2023 Best Music Schools in Illinois
Finding the Best Music School for You
Music is the #33 most popular major in Illinois with 1,129 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. Also, there are a number of trade schools with offerings that you might find attractive.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Music Schools in Illinois ranking. Our analysis looked at 19 schools in Illinois to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
Featured Music Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Earn the music business degree that fits into the business world – and partners Southern New Hampshire University with world-renowned Berklee College of Music.
2023 Best Music Schools in Illinois
The colleges and universities below are the best for music majors pursuing a .
Top 10 Best Music Schools
Our analysis found Northwestern University to be the best school for music students who want to pursue a degree in Illinois. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.
The average amount in student loans that music majors at Northwestern take out is $17,825. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $431.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wheaton College Illinois. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Music Schools in Illinois list. Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Wheaton.
The average amount in student loans that music majors at Wheaton College Illinois take out is $25,125.
Full Music at Wheaton College Illinois Report
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The excellent programs at Eastern Illinois University helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best music schools in Illinois. Located in the town of Charleston, EIU is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
While working on their degree, music majors at EIU accumulate an average of around $28,535 in student debt.
Read full report on Music at Eastern Illinois University
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A rank of #4 on this year’s list means North Central College is a great place for music students. North Central is a small private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Naperville.
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Out of the 19 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Western Illinois University landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in the town of Macomb, WIU is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
On average, music graduates from WIU take out $30,017 in student loans while working on their degree.
Full Music at Western Illinois University Report
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Music Schools in Illinois ranking. Located in the city of Champaign, UIUC is a public school with a very large student population.
After completing their degree, music graduates from UIUC carry an average student debtload of $22,484. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $613.
Full Music at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Report
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Illinois Wesleyan University landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best music programs. Illinois Wesleyan is a small private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Bloomington.
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Illinois State University landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best music programs. Illinois State is a fairly large public school located in the midsize suburb of Normal.
Music majors at Illinois State take out an average of $22,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
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Bradley University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Music Schools in Illinois list. Located in the city of Peoria, Bradley is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.
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Millikin University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for music students. It came in at #10 on the list. Located in the small city of Decatur, Millikin is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
After completing their degree, music graduates from Millikin carry an average student debtload of $26,814.
Request InformationBest Music Colleges in the Great Lakes Region
Explore all the Best Music Colleges in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Michigan | 734 |
| Ohio | 1,138 |
| Indiana | 660 |
| Wisconsin | 359 |
More Music Rankings in Illinois
Related Programs
Learn about other programs related to Music that might interest you.
Earn the music business degree that fits into the business world – and partners Southern New Hampshire University with world-renowned Berklee College of Music.
Rankings in Majors Related to Music
One of 10 majors within the area of study, music has other similar majors worth exploring.
Most Popular Related Majors
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Fine & Studio Arts | 37,413 |
| Design & Applied Arts | 36,301 |
| Drama & Theater Arts | 17,341 |
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 16,778 |
| General Visual & Performing Arts | 6,355 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 19 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- 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 the rest 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.
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