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2026 Best Value General Music Schools in District of Columbia

[General Music](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/general-music/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for general music students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value General Music Schools in District of Columbia

2026 Best Value General Music Schools in District of Columbia

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general music, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value General Music Schools

1

Catholic University Of America
Washington, DC

$58,378 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,625 Avg Student Debt

$73,250 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in general music, no school beat Catholic University Of America this year. Catholic University Of America is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $58,378. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $24,625. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from Catholic University Of America generally make around $23,856. Set against $24,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 83%.

2

Howard University
Washington, DC

$35,810 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,498 Avg Student Debt

$63,066 Median Earnings (10yr)

Howard University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value general music schools. Located in the city of Washington, Howard University is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $35,810 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,498 to complete the general music program here. Early-career general music graduates make about $58,495. That is a strong return on a $25,498 median debt. Howard University admits about 41% of applicants.

View All General Music Rankings >

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 · 6 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.