2023 Best Colleges for Music in America

• Philadelphia, PA•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 4.15 out of 5  13 reviews

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 13 reviews

• grade A+

• Acceptance rate 2%

• Net price $12,835

• SAT range —

• Evanston, IL•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.69 out of 5  1,448 reviews

Junior: Northwestern is a wonderful academic institution. The professors and one of a kind programs are incredibly engaging. Northwestern provides students with so many opportunities within their undergraduate career. The campus is in an ideal location with its proximity to Chicago and lakefront access. Additionally, Northwestern has hundreds of clubs that fit any and all interests. The only downsides to Northwestern include the competitive atmosphere, cold winters, and lackluster party scene. If you are someone who is willing to brave the cold and explore Chicago for your fun and parties, then Northwestern is the place for you!... Read 1,448 reviews

• grade A+

• Acceptance rate 9%

• Net price $28,344

• SAT range 1430-1550

• New York, NY•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.71 out of 5  65 reviews

Alum: Some positives about Juilliard are the incredible caliber of the teachers and fellow students. It's a wonderful place to get to experience and experiment with a plethora of ideas that will stretch you in dynamic ways. The biggest difficulty I had was that how demanding the work was, in both quality and quantity, made it very difficult to fully absorb a lot of information. I found myself more often in survival mode than not. If I could do it again, I would do significantly less extra-curricular work, though very intentionally still keep one meaningful hobby, outside of my major, that I could enjoy with other people. It's important to create rhythms that give you a larger perspective than what's in the school building or even the world of your major.... Read 65 reviews

• grade A minus

• Acceptance rate 8%

• Net price $41,022

• SAT range —

• Nashville, TN•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 4.01 out of 5  1,321 reviews

Alum: I graduated summa cum laude from Vanderbilt University in 2021 with a Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience. I primarily chose to attend Vandy for its academic prowess, and it definitely lived up to that reputation. In retrospect, I loved the majority of my STEM classes, and I find that my education was well-rounded because of my required liberal arts classes. The campus is beautiful, the food is relatively good, and on-campus housing is average. Admittedly, I was excited to live off-campus for my last two years (but beware - living in Nashville is not cheap). Socially, I had a great time at Vandy, especially thanks to the liveliness of Nashville, but sadly not due to Vanderbilt sports - this is not their strong suit. I met lifelong friends at this school! Realistically, however, many students do come from wealthy backgrounds, which can be off-putting at times. Ultimately, while undeniably expensive, Vanderbilt is a great school that will certainly work to your advantage after graduation.... Read 1,321 reviews

• grade A+

• Acceptance rate 12%

• Net price $25,804

• SAT range 1470-1570

• Houston, TX•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 4.07 out of 5  1,099 reviews

Junior: I came into Rice as a transfer student this past semester. I'm happy to say I've found a place where I feel completely welcomed and appreciated. This is where I was meant to be. I am academically challenged and my curiosity is constantly mirrored in my classmates/friends. The conversations are fun and the people are genuine. Don't think that you can't apply because of how competitive it looks. They really practice the holistic approach and if you bring your unique story, passion, and perspective you have a shot. I didn't have perfect test scores, but I had a great work ethic and passion for what I do. If you want a home away from home- highly recommend!... Read 1,099 reviews

• grade A+

• Acceptance rate 11%

• Net price $19,215

• SAT range 1460-1570

• Los Angeles, CA•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.97 out of 5  3,921 reviews

Sophomore: For context- current sophomore who started at USC online, majoring in Communications but has taken classes from across disciplines -Academics: overall good but definitely some terrible professors who either have favoritism, are unclear with expectations, or bad w grading. But the majority of professors are really good -Environment: if you're intimidated by rich, judgmental people, this is not the place for you. A lot of the culture is exclusionary towards ppl who work or who don't partake in certain activities (ex: Greek life) But when you get through the superficial aspect you can meet some really awesome, interesting friends! -facilities: very very nice- great gyms, dining halls, dorms Overall: a great school with a lot of resources, so be sure to look into your major specific resources bc they offer so much! Just be warned that it's not the easiest place to go to if you don't fit a certain mold.... Read 3,921 reviews

• grade A+

• Acceptance rate 16%

• Net price $39,759

• SAT range 1340-1530

• Baltimore, MD•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.65 out of 5  1,367 reviews

Senior: John’s Hopkins is a great university with wonderful teaching staff and TA’s that are committed to helping their students succeed. I would highly recommend STEM students to apply as the engineering, computer science and other non pre-med curriculum is world class too. The smaller classes really provide a more conducive learning experience. There are also many things to do in Baltimore and living so close to Washington DC provides other opportunities to explore. The Hopkins Homewood campus is one of the most beautiful among all the campuses I toured before applying. As a top ten nationally ranked university you can’t go wrong!... Read 1,367 reviews

• grade A+

• Acceptance rate 11%

• Net price $25,241

• SAT range 1470-1560

• Boston, MA•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.85 out of 5  1,155 reviews

Sophomore: The environment of Boston, specifically of Berklee and Boston Conservatroy at Berklee, are unlike any other "campus" I've stepped onto. Being in the middle of such a vibrant city is like nothing else, especially a city so emersed in music and the arts. Berklee/BoCo itself provides countless opportunities for support and networking. My professors have been nothing but supportive, all the while remaining challenging and focused. I have grown so much as a musician just in the first year I was there! Like all schools though, especially with musicians, administration does not run as smoothly as I, and many of my peers, believe it should. That being said, I do not regret my decision to attend this school in the slightest!... Read 1,155 reviews

• grade B

• Acceptance rate 52%

• Net price $42,952

• SAT range —

• New York, NY•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.74 out of 5  5,562 reviews

Freshman: I’m a dance major at NYU tisch and although this school is very expensive I’ve been loving the experience I’ve had so far. I can’t speak for other majors but being in the dance department it’s very easy to build community and make friends that will definitely last a life time. I will say one of the major flaws I have noticed with nyu (besides the tuition lol) is communication specifically within the financial department. As someone who genuinely cannot afford this school and is going to be in thousands of dollars in debt, I’ve been trying to reach out and appeal my financial aid in hopes to get more but they never answer any of my questions or respond to previous appeals I have sent. Also the campus is very spread out lol. Other than that, living here in NYC and going to my dream school has been nothing but surreal! My GE classes are super fun and I definitely recommended taking CAMS classes!... Read 5,562 reviews

• grade A+

• Acceptance rate 21%

• Net price $45,417

• SAT range 1370-1540

• San Francisco, CA•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 4.25 out of 5  85 reviews

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 85 reviews

• grade B+

• Acceptance rate 46%

• Net price $41,918

• SAT range —

• Boston, MA•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.83 out of 5  58 reviews

Senior: This is an outstanding music school, really. The faculty is wonderful. The halls have incredible acoustics. The students are incredibly dedicated and passionate. The new building, "The Student Life and Performance Center," is beautiful and offers students the chance to practice in more open spaces, enjoy the vast array of books, and attend regular concerts.... Read 58 reviews

• grade B

• Acceptance rate 36%

• Net price $50,651

• SAT range —

• Cleveland, OH•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.62 out of 5  50 reviews

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 B+

• Acceptance rate 34%

• Net price $36,903

• SAT range —

• Pittsburgh, PA•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.69 out of 5  1,441 reviews

Alum: I am alumni of Carnegie Mellon's School of Architecture. Many people don't understand the ethos of the school, but it's a consortium of conservatories for aspiring writers,architects, engineers, painters, industrial designers, computer programmers, etc. Unlike other schools, there's an explicit professional focus. The workload is intense, but the culture is collaborative. If this environment suits your temperament and aspirations, the benefit is tremendous! Our professors used to say, "If you can handle the work here, you'll find your professional life easy." The school motto says it all, "My Heart is in the Work."... Read 1,441 reviews

• grade A+

• Acceptance rate 17%

• Net price $36,983

• SAT range 1460-1560

• Ann Arbor, MI•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.93 out of 5  4,520 reviews

Sophomore: Michigan is truly the best of all worlds! World class academics? Check! Top tier athletics? Check! Great party scene? Check! It is so easy to get involved with a wide variety of interests. There's more clubs than I can name here. Opportunities are plentiful, especially involving research. STEM majors especially can easily get involved with the hospital and research facilities nearby. Complaints: diversity should be better, and some of the first-year facilities are average. That being said, this feels like a very accepting school compared to the surrounding areas, and most people tend to be very open minded. Otherwise, Ann Arbor is a great town. Campus feels safe to walk around, even at night, and the directly surrounding areas generally don't have issues. Honestly, I can't speak highly enough about how great this school is. I can't imagine going anywhere else. Go Blue!... Read 4,520 reviews

• grade A+

• Acceptance rate 26%

• Net price $17,832

• SAT range 1340-1520

• Los Angeles, CA•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.96 out of 5  5,410 reviews

Senior: If you can attend in-person classes, UCLA is a great school! The student dorms are on the expensive side, but well worth the price. There are several dining halls right next to the dorms that each cater to a different style (ie dine-in, to-go, vegan specialties), as well as a few restaurants on campus and the nearby Westwood Village. The campus itself is gorgeous (I love taking evening walks around sunset), and you can learn about the history of it from guided tours if you want. If you're looking for a rad party scene, just cross the street into frat row, and you'll find parties every week. In terms of academics, I will simply say that UCLA is a top school. You will have to work your butt off, sometimes in less-than-ideal circumstances, but the returns will be more than worth it. Most professors are great, but some are only there to do research and are forced to grudgingly teach a class or two, so look them up on Bruinwalk before enrolling in their classes. All-in-all, a great school!... Read 5,410 reviews

• grade A+

• Acceptance rate 14%

• Net price $16,474

• SAT range —

• New York, NY•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.86 out of 5  56 reviews

Freshman: Manhattan School of Music is an amazing experience. The professors within my major are top notch experts who encourage the growth and individualism of all students. The diversity is very poor, which is difficult for minority students. Additionally, core classes outside of my major (such as humanities) are very poorly taught and the professor has frequently made offensive remarks. The experience at Manhattan School of Music can vary vastly depending who your head of department is. However, I think we all understand that we have come to this school to train, not party. We all have a fierce desire to master our major and we all understand the privilege of getting to study under masters of our subject. It is definitely not perfect, but overall I have had a wonderful experience so far and I would highly recommend my program to anyone who can afford it. Unfortunately, people do not receive a good amount of aid from the school unless they are international.... Read 56 reviews

• grade B

• Acceptance rate 42%

• Net price $44,217

• SAT range —

• Rochester, NY•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.65 out of 5  1,571 reviews

Sophomore: I came to this school without having visited campus at all, and I'm so grateful that my move-in day was when I first got to experience it, with all my fellow freshman around me. People think, erroneously, that Rochester (both the city and the university) are boring places to be, and I would agree only insofar as to say that those who want things to come to them, might be bored. The city has so many amazing restaurants, venues, and sites, but you have to take that first step of getting on the bus to go see them. At an academically rigorous school like UR, it can be hard freshman year to remember that life exists outside of academics, and especially outside of STEM. UR has a vibrant arts community, though, not even including Eastman (which has student and professional concerts alike). Everyone finds their niche pretty easily once they look for it, because there is genuinely something for every type of person. And, everyone honestly supports each other all the time!... Read 1,571 reviews

• grade A+

• Acceptance rate 35%

• Net price $36,254

• SAT range 1330-1510

• Coral Gables, FL•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.85 out of 5  2,979 reviews

Senior: Miami has been a great place the past few years for me. As a transfer student, coming in not knowing anyone, I have met many types of different students from hard working backgrounds. The professors are very much committed to getting to know everyone in their class, and not just going through the motions as a mundane robot you see at some larger schools. In my experience the average class size outside of your one or two 100 level class is between 5-30 students. The campus is beautiful. Everywhere you look is palm trees and clear skies (with the exception of your occasional rain shower) the university does a nice job maintaining the buildings and surrounding vegetation. Food wise the options aren’t the greatest. In the past few years there has been an attempt to bring in healthier options, but for the most part the dinning hall and food court include your average Starbucks, subway, panda, so on and forth. Safety campus is very safe Never had any issues. Overall a great school!... Read 2,979 reviews

• grade A+

• Acceptance rate 33%

• Net price $31,726

• SAT range 1250-1420

• Valencia, CA•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  276 reviews

Sophomore: As an art school there is no athletics, we don't have sports or even a mascot. There's also no Greek life, but that's preferred. There are a lot of other student events, a pool, and every Thursday night is Gallery night to enjoy student's work as well as performances. Everyone is very open and accepting and I would say there is a good amount of diversity with the international students. Teachers are very exceptional in their fields and are kind, open to giving us opportunities most of the time. You put in what you get out. The more work you volunteer or audition for the more recognition you get and can build your connections. For theater, there are so many shows to participate in, it's great to learn on the job. Work study is very helpful. The campus is very small with only one main building for classes, however being on a big hill I would say that it isn't fully navigable for those with disabilities.... Read 276 reviews

• grade B

• Acceptance rate 27%

• Net price $59,367

• SAT range —

• Hollywood, CA•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 4.06 out of 5  83 reviews

Freshman: I wanted to study music in a professional yet non traditional way. Musicians institute was perfect for me! With all their live performances classes & unique programs, I’m so glad I’m studying here!... Read 83 reviews

• grade B minus

• Acceptance rate 68%

• Net price $37,768

• SAT range —

• Boston, MA•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.67 out of 5  3,522 reviews

Senior: Boston University is one of the best universities in the nation! The students welcome you with open arms and are eager to meet new people from different year levels, so it is very easy for people to get involved in the BU community. As for the faculty, specifically the CS and Mathematics professors, they are the absolute best! They are so helpful inside and outside of the classroom, trying their best to make sure that their lectures are engaging, and putting aside a lot of time outside of their class for office hours. And if a student can't meet during office hours, they always try to find a way to help you out by setting up a different time to meet to thoroughly explain concepts discussed in class, answer questions that a student had, talk about possible research projects, or just have a good one-on-one conversation to talk about anything. I absolutely love Boston University and its community, and I'm so proud to call myself a Terrier!... Read 3,522 reviews

• grade A+

• Acceptance rate 20%

• Net price $29,154

• SAT range 1310-1500

• Oberlin, OH•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.67 out of 5  645 reviews

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 645 reviews

• grade A minus

• Acceptance rate 35%

• Net price $42,745

• SAT range 1270-1360

• Austin, TX•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.98 out of 5  6,523 reviews

Sophomore: I think a lot of the campus resources are great, and I love my classes so far. A lot of the student organizations that you can join have long waitlists, so it’s good to plan early on the type of extracurricular environment you’d like to be a part of. The buildings on campus range from stellar architectural masterpieces to modern works of art. There are very few things lacking, but part of the package deal of living in Austin is the construction. The whole city, including a lot of campus as of now, is hard to navigate with all of the work being done. It’s very important to do the absolute utmost asap, as the course load and competitive environment encourage daily task building. Doing work as soon as possible is practically the only way to be able to experience social events. If you’ve studies in a smaller environment, especially for intro classes, you’ll run into some kinks trying to adapt to the larger class sizes. What starts here changes the world!... Read 6,523 reviews

• grade A+

• Acceptance rate 32%

• Net price $16,892

• SAT range 1210-1470

• Winston Salem, NC•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.77 out of 5  261 reviews

Sophomore: UNC School of the Arts is an amazing school! It's a very small campus, which helps students receive specific feedback and gives the chance to build up friendships and relationships between your classmates.... Read 261 reviews

• grade B+

• Acceptance rate 36%

• Net price $11,940

• SAT range 1120-1310

• Nashville, TN•

• 4 Year

• •
  Rating 3.68 out of 5  1,738 reviews

Sophomore: Belmont is a great University with a great campus. Although some may it is a bit pricey to attend, Belmont offers great financial aid! Belmont has put their focus into many majors such as Nursing, Business, and Music, but is mainly known for their music business program! Belmont also has smaller, intimate classrooms which allows students to feel more comfortable when asking questions or even getting to know other students. The Christian University Belmont is home to a wide variety of religious groups who don't fear being outed for their religious beliefs. Belmont isn't known to be a party school but there are many events and activities that Belmont offers. These events have music, bouncy houses, and even ferris wheels. Belmont also has many food options if you don't want to eat in the cafeteria. They have places such as Chick-fil-a, Starbucks, and Burrito Bowl. Overall, I would recommend anyone to Belmont, especially if you are interested in music or business!... Read 1,738 reviews

• grade B

• Acceptance rate 83%

• Net price $34,368

• SAT range 1120-1300