2021 Best Colleges for Music in America

About this List

The Best Colleges for Music ranking is based on key statistics and student reviews using data from the U.S. Department of Education. The ranking compares the top music schools and performing arts colleges in the U.S. Read more on how this ranking was calculated.

Music

665 results

Curtis Institute of Music
4 Year
PHILADELPHIA, PA
Rating 4.42 out of 5 12 reviews
#1 Best Colleges for Music in America
Alum: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE...
The ONLY way to greatness is to PRACTICE relentlessly and dedicate yourself with the drive it takes to improve. You must push yourself every day, ALL day long in order to extract ALL that Curtis has to offer. Embrace the environment to the uttermost, because it will be the ONLY time you have available to reach the pinnacle necessary to get onto the roster of a major symphony orchestra. Because you are in "rarified air" you must maintain both a level of humility as well as adopt the outlook that you can EXECUTE any composition to which you are exposed.
Remember, Bernstein attended Curtis and he became a LEGEND for all time... being a great pianist, one of the greatest conductors of all time, as well as a brilliant Americana composer. When following in the footsteps of GREATNESS, you too and reach the Summit... IF you apply yourself.
Read 12 Reviews
grade A
Overall Niche Grade
4% Acceptance Rate
$17,238 Net Price
— SAT Range
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Berklee College of Music
4 Year
BOSTON, MA
Rating 3.84 out of 5 1,112 reviews
#2 Best Colleges for Music in America
Niche User: I have been accepted to Berklee this year for the class of '24 for Bachelor of Music Performance.
I have not studied there yet but I did do a lot of research on it and I know for certain that is where I really want to go and study for my next 4 years of education.
My Drum Kit teacher is also one of the Alumni's from Berklee and I also do have some friends there who all said that the place is amazing and everything it gives you, educational wise is just incredible.
All the facilities the place holds and the people there can make you become the best at what you want, meaning music.
Overall I really cannot wait to go there this year in Fall.
Thank you very much!

Many thanks,
Raoul Georgescu
Read 1,112 Reviews
grade B+
Overall Niche Grade
51% Acceptance Rate
$43,744 Net Price
— SAT Range
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University of Southern California
4 Year
LOS ANGELES, CA
Rating 3.95 out of 5 3,779 reviews
#3 Best Colleges for Music in America
Junior: Being a student at the University of Southern California is like no other. The campus is beautiful and the academics are stellar. The whole school feels like one big family. The athletic programs are top notch and really bring all the students together. I love being able to attend countless games while seeing cheering fans who truly love where they go to school. The best part about the University of Southern California is the Trojan alumni. With over 425,000 Trojan alumni in the world, you are always connected to a Trojan. The wonderful Trojan alumni are there for you beyond your four years. They give opportunities to advance in your desired career field, as well as be there in a new environment. No other university is this connected between current students and alumni. I am proud to attend USC, where academics, athletics and alumni blend together making the ultimate college experience!
Read 3,779 Reviews
grade A+
Overall Niche Grade
11% Acceptance Rate
$37,521 Net Price
1360-1530 SAT Range
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Northwestern University
4 Year
EVANSTON, IL
Rating 3.67 out of 5 1,408 reviews
#4 Best Colleges for Music in America
Freshman: Northwestern is definitely an academically rigorous school, but the amount of resources provided to its students makes success attainable. The Northwestern faculty goes above and beyond to ensure that their students have the support they need, not only to promote strong academics, but also all facets of health. Also, the student body at Northwestern is incredible! Everyone is extremely kind and inclusive. Thus, despite the rigor of the classes at NU--and the stress that such rigor entails--I have had such a positive experience that has made it all worth it!
Read 1,408 Reviews
grade A+
Overall Niche Grade
9% Acceptance Rate
$26,196 Net Price
1440-1550 SAT Range
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Vanderbilt University
4 Year
NASHVILLE, TN
Rating 3.99 out of 5 1,282 reviews
#5 Best Colleges for Music in America
Sophomore: I've very much enjoyed my time here! My favorite thing about this school is the collaborative environment. You never feel alone here, and you'll find professors and friends who will support you through thick and thin. The liberal arts education is amazing because I've been exposed to so many new topics that I would've never studied otherwise. Although I'm here to get into medicine, I've developed a love for studying French, and this school has helped me pursue my passions in both fields.
Read 1,282 Reviews
grade A+
Overall Niche Grade
9% Acceptance Rate
$25,855 Net Price
1460-1560 SAT Range
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Rice University
4 Year
HOUSTON, TX
Rating 4.06 out of 5 1,070 reviews
#6 Best Colleges for Music in America
Junior: Great size and location. I love our student run businesses - coffeehouse, east west tea (boba), the hoot (late night eats), etc. Campus and the nearby rice village can get old after awhile. Definitely explore houston when you can! It’s pretty diverse and spread out. If you don’t have a car, they give you a bus/metro rail pass which I actually used pretty often pre-pandemic.
Read 1,070 Reviews
grade A+
Overall Niche Grade
9% Acceptance Rate
$20,335 Net Price
1470-1570 SAT Range
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New England Conservatory of Music
4 Year
BOSTON, MA
Rating 3.79 out of 5 56 reviews
#7 Best Colleges for Music in America
Freshman: It's excellent school, and all the classes are super good, for instance we have orchestra training, orchestra rep class which help young musician to prepare to get a job after graduate, chamber music, music theory and music history. All the classes they provide are fantastic.
Read 56 Reviews
grade A minus
Overall Niche Grade
37% Acceptance Rate
$46,620 Net Price
— SAT Range
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The Juilliard School
4 Year
NEW YORK, NY
Rating 3.82 out of 5 57 reviews
#8 Best Colleges for Music in America
Freshman: I liked that Juilliard broke all the steroetypes associated with it. The students were not snobby and the teachers want to see you succeed. Everyone is working their hardest to achieve their goals and will not let anything stand in their way.
Read 57 Reviews
grade A minus
Overall Niche Grade
7% Acceptance Rate
$34,004 Net Price
— SAT Range
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Cleveland Institute of Music
4 Year
CLEVELAND, OH
Rating 3.62 out of 5 50 reviews
#9 Best Colleges for Music in America
Senior: Very friendly and supportive environment with phenomenal faculty. It is an extremely warm community and everyone cares for one another.
Read 50 Reviews
grade A minus
Overall Niche Grade
37% Acceptance Rate
$34,600 Net Price
— SAT Range
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Johns Hopkins University
4 Year
BALTIMORE, MD
Rating 3.63 out of 5 1,322 reviews
#10 Best Colleges for Music in America
Sophomore: I am a rising sophomore at the Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering majoring in engineering and computer science. I had a great freshman year despite finishing with 44 credits in some very challenging courses. Professors not TA's taught my courses and they as well as their TA's did a great job of being accessible when I needed assistance. Hopkins offers additonal tutoring and review sessions which were very helpful. The classes were small and intimate and I felt comfortable and engaged and the content was right on target with my expectations. I was also able to obtain a research assistant position as a freshman and was able to meet directly with the department chair which was thrilling. Johns Hopkins has met and exceeded my expectations. I have found the environment to be challenging but collaborative and not competitive at all. Even with the pandemic, my freshman year turned out to be a great one THANKS to Johns Hopkins!
Read 1,322 Reviews
grade A+
Overall Niche Grade
11% Acceptance Rate
$28,999 Net Price
1460-1560 SAT Range
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San Francisco Conservatory of Music
4 Year
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Rating 4.24 out of 5 84 reviews
#11 Best Colleges for Music in America
Freshman: Positioned in the heart of downtown San Francisco, SFCM has a prime location and an amazing teaching staff. The highlight of my time at the school has been the time I've spent with the jazz faculty. The private teachers really care about helping each student find their own voice on their instrument.
Overall, the facilities are great. The performance spaces, ensemble rooms, and studios are beautiful. The neighborhood is rough around the edges but the two buildings are secure.
Even in the midst of the pandemic, there have been performance opportunities, recitals, and concerts in all departments.
Read 84 Reviews
grade B+
Overall Niche Grade
48% Acceptance Rate
$40,081 Net Price
— SAT Range
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New York University
4 Year
NEW YORK, NY
Rating 3.73 out of 5 5,359 reviews
#12 Best Colleges for Music in America
Sophomore: I absolutely love NYU. I study at the College of Arts and Sciences as a student on track for pre-med and I absolutely love the diversity and resources available to me. Everything about the campus is perfect. I wasn't one to really care about having the "traditional college experience" from sports, to having an actual solidified area for the campus, so NYU was absolutely perfect for me. I feel as if I am just living in the city and taking classes, and everyone here is so friendly and motivating. This is an amazing environment if you want to work hard and succeed academically and career-wise, and occasionally indulge in a little bit of fun in the social scene. The dorms are so great, I was in Lipton Hall my first year and it is honestly so nice, bright, cozy, and clean. There is a food hall as a part of my dorm that offers so many different selections (and also caters to your dietary needs like vegan food). I love NYU so much and you should definitely apply here!
Read 5,359 Reviews
grade A+
Overall Niche Grade
16% Acceptance Rate
$37,739 Net Price
1350-1530 SAT Range
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Carnegie Mellon University
4 Year
PITTSBURGH, PA
Rating 3.68 out of 5 1,411 reviews
#13 Best Colleges for Music in America
Alum: My time at CMU was great. My advisor was really caring and helped me do more than plan my schedule. The school acknowledges the stress culture is pretty bad and has taken steps to provide stress relievers (eg: mindfulness room, paws to relax, the petting zoo, etc). The campus food wasn't bad and the staff was friendly. Professors were, for the most part, understanding when things came up. I was able to make a few lifelong friends too! The campus is pretty diverse, with a majority of students being internationals!
Read 1,411 Reviews
grade A+
Overall Niche Grade
15% Acceptance Rate
$30,618 Net Price
1460-1560 SAT Range
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University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
4 Year
ANN ARBOR, MI
Rating 3.9 out of 5 4,329 reviews
#14 Best Colleges for Music in America
Sophomore: This school is so cool. The location is lively and beautiful. School can be stressful because professors will assign so much work. Language department definitely overdoes it with the homework assignments. EECS department is the absolute worst. Gave a one day extension the day the assignment was due after several hundred complaints from students about a problem they caused, and we almost didn't even get that extension. Math is way more difficult than it should be. Athletics are amazing and the counseling is great. Several mental health places to get help and the dining halls are great. Some pretty cool classes (zombies, greek mythology, history of witch craft, alien course, etc). A great pick. Go Blue!
Read 4,329 Reviews
grade A+
Overall Niche Grade
23% Acceptance Rate
$17,357 Net Price
1340-1530 SAT Range
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Manhattan School of Music
4 Year
NEW YORK, NY
Rating 3.7 out of 5 50 reviews
#15 Best Colleges for Music in America
Graduate Student: Besides being ranked among the top premier music conservatories for classical music in the world, but with its history of introducing music to students for over 100 years was something that greatly intrigued me. The school had overcome so much and is a great example for future musicians who would need to learn to do the same. They also have online learning and in-person learning, and even offer a mixture of both. The atmosphere created by the professors within the classrooms and lessons were so open, enlightening, and truly nurtures the joy and love of music. At the same time, you are getting world-class level education and insight into every aspect of music.
Read 50 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
36% Acceptance Rate
$41,832 Net Price
— SAT Range
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University of Miami
4 Year
CORAL GABLES, FL
Rating 3.84 out of 5 2,892 reviews
#16 Best Colleges for Music in America
Freshman: I have loved my time at UMiami so far! There is a great party scene here if that is what you are interested in, but if you're not, you will fit in here as well. While the party scene is fun, there is not much to do in the local area around campus. There is a Dennys, Starbucks, McDonalds, CVS and TGI Fridays within walking distance of the school, but other than that, you need to Uber or have a car in the area to get around. This gets pricey after a while, especially during spring break!

There is a very high standard for academics; even during the Pandemic and online classes, teachers modified their lessons and adapted well to the change. Professor have multiple qualifications and experience.

I was not satisfied with the food on campus. The breakfast at the Mahoney/Pearson dining hall was good, but all of the other meals were poor. Lots of other campuses that I visited had a lot of food options to choose from, but UMiami only has a few.

I had a lot of issues with my residence hall.
Read 2,892 Reviews
grade A+
Overall Niche Grade
27% Acceptance Rate
$33,102 Net Price
1270-1440 SAT Range
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California Institute of the Arts
4 Year
VALENCIA, CA
Rating 3.84 out of 5 268 reviews
#17 Best Colleges for Music in America
Sophomore: The school is excellent! My major is involved in the Herb Albert School of Music which in itself is very open to any style of music, has several performance opportunities, and teaches valuable information that the modern-day musician needs to be able to take on a number of careers and music degree can give. The school as a whole has an incredible, stress- free environment that is constantly inspiring students to step outside of the box and be as creative as possible. The school even has it's own cute coffee shop and a huge cafeteria full of gourmet food and options for every kind of diet. The dorms are on campus making it super easy to get to class and it also has it's own little cafe/game room, spacious rooms, a pool, a gym, and even a sauna. The only issue with the school is the handicap accessibility and the tuition in which there is funding help from the school, but no full ride options.
Read 268 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
25% Acceptance Rate
$54,594 Net Price
— SAT Range
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University of Rochester
4 Year
ROCHESTER, NY
Rating 3.64 out of 5 1,527 reviews
#18 Best Colleges for Music in America
Junior: I enjoy attending school at UR because I've been able to find a diverse friend group that I've been able to connect with. In addition, I've been able to further explore some of my hobbies through their many clubs. The professors are generally good, but there are some undergraduate professors that are used to teaching graduate classes and it REALLY shows. I've also ran into issues with advisors being uncommunicative and some contradictory information being given out about GPAs and course grading, but there usually is another person or department that can be contacted to give correct information, so that's not the biggest issue. This school is extremely expensive, however, and I'm not totally convinced that it's entirely worth its price tag.
Read 1,527 Reviews
grade A+
Overall Niche Grade
30% Acceptance Rate
$32,939 Net Price
1310-1500 SAT Range
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Musicians Institute
4 Year
HOLLYWOOD, CA
Rating 4 out of 5 82 reviews
#19 Best Colleges for Music in America
Niche User: Trying to get more funding for the independent artist. I love the school and the curriculum is fitting for my interests. I would like to attend the part-time independent artist program which equips the student with the skills needed to write, perform record and produce their own original songs in a personalized program that's tailor made to fit varied music interests and career goals within a 30-credit " music boot camp" to perfect your songwriting, arranging, production and promotion skills. This is my bucket list goal at 65 years of age.
Read 82 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
69% Acceptance Rate
$34,835 Net Price
— SAT Range
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Oberlin College
4 Year
OBERLIN, OH
Rating 3.64 out of 5 649 reviews
#20 Best Colleges for Music in America
Alum: My experience at Oberlin College was wonderful overall. Yes there were some bumps in the road socially and academically challenges but I wouldn't choose somewhere else if I could do my undergraduate over again. Key thing was having a community that looked like me and support me socially and culturally. I also built relationships with wonderful professors and staff that truly cared about me and my success because they were able to connect to each and every student, unlike giant public schools. While the party seen is pretty boring, the student life activities and events are great; there is always something happening on campus. And the natural areas around campus are gorgeous, especially in the fall.
Read 649 Reviews
grade A minus
Overall Niche Grade
36% Acceptance Rate
$43,612 Net Price
1280-1480 SAT Range
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Boston University
4 Year
BOSTON, MA
Rating 3.65 out of 5 3,411 reviews
#21 Best Colleges for Music in America
Sophomore: BU is a wonderful school located in the heart of Boston, granting students access to all the sights of the city in addition to other college students. The university has an incredible staff, clubs for every interest, and a great community feel. You never have to worry about working out because you can walk miles from one end of the campus to the other. Additionally, the campus is used for events such as concerts, and so there is always something to do outside of BU right outside your door. The only drawback is that sometimes it is hard to get that college feel because of how close the city is, but a quick visit to the BU Beach to overlook the Charles River helps one feel like they have had some time with nature. Overall, it is a fantastic school!
Read 3,411 Reviews
grade A+
Overall Niche Grade
19% Acceptance Rate
$29,479 Net Price
1340-1510 SAT Range
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Los Angeles College of Music
4 Year
PASADENA, CA
Rating 3.75 out of 5 24 reviews
#22 Best Colleges for Music in America
Sophomore: I love this school so much! The location is beautiful, & all my teachers are the most encouraging & welcoming music professionals I have worked with. If you want to be a musician in the contemporary music industry, seriously consider LACM! I feel like I'm genuinely learning & participating in the music industry & I'm so happy to be focused on the kind of music I want to create instead of being classically trained in a conservatory setting.
Read 24 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
71% Acceptance Rate
$35,872 Net Price
— SAT Range
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Lawrence University
4 Year
APPLETON, WI
Rating 3.67 out of 5 698 reviews
#23 Best Colleges for Music in America
Alum: Lawrence was a fantastic experience for me. It has the full liberal arts experience, with great integration and collaboration among different departments (especially the conservatory which offers its own bachelor's degree in music) as well as student organizations and community interactions. Professors are approachable and love interacting with students (all undergrads) and offer tons of flexibility for students to choose or create independent study courses. The campus is beautiful. Students are motivated, engaged, creative, and passionate. I graduated in 2012 and the things I learned at Lawrence - technical skills in linguistics and Arabic and music, social skills and networking, ways to think outside the box and take initiative - have served me very well over the past near-decade!
Read 698 Reviews
grade A minus
Overall Niche Grade
62% Acceptance Rate
$26,162 Net Price
1200-1430 SAT Range
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Belmont University
4 Year
NASHVILLE, TN
Rating 3.67 out of 5 1,674 reviews
#24 Best Colleges for Music in America
Niche User: I attended Belmont University from 2010-2014 graduating as a Songwriting major and Sociology minor. I had such an incredible experience! I am looking forward to returning to Belmont in the spring as an architect major. Since graduating Belmont I have start two successful companies in the music industry, Roscolusa Music Festival and What It Is Collective. After the pandemic and an immediate halt to the entertainment industry, I have decided to go back to school and pursue my love for architecture.
Read 1,674 Reviews
grade B
Overall Niche Grade
84% Acceptance Rate
$36,976 Net Price
1130-1320 SAT Range
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Wesleyan University
4 Year
MIDDLETOWN, CT
Rating 3.76 out of 5 710 reviews
#25 Best Colleges for Music in America
Junior: Wesleyan is an incredibly special educational experience. You have the opportunity to experiment in a variety of disciplines, with access to professors excited about their areas of focus. The people you are surrounded by are vibrant and intent on creating a unique community of support. This is a challenging school- socially and academically- you will learn much about yourself as a person and how you exist in community. Wesleyan is here to welcome all incoming students and excited for their beautiful addition to the community.
Read 710 Reviews
grade A+
Overall Niche Grade
16% Acceptance Rate
$21,853 Net Price
1300-1480 SAT Range
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Baldwin Wallace University
4 Year
BEREA, OH
Rating 3.56 out of 5 1,022 reviews
Alum: Overall, very good experience. If you use RateMyProfessor and are punctual about signing up for courses, you can have a rewarding academic experience. Otherwise, you may end up with some pretty rough instructors.

The food is mediocre and becomes more expensive each year. It is nice to have buffet style and eat as much as you want, but the healthy options are limited.

The social life--at least before Covid--was plenty of fun. The sports teams, music/theater groups, and fraternities/sororities make for a quality party scene. If you wanted to be apart of it, you could. If not, there wasn't much pressure.

I feel like the best part about BW are the life opportunities. There are so many clubs and organizations to help enhance your skills and social network. If you get involved and make connections here, I feel that you will find great value in being a Yellow Jacket.
Read 1,022 Reviews
grade B+
Overall Niche Grade
73% Acceptance Rate
$23,832 Net Price
1040-1250 SAT Range
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Ashland University
4 Year
ASHLAND, OH
Rating 3.68 out of 5 747 reviews
Junior: Ashland University is a small school, but it's a really great school. There are plenty of food options, and the dorms are pretty well kept (I recommend Myers hall!) The professors actually care for you and want you to succeed, and since it's a small school, they actually know who you are and form a connection with you. Not to mention it's a beautiful campus, more then once I've had to stop and admire the view. As a private school, they do require 1 religion core, and the only change I would like to see is that there were more class options to fill this requirement. Overall, I highly recommend Ashland to anybody!
Read 747 Reviews
grade B minus
Overall Niche Grade
71% Acceptance Rate
$19,758 Net Price
1000-1190 SAT Range
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The New School
4 Year
NEW YORK, NY
Rating 3.59 out of 5 614 reviews
Sophomore: I am currently a Sophomore at The New School and so far I absolutely love it. I have made such amazing friends and taken fantastic courses. I love the campus, the people, the instructors, and the atmosphere. Everyone is so creative and inspiring. The reason I gave TNS 4 stars, rather than 5 is simply because their financial aid office can be beyond frustrating. I am grateful for the few financial aid workers that genuinely care about students and genuinely want to help, but I have run into so many issues with others and still continue to. Other than that, I love it here. I recommend any students thinking of applying to definitely do so. My life has changed so much since coming here, and I'm so thankful for the experiences, opportunities, and friendships I have made so far!
Read 614 Reviews
grade B+
Overall Niche Grade
57% Acceptance Rate
$50,377 Net Price
1150-1380 SAT Range
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2021 Best Colleges for Music in America

Best Programs

Students

Social Scene

Campus

Athletics

Curtis Institute of Music

Berklee College of Music

University of Southern California

Northwestern University

Vanderbilt University

Rice University

New England Conservatory of Music

The Juilliard School

Cleveland Institute of Music

Johns Hopkins University

San Francisco Conservatory of Music

New York University

Carnegie Mellon University

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Manhattan School of Music

University of Miami

California Institute of the Arts

University of Rochester

Musicians Institute

Oberlin College

Boston University

Los Angeles College of Music

Lawrence University

Belmont University

Wesleyan University

Baldwin Wallace University

Ashland University

The New School