earn a median of $48,556 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 91%.
A rank of #5 makes Western Washington University one of the best values for general music. Set in the city of Bellingham, Western Washington University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,582, compared with $28,707 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,055 to complete the general music program here. General Music graduates of Western Washington University earn a median of $15,834 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,055 median debt. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Pacific Lutheran University placed #6 among the best values for general music. Located in the suburb of Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $50,916. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $26,815. General Music graduates of Pacific Lutheran University earn a median of $17,711 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,815 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
University Of Puget Sound placed #7 among the best values for general music. University Of Puget Sound is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Tacoma. In-state tuition and fees average $62,898. General Music graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. General Music graduates of University Of Puget Sound earn a median of $25,551 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
More General Music 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 · 27 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
