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Best Music Schools In USA For 2020

Audio Assemble took the time to gather data on over 250 music schools around the united states. Browse in alphabetical order by state, and use the filters to find a school that interests you. Some of the aspects we took into consideration for our ranking include tuition, graduation rates, acceptance rates, degree programs offered, tuition changes, and more.

Be sure to check out our curated list for the best audio engineering schools and online music school degrees.

If you have any suggestions, email us here: listen[at]audioassemble[dot]com.

# 1 with 135 total points

Indiana University Jacobs School of Music

4-year / Public / Bloomington, IN
$10,949
49,695
76%
17:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 2 with 134 total points

Music at The Juilliard School

4-year / Private / New York, NY
$47,620
939
92%
15:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 3 with 131 total points

UM School of Music – University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

4-year / Public / Ann Arbor, MI
$15,558
44,718
91%
12:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 4 with 128 total points

Yale School of Music

4-year / Private / New Haven, CT
$55,500
12,458
98%
6:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 5 with 127 total points

The Curtis Institute of Music

4-year / Private / Philadelphia, PA
$2,725
173
68%
2:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 6 with 119 total points

Rice University Shepherd School of Music

4-year / Private / Houston, TX
$49,112
6,855
93%
6:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 7 with 113 total points

University of Southern California – Thornton School of Music

4-year / Private / Los Angeles, CA
$58,195
43,871
92%
9:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 8 with 108 total points

Eastman School of Music – University of Rochester

4-year / Private / Rochester, NY
$56,026
11,209
85%
10:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 9 with 107 total points

Manhattan School of Music

4-year / Private / New York, NY
$50,163
1,071
100%
18:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 10 with 107 total points

Berklee College of Music

4-year / Private / Boston, MA
$45,660
6,405
61%
11:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 11 with 106 total points

Bard College Conservatory of Music

4-year / Private / Annandale-On-Hudson, NY
$56,036
2,304
78%
10:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 12 with 105 total points

The New England Conservatory of Music

4-year / Private / Boston, MA
$50,460
819
81%
5:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 13 with 91 total points

Oberlin Conservatory of Music – Oberlin, OH

4-year / Private / Oberlin, OH
$56
2,912
85%
9:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 14 with 88 total points

Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute

4-year / Private / Baltimore, MD
$55,350
23,917
92%
10:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 15 with 86 total points

University of North Texas College of Music

4-year / Public / Denton, TX
$11,251
38,145
52%
25:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 16 with 84 total points

Music Academy – The Colburn School

/ Public / Los Angeles, CA
$52,171
N/A
N/A
N/A
Visit School's Music Department
# 17 with 83 total points

The New School – Mannes School of Music

4-year / Private / New York, NY
N/A
10,301
68%
9:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 18 with 80 total points

Cleveland Institute of Music

4-year / Private / Cleveland, OH
$41,487
431
59%
7:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 19 with 77 total points

San Francisco Conservatory of Music

4-year / Private / San Francisco, CA
$47,654
401
73%
6:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 20 with 66 total points

Los Angeles College of Music

4-year / Private / Pasadena, CA
N/A
N/A
61%
N/A
Visit School's Music Department
# 21 with 59 total points

Musicians Institute

4-year / Private / Hollywood, CA
$28,438
1,019
34%
5:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 22 with 53 total points

McNally Smith College of Music

4-year / Private / Saint Paul, MN
N/A
376
41%
7:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 23 with 52 total points

Full Sail University

4-year / Private / Winter Park, FL
$24,865
19,443
42%
24:1
Visit School's Music Department
# 24 with 52 total points

Boston Conservatory at Berklee

/ / Boston, MA
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Visit School's Music Department
# 25 with 48 total points

Academy of Vocal Arts

4-year / Private / Philadelphia, PA
N/A
28
N/A
N/A
Visit School's Music Department

FAQs

How Much Is Tuition For Music School?

Tuition varies per institution with a number of contributing factors, including residency, private versus public institutions, university reputation, quality of the degree, and more. Based on the data we accumulated the tuition range of the music schools on our list there is a wide range of between $2,725 and $58,195 for 4-year institutions.

Do I Need To Know How To Read Music To Apply?

Each university has its own requirements for general acceptance criteria when applying. Depending on the program and degree path you are interested in, you may be required to have advanced music abilities. That being said, not all schools require the ability to read music or play sheet music.

Is It Possible To Earn My Degree Online?

Some music universities offer an online music degree path. Here is a list of current colleges offering online music degrees.