2026 Best Value General Music Schools in Missouri
[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 29 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general music students.
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2026 Best Value General Music Schools in Missouri
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general music degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Music Schools
St Charles Community College earned the #1 spot for value among general music schools in Missouri. Located in the suburb of Cottleville, St Charles Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $3,810 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $7,620. General Music graduates carry a median of $12,606 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from St Charles Community College generally make around $47,228. Set against $12,606 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Truman State University one of the best values for general music. Truman State University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Kirksville. In-state tuition and fees average $9,838, with out-of-state students paying around $18,566. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $23,168. General Music graduates of Truman State University earn a median of $39,764 early in their careers. Set against $23,168 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 84%.
Students looking for strong value in general music will find it at University Of Missouri St Louis, which ranked #3. University Of Missouri St Louis is a large public school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,120, with out-of-state students paying around $37,620. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $25,943. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from University Of Missouri St Louis generally make around $35,835. That is a strong return on a $25,943 median debt. Roughly 63% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Missouri Kansas City earned it the #4 place for general music. Set in the city of Kansas City, University Of Missouri Kansas City is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,371, compared with $32,271 for out-of-state students. General Music graduates carry a median of $23,089 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from University Of Missouri Kansas City generally make around $32,144. That is a strong return on a $23,089 median debt. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Central Missouri earned it the #5 place for general music. Set in the town of Warrensburg, University Of Central Missouri is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,050, with out-of-state students paying around $18,600. Students borrow a median of $21,750 to complete the general music program here. General Music graduates of University Of Central Missouri earn a median of $30,321 early in their careers. Set against $21,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
Missouri State University Springfield came in at #6 for value in general music this year. Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public school located in the city of Springfield. In-state tuition and fees average $9,502, with out-of-state students paying around $18,770. General Music graduates carry a median of $24,408 in student loans. General Music graduates of Missouri State University Springfield earn a median of $46,503 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,408 median debt. Missouri State University Springfield admits about 90% of applicants.
University Of Missouri Columbia came in at #7 for value in general music this year. Located in the city of Columbia, University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $14,837 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $36,056. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general music program here. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from University Of Missouri Columbia generally make around $35,939. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Evangel University came in at #8 for value in general music this year. Located in the city of Springfield, Evangel University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $28,548. General Music graduates carry a median of $24,876 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from Evangel University generally make around $42,039. That is a strong return on a $24,876 median debt. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Webster University landed the #9 spot for general music value this year. Set in the suburb of Saint Louis, Webster University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $31,750. Typical student debt for general music graduates is $25,939. Soon after graduation, general music degree recipients from Webster University generally make around $57,152. That is a strong return on a $25,939 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
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 · 29 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
