[Music Performance](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/music-performance/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 21 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value music performance schools.
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Featured Music Performance Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
MBA in Music Business
Earn the music business degree that fits into the business world – and partners Southern New Hampshire University with world-renowned Berklee College of Music.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the music performance degrees they offer, see the list below.
Grand Rapids Community College earned the #1 spot for value among music performance schools in Michigan. Set in the city of Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Community College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,179, while out-of-state students pay about $12,219. Music Performance graduates carry a median of $11,780 in student loans. Early-career music performance graduates make about $41,689. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Michigan Ann Arbor one of the best values for music performance. 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, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Music Performance graduates carry a median of $19,397 in student loans. Early-career music performance graduates make about $29,641. That is a strong return on a $19,397 median debt. The acceptance rate is 16%.
Central Michigan University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in music performance, landing the #3 spot this year. Central Michigan University is a large public school located in the town of Mount Pleasant. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,480. Students borrow a median of $27,975 to complete the music performance program here. Music Performance graduates of Central Michigan University earn a median of $24,911 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,975 median debt. Central Michigan University admits about 90% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Eastern Michigan University earned it the #4 place for music performance. Eastern Michigan University is a large public school located in the suburb of Ypsilanti. Students from in state pay about $16,990 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $28,781 to complete the music performance program here. Music Performance graduates of Eastern Michigan University earn a median of $47,887 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $28,781 median debt. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Michigan University earned it the #5 place for music performance. Western Michigan University is a large public school located in the city of Kalamazoo. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,987, compared with $19,952 for out-of-state students. Music Performance graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Music Performance graduates of Western Michigan University earn a median of $27,361 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Western Michigan University admits about 85% of applicants.
Michigan State University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value music performance schools. 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. Students borrow a median of $26,750 to complete the music performance program here. Early-career music performance graduates make about $40,570. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.
More Music Performance Rankings
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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 · 21 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
