2023 Best Value Music Schools in Massachusetts
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Music School for You
With 1,453 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, music is the #25 most popular major in Massachusetts.
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Best Value Music Schools in Massachusetts ranking. This report analyzed 25 schools in Massachusetts to see which ones offered the best value programs for music students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
Top 10 Best Music Schools
Our analysis found Holyoke Community College to be the best value school for music students who want to pursue a degree in Massachusetts. Holyoke Community College is a small public school located in the large suburb of Holyoke.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Holyoke Community College are $5,378 per year.
Full Music at Holyoke Community College Report
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Out of the 25 schools in Massachusetts that were part of this year’s ranking, Bridgewater State University landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in the suburb of Bridgewater, Bridgewater State is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Bridgewater State are $10,732 a year.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Salem State University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Music Schools in Massachusetts list. Salem State is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Salem.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Salem State are $11,675 per year.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of Massachusetts Amherst. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools in Massachusetts list. Located in the suburb of Amherst, UMass Amherst is a public school with a very large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at UMass Amherst are $16,439 a year.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Gordon College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Music Schools in Massachusetts list. Gordon College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Wenham.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Gordon College are $26,250 per year.
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Westfield State University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value music programs. Located in the suburb of Westfield, Westfield is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
Westfield undergraduate students pay an average of $11,139 in in-state tuition and fees each year. On average, music graduates from Westfield take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
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University of Massachusetts - Lowell did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for music students. It came in at #7 on the list. Located in the large suburb of Lowell, UMass Lowell is a public college with a fairly large student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UMass Lowell are $15,698 per year. While working on their degree, music majors at UMass Lowell accumulate an average of around $27,000 in student debt.
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College of the Holy Cross came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Holy Cross is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Worcester.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Holy Cross are $56,540 a year.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Holy Cross is ranked #5 for overall quality for music in Massachusetts.
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University of Massachusetts - Boston came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Located in the large city of Boston, UMass Boston is a public school with a fairly large student population.
UMass Boston undergraduate students pay an average of $14,677 in in-state tuition and fees each year.
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University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Music Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Located in the suburb of North Dartmouth, UMass Dartmouth is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at UMass Dartmouth are $14,408 a year.
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Request InformationBest Value Music Colleges in the New England Region
Explore all the Best Value Music Colleges in the New England Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | 423 |
| New Hampshire | 46 |
| Maine | 55 |
| Rhode Island | 72 |
| Vermont | 63 |
More Music Rankings in Massachusetts
Other Related 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.
Music Related Majors for Music
One of 10 majors within the area of study, music has other similar majors worth exploring.
Majors Similar to Music
| 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 25 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 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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