2026 Best Value General Music Schools in Indiana
[General Music](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/general-music/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 27 schools to find the best return on investment for general music students.
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Featured General Music Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
MBA in Music Business
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2026 Best Value General Music Schools in Indiana
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general music, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Music Schools
Leading the list is Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne, our #1 best value for general music in Indiana. Set in the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,532 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,887. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $24,119. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne generally make around $49,424. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne admits about 84% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general music will find it at Indiana University Bloomington, which ranked #2. Indiana University Bloomington is a very large public school located in the city of Bloomington. Students from in state pay about $12,144 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $41,891. General Music graduates carry a median of $20,769 in student loans. Early-career general music graduates make about $28,328. Set against $20,769 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general music will find it at Ball State University, which ranked #3. Ball State University is a very large public school located in the city of Muncie. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,082, while out-of-state students pay about $29,630. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $24,518. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from Ball State University generally make around $47,863. Set against $24,518 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Depauw University one of the best values for general music. Located in the town of Greencastle, Depauw University is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $59,070. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general music program here. Early-career general music graduates make about $46,127. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Depauw University admits about 57% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Butler University earned it the #5 place for general music. Butler University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Indianapolis. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $47,560. Students borrow a median of $24,170 to complete the general music program here. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from Butler University generally make around $68,222. That is a strong return on a $24,170 median debt. Roughly 85% 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.
