2026 Best Value Music Schools in South Carolina
[Music](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/music/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 23 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value music schools.
What’s on this page:
ADVERTISEMENTS
Featured Music 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
2026 Best Value Music Schools in South Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in music, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Music Schools
For return on investment in music, no school beat Winthrop University this year. Winthrop University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Rock Hill. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,678, with out-of-state students paying around $28,676. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the music program here. Music graduates of Winthrop University earn a median of $25,952 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
College Of Charleston came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value music schools. College Of Charleston is a large public school located in the city of Charleston. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,978, with out-of-state students paying around $38,296. Students borrow a median of $24,733 to complete the music program here. Soon after graduation, music degree recipients from College Of Charleston generally make around $40,222. That is a strong return on a $24,733 median debt. The acceptance rate is 60%.
Students looking for strong value in music will find it at Bob Jones University, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Greenville, Bob Jones University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $22,892. Students borrow a median of $20,497 to complete the music program here. Music graduates of Bob Jones University earn a median of $40,538 early in their careers. Set against $20,497 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #4 makes University Of South Carolina Columbia one of the best values for music. University Of South Carolina Columbia is a very large public school located in the city of Columbia. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,688, compared with $36,298 for out-of-state students. Music graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Music graduates of University Of South Carolina Columbia earn a median of $38,397 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of South Carolina Columbia admits about 60% of applicants.
View All Music Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 23 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
