4,280
Graduates Per Year
$54K
Average Salary
#93
Most Popular Major
Degree Stats
Popular
4,280
13% NATIONAL AVG
Diplomas Received Last Year
433
5% NATIONAL AVG
Colleges Offering this Degree
Most Popular Degrees
92
Applied Mathematics
4,288
93
Music Performance
4,280
94
Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
4,135
Most Widely Offered Degrees
35
/
1.852
Worse
Better
Top 100 Colleges offering this degree
Degree Granting Schools that are Public
Most Graduates
By Region
Southeast
George Mason University
By State
California
California State University-Long Beach
By Conference
Big Ten Conference
Indiana University-Bloomington
By School
Central Arizona College
If you think life as a concert piano player, concert cello player, or concert oboe player sounds interesting, then a degree in music performance may just be for you. You could even become the next Elvis Presley!
Music performance is the 93rd most popular degree in America, with 4,280 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #94 Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, and narrowly lost to #92 Applied Mathematics.
The degree is offered at a total of 433 colleges across the nation, and is the 49th most widely offered degree. It is only offered at 15% of the Top 100 Best Colleges in America.
It is also worth noting that one half of colleges offering music performance are public making it a pretty accessible field.
The southeast produces the most music performance graduates, largely led by George Mason University, while it’s the Big Ten Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, California ranks highest, with particular help from California State University-Long Beach and California State University-Northridge.
All that being said, no individual school produces more music performance graduates than Central Arizona College, which graduated 250 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study music performance). More students studied music performance as a percentage of total students at Musicians Institute than any other college.
Good luck on your college search. We hope you enjoy Authority's 2022 official Best Colleges for Music Performance list. Some of our picks may surprise you!
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#1 Best Colleges for Music Performance
Berklee College of Music is a mid-sized private art school located in Boston, MA ranked 36th in Massachusetts. It has a total of 7,389 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, accepting 51.44% of applicants. Berklee College of Music offers 32 different majors and is best known for its Music Performance, Music Theory and Composition, and Music Therapy programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $44,360 per year, Berklee College of Music is rather pricey. 44.37% of students graduate moving on to the next stage of their lives, entering the labor force. After finishing college, alumni go on to make roughly $30,300 per year, which is 27% under the national median.
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Boston, MA
www.berklee.edu
B
Rating
51%
Acceptance
8,031
Students
# 305
Ranking
$44,360
Tuition
#2 Best Colleges for Music Performance
University of Rochester is a large private university located in Rochester, NY ranked 51st in the United States. It has a total of 7,308 full-time undergraduate students and is relatively competitive, with a 29.71% acceptance rate. University of Rochester offers 277 different majors and is best known for its Computational Science, Music Performance, and Jazz programs (nationally ranked 1st, 2nd, and 2nd respectively). With an annual tuition of $55,040 per year, University of Rochester is extremely expensive. 79.93% of students graduate beginning the next chapter of their lives, entering the labor force. After college, alumni go on to bring in roughly $61,200 per year, which is 47% above the national median.
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Rochester, NY
https://www.rochester.edu
A+
Rating
30%
Acceptance
13,269
Students
# 47
Ranking
$55,040
Tuition
#3 Best Colleges for Music Performance
Johns Hopkins University is a very large private university located in Baltimore, MD ranked 7th in the United States. It has a total of 8,185 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, accepting more or less one in every ten applicants. Johns Hopkins University offers 362 different majors and is best known for its Public Health, Neuroscience, and Biophysics programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $55,350 per year, Johns Hopkins University is very expensive. 83.58% of students graduate beginning the next phase of their lives, entering the labor force. After finishing college, alumni go on to earn more or less $73,200 per year, which is 76% over the national median.
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Baltimore, MD
www.jhu.edu
A+
Rating
11%
Acceptance
33,543
Students
# 7
Ranking
$55,350
Tuition
#4 Best Colleges for Music Performance
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is a very large public university located in Ann Arbor, MI ranked 37th in the nation. It has a total of 31,206 full-time undergraduate students and is relatively competitive, accepting more or less 2 in 9 applicants. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor offers 433 different majors and is best known for its Experimental Psychology, Data Modeling and Database Administration, and German Language and Literature programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $15,230 for students from Michigan and $50,872 for those from out-of-state, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is exceptionally pricey. 86.28% of students graduate beginning the next stage of their lives, working. After college, alumni go on to take home more or less $63,400 per year, which is 53% greater than the national median.
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Ann Arbor, MI
https://umich.edu/
A+
Rating
23%
Acceptance
48,218
Students
# 2
Ranking
$50,872
Tuition
#5 Best Colleges for Music Performance
Indiana University-Bloomington is a very large public university located in Bloomington, IN ranked 280th in the US. It has a total of 34,843 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, with a 77.91% acceptance rate. Indiana University-Bloomington offers 336 different majors and is best known for its Business, Public Administration, and Informatics programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $9,575 for students from Indiana and $35,140 for those from out-of-state, Indiana University-Bloomington is somewhat moderately pricey. 60.07% of students graduate starting the next phase of their lives, working. After finishing college, alumni go on to bring home around $47,700 per year, which is 15% above the national median.
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Bloomington, IN
www.indiana.edu/
A-
Rating
78%
Acceptance
46,423
Students
# 76
Ranking
$35,140
Tuition
#6 Best Colleges for Music Performance
Oberlin College is a small private liberal arts college located in Oberlin, OH ranked 111th in America. It has a total of 2,911 full-time undergraduate students and is somewhat competitive, accepting a smidgeon below 3 out of 8 applicants. Oberlin College offers 57 different majors and is best known for its Music Performance, Jazz, and East Asian Studies programs (nationally ranked 6th, 7th, and 9th respectively). With an annual tuition of $55,976 per year, Oberlin College is exceptionally expensive. 78.88% of students graduate moving on to the next stage of their lives, working. After finishing college, alumni go on to bring home about $40,800 per year, which is 2% less than the national median.
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Oberlin, OH
www.oberlin.edu
A
Rating
36%
Acceptance
2,939
Students
# 96
Ranking
$55,976
Tuition
#7 Best Colleges for Music Performance
New York University is a very large private university located in New York, NY ranked 25th in America. It has a total of 29,902 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, accepting 16.2% of applicants. New York University offers 564 different majors and is best known for its Drama, Radio, Television, and Digital Communication, and Management Information Systems programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $50,684 per year, New York University is exceptionally expensive. 73.93% of students graduate beginning the next phase of their lives, employment. After finishing college, alumni go on to make roughly $61,900 per year, which is 49% over the national median.
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New York, NY
www.nyu.edu
A+
Rating
16%
Acceptance
58,091
Students
# 25
Ranking
$50,684
Tuition
#8 Best Colleges for Music Performance
Boston University is a very large private university located in Boston, MA ranked 35th in the US. It has a total of 23,235 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, accepting about one in five applicants. Boston University offers 433 different majors and is best known for its Counseling Psychology, Athletic Training, and Archeology programs, which are all nationally ranked 2nd. With an annual tuition of $54,720 per year, Boston University is extremely high-priced. 77.85% of students graduate starting the next phase of their lives, joining the labor force. Open graduating, alumni go on to draw about $65,300 per year, which is 57% above the national median.
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Boston, MA
www.bu.edu
A+
Rating
19%
Acceptance
42,779
Students
# 34
Ranking
$54,720
Tuition
#9 Best Colleges for Music Performance
Northwestern University is a very large private university located in Evanston, IL ranked 18th in the US. It has a total of 9,906 full-time undergraduate students and is highly competitive, accepting 9.05% of applicants. Northwestern University offers 406 different majors and is best known for its Manufacturing Engineering, Journalism, and Drama programs (nationally ranked 1st, 2nd, and 2nd respectively). With an annual tuition of $56,232 per year, Northwestern University is exceptionally expensive. 76.5% of students graduate moving on to the next stage of their lives, employment. After finishing their studies, alumni go on to generate roughly $69,000 per year, which is 66% above the national median.
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Evanston, IL
www.northwestern.edu
A+
Rating
9%
Acceptance
25,614
Students
# 18
Ranking
$56,232
Tuition
#10 Best Colleges for Music Performance
Carnegie Mellon University is a large private university located in Pittsburgh, PA ranked 21st in the nation. It has a total of 7,068 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, accepting hardly above 1/7 of applicants. Carnegie Mellon University offers 321 different majors and is best known for its Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Statistics, and Information Technology programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $55,816 per year, Carnegie Mellon University is extremely high-priced. 78.26% of students graduate moving on to the next phase of their lives, working. After college, alumni go on to earn around $83,600 per year, which is 101% over the national median.
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Pittsburgh, PA
www.cmu.edu/
A+
Rating
15%
Acceptance
15,143
Students
# 21
Ranking
$55,816
Tuition
#11 Best Colleges for Music Performance
University of Southern California is a very large private university located in Los Angeles, CA ranked 24th in the United States. It has a total of 21,909 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, accepting 11.42% of applicants. University of Southern California offers 527 different majors and is best known for its Communication and Media Studies, Film, and Gerontology programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $57,256 per year, University of Southern California is very high-priced. 87.78% of students graduate moving on to the next chapter of their lives, entering the labor market. After college, alumni go on to take home around $74,000 per year, which is 78% over the national median.
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Los Angeles, CA
www.usc.edu/
A+
Rating
11%
Acceptance
53,186
Students
# 24
Ranking
$57,256
Tuition
#12 Best Colleges for Music Performance
University of North Texas is a very large public university located in Denton, TX ranked 24th in Texas. It has a total of 35,111 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, with a 73.61% acceptance rate. University of North Texas offers 243 different majors and is best known for its General Studies, Jazz, and Fashion Merchandising programs (nationally ranked 1st, 6th, and 7th respectively). With an annual tuition of $8,295 for students from Texas and $18,423 for those from out-of-state, University of North Texas is reasonably priced. 55.16% of students graduate starting the next phase of their lives, entering the labor market. After college, alumni go on to take in near $45,000 per year, which is 8% greater than the national median.
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Denton, TX
www.unt.edu
C+
Rating
74%
Acceptance
43,963
Students
# 200
Ranking
$18,423
Tuition
#13 Best Colleges for Music Performance
University of Miami is a large private university located in Coral Gables, FL ranked 59th in the United States. It has a total of 12,351 full-time undergraduate students and is relatively competitive, with a 27.13% acceptance rate. University of Miami offers 309 different majors and is best known for its Information Technology Administration and Management, Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography, and Broadcast Journalism programs (nationally ranked 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respectively). With an annual tuition of $50,400 per year, University of Miami is exceptionally costly. 74.98% of students graduate moving on to the next chapter of their lives, employment. After finishing their studies, alumni go on to earn about $60,100 per year, which is 45% above the national median.
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Coral Gables, FL
www.miami.edu/
A+
Rating
27%
Acceptance
19,618
Students
# 55
Ranking
$50,400
Tuition
#14 Best Colleges for Music Performance
Florida State University is a very large public university located in Tallahassee, FL ranked 148th in the nation. It has a total of 36,720 full-time undergraduate students and is somewhat competitive, accepting 35.97% of applicants. Florida State University offers 272 different majors and is best known for its English Language and Literature, Real Estate, and Insurance programs (nationally ranked 1st, 2nd, and 2nd respectively). With an annual tuition of $4,022 for students from Florida and $16,540 for those from out-of-state, Florida State University is moderately priced. 73.69% of students graduate moving on to the next chapter of their lives, entering the workforce. After graduation, alumni go on to draw around $46,400 per year, which is 12% above the national median.
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Tallahassee, FL
www.fsu.edu
A
Rating
36%
Acceptance
46,825
Students
# 32
Ranking
$16,540
Tuition
#15 Best Colleges for Music Performance
Rutgers University-New Brunswick is a very large public university located in New Brunswick, NJ ranked 144th in the US. It has a total of 40,836 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, accepting 61.22% of applicants. Rutgers University-New Brunswick offers 374 different majors and is best known for its Human Resources, Social Work, and Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management programs (nationally ranked 2nd, 2nd, and 3rd respectively). With an annual tuition of $12,230 for in-state students and $29,012 for those from out-of-state, Rutgers University-New Brunswick is somewhat moderately expensive. 72.03% of students graduate moving on to the next chapter of their lives, working. Open graduating, alumni go on to bring in more or less $57,900 per year, which is 39% greater than the national median.
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New Brunswick, NJ
https://newbrunswick.rutgers.edu
A
Rating
61%
Acceptance
57,162
Students
# 31
Ranking
$29,012
Tuition
#16 Best Colleges for Music Performance
University of North Carolina School of the Arts is a small public art school located in Winston Salem, NC ranked 210th in the nation. It has a total of 904 full-time undergraduate students and is relatively competitive, with a 28.91% acceptance rate. University of North Carolina School of the Arts offers 10 different majors and is best known for its Theatre Design and Technology, Dance, and Cinematography programs (nationally ranked 1st, 4th, and 5th respectively). With an annual tuition of $6,497 for students from North Carolina and $23,040 for those from out-of-state, University of North Carolina School of the Arts is reasonably costly. 69.27% of students graduate moving on to the next stage of their lives, working. After finishing college, alumni go on to bring home around $35,500 per year, which is 15% less than the national median.
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Winston Salem, NC
www.uncsa.edu/
A
Rating
29%
Acceptance
1,057
Students
# 56
Ranking
$23,040
Tuition
#17 Best Colleges for Music Performance
California State University-Long Beach is a very large public college located in Long Beach, CA ranked 240th in the United States. It has a total of 34,674 full-time undergraduate students and is somewhat competitive, with a 39.27% acceptance rate. California State University-Long Beach offers 180 different majors and is best known for its Human Sciences, Health and Fitness, and Computer Engineering Technologies programs (nationally ranked 1st, 3rd, and 5th respectively). With an annual tuition of $5,742 for in-state students and $17,622 for those from out-of-state, California State University-Long Beach is reasonably priced. 73.68% of students graduate ready to the next chapter of their lives, joining the labor force. After finishing college, alumni go on to bring home about $48,100 per year, which is 16% over the national median.
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Long Beach, CA
www.csulb.edu
A-
Rating
39%
Acceptance
41,344
Students
# 65
Ranking
$17,622
Tuition
#18 Best Colleges for Music Performance
Michigan State University is a very large public university located in East Lansing, MI ranked 163rd in the nation. It has a total of 42,492 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, accepting 71.12% of applicants. Michigan State University offers 384 different majors and is best known for its Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management, Pre-Law Studies, and Soil Sciences programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $14,460 for in-state students and $39,766 for those from out-of-state, Michigan State University is quite expensive. 76.24% of students graduate beginning the next chapter of their lives, working. After graduation, alumni go on to make roughly $53,600 per year, which is 29% above the national median.
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East Lansing, MI
https://www.msu.edu
A
Rating
71%
Acceptance
55,332
Students
# 41
Ranking
$39,766
Tuition
#19 Best Colleges for Music Performance
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a very large public university located in Chapel Hill, NC ranked 64th in the nation. It has a total of 19,957 full-time undergraduate students and is relatively competitive, with a 22.63% acceptance rate. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offers 232 different majors and is best known for its Health and Fitness, Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, and Environmental Science programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $7,019 for students from North Carolina and $34,198 for those from out-of-state, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is somewhat moderately costly. 84.25% of students graduate ready to the next chapter of their lives, entering the labor market. After finishing their studies, alumni go on to bring home roughly $55,600 per year, which is 34% above the national median.
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Chapel Hill, NC
www.unc.edu
A+
Rating
23%
Acceptance
32,346
Students
# 5
Ranking
$34,198
Tuition
#20 Best Colleges for Music Performance
Lawrence University is a small private liberal arts college located in Appleton, WI ranked 189th in America. It has a total of 1,474 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, accepting barely shy of 5/8 of applicants. Lawrence University offers 40 different majors and is best known for its Russian Studies, Mathematics and Computer Science, and Music Performance programs (nationally ranked 2nd, 13th, and 20th respectively). With an annual tuition of $48,822 per year, Lawrence University is exceptionally expensive. 69.29% of students graduate moving on to the next phase of their lives, entering the labor market. Open graduating, alumni go on to earn more or less $44,100 per year, which is 6% greater than the national median.
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Appleton, WI
www.lawrence.edu
A
Rating
62%
Acceptance
1,474
Students
# 139
Ranking
$48,822
Tuition
#21 Best Colleges for Music Performance
The University of Texas at Austin is a very large public university located in Austin, TX ranked 81st in America. It has a total of 43,132 full-time undergraduate students and is somewhat competitive, accepting barely below 1 out of every 3 applicants. The University of Texas at Austin offers 339 different majors and is best known for its Communication Sciences and Disorders, Writing, and Accounting programs (nationally ranked 1st, 1st, and 2nd respectively). With an annual tuition of $10,824 for students from Texas and $38,326 for those from out-of-state, The University of Texas at Austin is quite expensive. 77.77% of students graduate starting the next chapter of their lives, employment. After college, alumni go on to earn more or less $58,200 per year, which is 40% above the national median.
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Austin, TX
www.utexas.edu
A+
Rating
32%
Acceptance
55,128
Students
# 10
Ranking
$38,326
Tuition
#22 Best Colleges for Music Performance
University of Colorado Boulder is a very large public university located in Boulder, CO ranked 269th in the nation. It has a total of 33,059 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, accepting a smidgeon greater than 7 out of 9 applicants. University of Colorado Boulder offers 214 different majors and is best known for its Physiology, Environmental Design, and Astronomy programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $10,728 for in-state students and $36,546 for those from out-of-state, University of Colorado Boulder is rather expensive. 60.59% of students graduate beginning the next phase of their lives, joining the labor force. After finishing their studies, alumni go on to make near $50,800 per year, which is 22% greater than the national median.
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Boulder, CO
www.colorado.edu
A-
Rating
78%
Acceptance
40,353
Students
# 73
Ranking
$36,546
Tuition
#23 Best Colleges for Music Performance
University of Maryland-College Park is a very large public university located in College Park, MD ranked 100th in America. It has a total of 33,022 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, accepting 44.18% of applicants. University of Maryland-College Park offers 432 different majors and is best known for its Criminology, Preschool Education and Teaching, and Family and Community Services programs (nationally ranked 1st, 1st, and 2nd respectively). With an annual tuition of $8,824 for students from Maryland and $34,936 for those from out-of-state, University of Maryland-College Park is somewhat moderately pricey. 75.08% of students graduate beginning the next stage of their lives, joining the labor market. After graduation, alumni go on to make around $62,900 per year, which is 51% greater than the national median.
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College Park, MD
www.umd.edu
A
Rating
44%
Acceptance
44,486
Students
# 13
Ranking
$34,936
Tuition
#24 Best Colleges for Music Performance
Southern Methodist University is a large private university located in Dallas, TX ranked 95th in the United States. It has a total of 6,947 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, accepting 47.29% of applicants. Southern Methodist University offers 217 different majors and is best known for its Office Management and Supervision, Fitness Administration, and Real Estate programs (nationally ranked 2nd, 9th, and 9th respectively). With an annual tuition of $50,200 per year, Southern Methodist University is exceptionally expensive. 70.9% of students graduate starting the next phase of their lives, working. After finishing their studies, alumni go on to earn close to $60,700 per year, which is 46% greater than the national median.
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Dallas, TX
www.smu.edu
A+
Rating
47%
Acceptance
12,825
Students
# 84
Ranking
$50,200
Tuition
#25 Best Colleges for Music Performance
Baylor University is a large private university located in Waco, TX ranked 140th in the nation. It has a total of 14,751 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, with a 45.33% acceptance rate. Baylor University offers 209 different majors and is best known for its Religious Music, Entrepreneurship, and Management Information Systems programs (nationally ranked 1st, 2nd, and 6th respectively). With an annual tuition of $42,842 per year, Baylor University is rather expensive. 71.81% of students graduate starting the next phase of their lives, working. After college, alumni go on to take home near $51,600 per year, which is 24% greater than the national median.
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Waco, TX
www.baylor.edu
A
Rating
45%
Acceptance
18,956
Students
# 110
Ranking
$42,842
Tuition