2026 Best Music Performance Schools in Missouri

Music Performance is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 12 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for music performance students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

• Best Music Performance Schools in Missouri

ADVERTISEMENTS

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.

Learn More

Visit Site

Best Schools for Music Performance in Missouri

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall music performance education in Missouri.

Top Schools in Music Performance

1

University Of Missouri Kansas City
Kansas City, MO

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

72 Music Performance Degrees Awarded

$32,144 Median Starting Salary

Leading the list is University Of Missouri Kansas City, our #1 school for music performance. Located in the city of Kansas City, University Of Missouri Kansas City is a large public university. Roughly 54% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of Missouri Kansas City awarded about 72 music performance degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their music performance degree from University Of Missouri Kansas City earn around $32,144 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $23,089. Get the full music performance details for University Of Missouri Kansas City

2

Missouri State University Springfield
Springfield, MO

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

18 Music Performance Degrees Awarded

$46,503 Median Starting Salary

Missouri State University Springfield is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in music performance, ranking #2. Located in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public university. Roughly 58% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 18 music performance students who graduated with this degree at Missouri State University Springfield in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, music performance degree recipients from Missouri State University Springfield generally make around $46,503. Students borrow a median of $24,408 to complete this degree. See the full music performance program report for Missouri State University Springfield

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 12 schools evaluated.

• 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.