[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.
College Factual analyzed 13 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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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in music performance, balancing cost against outcomes.
Our analysis ranked University Of Minnesota Duluth the best value for a degree in music performance in Minnesota. Located in the city of Duluth, University Of Minnesota Duluth is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,608, compared with $20,134 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for music performance graduates is $24,427. Music Performance graduates of University Of Minnesota Duluth earn a median of $31,780 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,427 median debt. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
St Olaf College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value music performance schools. Located in the town of Northfield, St Olaf College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $59,760 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for music performance graduates is $23,750. Early-career music performance graduates make about $24,732. Set against $23,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 48% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Concordia College At Moorhead one of the best values for music performance. Concordia College At Moorhead is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Moorhead. Students from in state pay about $31,170 in tuition and fees. Music Performance graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Music Performance graduates of Concordia College At Moorhead earn a median of $44,611 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 63%.
A rank of #4 makes University Of St Thomas Minnesota one of the best values for music performance. Located in the city of Saint Paul, University Of St Thomas Minnesota is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $54,398. Music Performance graduates carry a median of $23,923 in student loans. Soon after graduation, music performance degree recipients from University Of St Thomas Minnesota generally make around $65,183. Set against $23,923 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. 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. 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 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.
