[Music Performance](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/music-performance/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong music performance education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find the best return on investment for music performance students.
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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.
Chandler Gilbert Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value music performance schools in Arizona. Located in the city of Chandler, Chandler Gilbert Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,358, compared with $8,959 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $10,447 to complete the music performance program here. Soon after graduation, music performance degree recipients from Chandler Gilbert Community College generally make around $46,943. That is a strong return on a $10,447 median debt.
Arizona State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value music performance schools. Set in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,223, compared with $33,139 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for music performance graduates is $21,504. Soon after graduation, music performance degree recipients from Arizona State University generally make around $26,653. Set against $21,504 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Northern Arizona University earned it the #3 place for music performance. Northern Arizona University is a very large public school located in the city of Flagstaff. Students from in state pay about $12,619 in tuition and fees, compared with $20,044 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,645 to complete the music performance program here. Music Performance graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median of $47,056 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in music performance will find it at University Of Arizona, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Tucson, University Of Arizona is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,573, while out-of-state students pay about $39,903. Typical student debt for music performance graduates is $14,800. Soon after graduation, music performance degree recipients from University Of Arizona generally make around $30,157. Set against $14,800 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Arizona admits about 86% of applicants.
More Music Performance 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 · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
