2026 Best Value Other Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Other Music](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/music-other/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong other music education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 30 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for other music students.
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2026 Best Value Other Music Schools in the Great Lakes Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the other music degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Other Music Schools
Leading the list is University Of Michigan Ann Arbor, our #1 best value for other music in the Great Lakes Region. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,848, with out-of-state students paying around $63,081. Students borrow a median of $19,397 to complete the other music program here. Early-career other music graduates make about $66,254. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 16% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in other music will find it at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $18,267, compared with $40,096 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,625 to complete the other music program here. Other Music graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $25,536 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,625 median debt. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign admits about 42% of applicants.
Indiana University Bloomington is a great value for students pursuing a degree in other music, landing the #3 spot this year. Indiana University Bloomington is a very large public school located in the city of Bloomington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,144, with out-of-state students paying around $41,891. Other Music graduates carry a median of $20,769 in student loans. Soon after graduation, other music degree recipients from Indiana University Bloomington generally make around $28,328. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Indiana University Bloomington admits about 78% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Ball State University earned it the #4 place for other music. Ball State University is a very large public school located in the city of Muncie. In-state tuition and fees average $11,082, with out-of-state students paying around $29,630. Typical student debt for other music graduates is $24,518. Early-career other music graduates make about $47,863. That is a strong return on a $24,518 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Michigan State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in other music, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $18,079 in tuition and fees, compared with $44,850 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for other music graduates is $26,750. Soon after graduation, other music degree recipients from Michigan State University generally make around $54,166. Set against $26,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Capital University earned the #6 position for value in other music this year. Set in the suburb of Columbus, Capital University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $43,234. Other Music graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career other music graduates make about $33,143. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 70%.
Columbia College Chicago landed the #7 spot for other music value this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $34,088. Typical student debt for other music graduates is $27,000. Other Music graduates of Columbia College Chicago earn a median of $19,943 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Columbia College Chicago admits about 90% of applicants.
Wheaton College Illinois placed #8 among the best values for other music. Located in the suburb of Wheaton, Wheaton College Illinois is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $45,546 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for other music graduates is $24,556. Early-career other music graduates make about $26,540. Set against $24,556 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Wheaton College Illinois admits about 87% of applicants.
Northwestern University came in at #9 for value in other music this year. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $68,322 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for other music graduates is $18,166. Other Music graduates of Northwestern University earn a median of $78,551 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $18,166 median debt. The acceptance rate is 8%.
Depaul University placed #10 among the best values for other music. Set in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,405. Students borrow a median of $23,334 to complete the other music program here. Early-career other music graduates make about $22,885. That is a strong return on a $23,334 median debt. Depaul University admits about 76% of applicants.
Butler University ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value other music schools. 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. Typical student debt for other music graduates is $24,170. Other Music graduates of Butler University earn a median of $68,222 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,170 median debt. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Case Western Reserve University landed the #12 spot for other music value this year. Case Western Reserve University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cleveland. In-state tuition and fees average $66,608. Typical student debt for other music graduates is $25,106. Early-career other music graduates make about $74,459. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Case Western Reserve University admits about 36% of applicants.
Oberlin College landed the #13 spot for other music value this year. Oberlin College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Oberlin. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,366. Students borrow a median of $26,200 to complete the other music program here. Soon after graduation, other music degree recipients from Oberlin College generally make around $17,141. That is a strong return on a $26,200 median debt. Oberlin College admits about 34% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 30 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 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.
