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Getting a great music education is one key to establishing and maintaining a fulfilling and fruitful career in music.

With the college admissions season in full swing once again, student musicians are looking at their options after high school and many will decide to apply to music schools.

In this article, I’ll give a brief overview of the best US music college and university music programs and offer some pointers on how to figure out which might be a great fit for you. After, we’ll look at what you will learn in music school, and how to apply.

The Best US Music Schools

It’s really tough to come up with a list of top music colleges, because there are so many that are outstanding in different ways. Think of my list here as a starting point and be sure to consider other schools in your search that didn’t make this best music schools list.

In compiling the list, I tried to include some diversity, such as size, location, stylistic focus, and whether they are independent or part of a university system.

I’ll list each top school with some brief info, then give you a framework for considering which schools will best fit your educational and career goals along with your personal preferences and learning style, plus pointers on how to choose and apply.

What colleges have the best music programs?

Tom Stein

The Best US Music Schools

  1. Berklee College of Music (BCM)
  2. The Julliard School
  3. New England Conservatory of Music (NEC)
  4. Boston Conservatory of Music at Berklee (BCB)
  5. Manhattan School of Music (MSM)
  6. Thornton School of Music, University of Southern California (USC)
  7. Oberlin Conservatory of Music  
  8. Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester
  9. Curtis Institute of Music  
  10. California Institute of The Arts (CalArts)
  11. Musicians Institute
  12. Frost School of Music, University of Miami

Special Mention: Full Sail University

1. Berklee College of Music (BCM)

Berklee is the biggest independent music school in the world. Their legions of successful alumni include hundreds of GRAMMY winners. Majors include Performance on all instruments and voice, Music Business, Songwriting, Film Scoring, Music Production and Engineering, Music Education, Music Therapy, Composition, Contemporary Writing and Production, Professional Music, and Electronic Production. Students can complete a dual major in five years.

Berklee is one of the few schools that accepts the computer as a musical instrument (i.e., Electronic Digital Instrument or EDI). Berklee is based in Boston and has graduate programs in New York City, plus a European campus in Valencia, Spain. Offering dozens of degrees, diplomas, and certificate programs, there’s probably no school in the world with more options for studying music in-person or online.

Berklee College of Music

2. The Julliard School

Julliard is perhaps the first name that comes to mind when thinking about a classical music conservatory. Julliard, in New York City, is unquestionably one of the best-regarded music schools in the world, with faculty and alumni in the top echelons of the music field. Attending Julliard means learning from the best and should lead to an illustrious career in music.

The Julliard School

Is Julliard better than Berklee?

Tom Stein

Both Julliard and Berklee have prestigious reputations and rank among the top music schools in the world, but there are some important differences between them. Julliard is more traditionally and classically oriented as befits a conservatory, while Berklee embraces more mainstream music styles such as Pop, Jazz, Hip-Hop, R&B, and also specializes in disciplines such as Music Production, Film Scoring, Music Therapy, and Music Business. Julliard is located in New York City while Berklee is in Boston.

Because Berklee is so large, they have a relatively high acceptance rate of about 40%. Berklee’s class size is small, about 11 students, so students receive individualized attention from faculty in spite of its size. One advantage of studying at a conservatory like Julliard is that students can focus on developing the artistic elements of skill and craft while insulated from the business demands of the music industry. Conversely, the focus at Berklee is very much on preparing students for successful careers in all corners of the music industry. (Note that Berklee also houses the Boston Conservatory, which also offers instruction in Dance and Musical Theater.)

Julliard and Berklee ultimately attract a different kind of student. If you are on the fence about which would be a better fit for you, your best bet is to visit both schools. By talking with staff, faculty, alumni, and students you should be able learn more about each school to help you decide which will be the best for you.

3. New England Conservatory of Music (NEC)

NEC in Boston is one of the top music schools in the world with a solid reputation for the quality of its faculty and graduates. Many of NEC’s teachers perform in the Boston Symphony, Boston Pops, or Boston Ballet, which are all close by. NEC also offers a dual-degree program with Harvard or with Tufts University, allowing student-scholars to major in the sciences or humanities while earning a music degree. (Students must be admitted to both schools separately). NEC also has a well-established jazz program.

New England Conservatory of Music

4. Boston Conservatory at Berklee (BCB)

Housed within Berklee, Boston Conservatory at Berklee (BCB) is a small but highly competitive school focused on one-to-one teaching in preparing students for fulfilling careers as top performers and music educators. Experienced faculty offer cutting-edge training in music, acting, and dance based on solid pedagogical theory. BCB’s unique programs allow students access to many of the wide variety of courses found at Berklee.

Boston Conservatory at Berklee

5. Manhattan School of Music (MSM)

Situated on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the Manhattan School of Music (MSM) has made a name for itself as one of the world’s premier conservatories for classical music, jazz, and musical theater. Infused with the creative vibe of New York City, students can attend and perform in world-class concerts and network with some of the world’s top musicians and entertainers. MSM has summer programs, pre-college, and a plethora of diploma and degree options, including at the graduate level.

Manhattan School of Music

6. USC Thornton School of Music

In the heart of Los Angeles at the center of the music and film industries, is the Thornton School of Music. At the University of Southern California (USC), the Thornton School specializes in cross-disciplinary studies in the arts. Students work with leading educators and practitioners while building up a network of professional contacts needed for pursuing a future music career.

USC Thornton School of Music

7. Oberlin Conservatory of Music

Situated on a beautiful campus in rural Ohio about an hour outside of Cleveland, Oberlin College is a prestigious liberal arts and music college with a history. One of the first colleges in the US to admit African Americans (in 1835), they are also the oldest coeducational liberal arts college in America (having admitted women since 1837). Known for their programs in Baroque music, plus music technology, Oberlin Conservatory of Music is small, with only about 500 students, and has a very low faculty-student ratio of 6:1. Oberlin also allows students to earn double-degrees.

Oberlin Conservatory of Music

8. Eastman School of Music

A true music conservatory housed in the University of Rochester in the Western Tier of New York State, Eastman is a small school offering intensive training from top-tier faculty. Well regarded for jazz, classical, and popular music, students can take academic courses alongside their music classes, thanks to the university affiliation.

Eastman School of Music

9. Curtis Institute of Music

Typically ranked along with Julliard as being one of the top schools for classical music, the Curtis Institute is a small, conservatory-style college in Philadelphia. Although much smaller than Julliard, students accepted at Curtis receive full scholarships plus a stipend for living costs, which makes Curtis an attractive choice. Admission to Curtis is highly competitive, but this is true of all the top music schools and should not discourage you from applying.

Curtis Institute of Music

10. California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)

Located in north Los Angeles County, CalArts was originally set up by Walt Disney. Students study and perform in just about every style of music and pursue cross-disciplinary collaborations with other musicians, dancers, actors, theater directors, filmmakers, animators, and writers.

Home to the Herb Alpert School of Music (note that there is also an Herb Alpert School of Music at UCLA), there are specializations in Experimental Pop, Instrumental Arts, Jazz, Music Technology, Composition and Experimental Sound Practices, Performer-Composer, Voice Arts, and World Music Performance. Students and alumni benefit from being close to the music and film industry.

California Institute of the Arts

11. Musicians Institute (MI)

Located in the heart of Hollywood, the Musicians Institute College of Contemporary Music (MI) offers flexible in-person and online degrees and certificates catering to contemporary musicians seeking to break into the music industry. Their primary focus is on Performance, Music Industry, and Music Production and Recording. Students study in state-of-the-art facilities with leading practitioners while making the connections that lead to lifelong music careers.

Musicians Institute

Special Mention: Full Sail University

Known for their audio engineering and music business programs, located in Winter Park, Florida, close to Orlando.

Full Sail University

Attending Music School: What You Need to Know

What does music school teach you?

Tom Stein

Students must choose a principal instrument to study in school. They will take private lessons, instrumental labs, and perform on their instrument in ensembles, bands, or orchestra (voice is considered an instrument). Some students play multiple instruments, but must still choose one as the principal. Learning to play an instrument well is an important part of studying music in college.

Besides lessons on an instrument, you’ll also study core subjects, like music theory, ear-training (solfege), arranging, music notation, and music technology. In addition, students learn traditional music techniques such as counterpoint, conducting, and study music history.

The concentrate for the major study area will have more specific and advanced courses in whatever major the student chooses. There are also double majors and even dual degrees with prestigious schools like Harvard (see Berklee and New England Conservatory).

There are also minors. For example, a songwriting major might choose a minor in poetry, or a music production major might choose a minor in sound design, music business, or film scoring. There are also minors like Africana studies or gender studies. Minors don’t have to be music-oriented, but they can be.

For degree programs, there are liberal arts requirements (sometimes called “general studies” or similar) such as English literature, history, art history, plus hard and soft sciences. The liberal arts component is there to give students a more broad-based educational experience and prepare them for working and being in society by learning to think critically.

Finally, students can choose elective courses, which could be anything. Some students use their electives to deepen their understanding of a subject, or to explore other interests. Students also participate in extracurricular activities, such as performing groups or student clubs, to gain practical experience applying their knowledge and refine social and professional skills.


How hard is music school?

Tom Stein

This will depend on the school itself, and on how well you’ve prepared yourself. Graduating from a music college or university program is difficult, but so is everything else worth doing. This is just a fact of life.

There’s always a lot of practicing, reading, and writing. It will help if you can develop good time management skills. There’s also always extra help available: many honors students go for extra tutoring in the more challenging subjects. Most music students don’t spend a lot of time going to parties, because they are busy practicing, doing homework, and jamming.

Music schools are competitive, some more so than others. This could even be a reason to choose a school. You might want to challenge yourself to see how far you can go in music. If you are already good at music and have some formal training in your background, you should be well-prepared to compete in college.

It takes years to earn a diploma or a degree, but it’s done one day at a time. One big advantage of attending a school is that your work will be structured for you, and all laid out in advance. You will also have the chance to explore different facets of music and the music industry.

It’s true that it takes a lot of really hard work, perseverance, and time to finish college. Since most students love music and can’t see themselves doing anything else, the work doesn’t feel so burdensome. Working hard in school is a sure-fire way to improve yourself as a musician and prepare for a lifelong career in music.

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Why Go to A Music School?

The first reason to attend school is to learn, but there’s much more. Attending a top music school is a terrific way to meet like-minded young musicians who could have a big impact on your future music career. Many relationships and collaborations begin in school. School is also probably the best and quickest way to prepare for a career in music, by gaining important skills and knowledge while refining your natural talents and abilities.

It’s likely true that much of what you learn in school could be learned without going to school, but it would certainly take much, much longer. In four years at college, you will learn what would’ve taken you ten or twenty years to learn without school. College study is a way to vastly accelerate your learning. College also prepares you for the world of work by teaching you professional business skills and techniques.

It’s also important to see what it’s like to be immersed in music full-time. Being in school is nice because your main job is to learn, and there is a lot to learn. Being surrounded by talented musicians who share your ambitions for a career in music is an invigorating and unique life experience, as is being taught and mentored by world-class faculty.

Should I go to college for music?

Tom Stein

Although many do, not every successful musician attends music school for college. Many musicians go to college, but may study in other kinds of programs, such as psychology, fine arts, business, marketing, or education. Generally speaking, earning a college degree is important not only for the learning, but also to show the world you are ready to start your career. Many employers require college degrees as a condition for hiring. So, it’s not a bad idea to get a college degree in something.

Although a music degree isn’t necessary for everything one can do in music, it will help open the doors to opportunities which might otherwise be closed to you if you don’t have one. For example, musicians wishing to teach in a school will need a degree. Many technical fields, such as Audio Engineering, might also require a degree for entry to the industry. There are also research fields in music, such as Music Therapy, Ethno-Musicology, Music Theory, and Historical Music Performance.

For many musicians, there are other benefits to earning a music degree. Becoming a more well-rounded musician by studying music theory and other music subjects will help to gain the day-to-day skills demanded by the industry. Majors and minors in college give the chance to focus on various career specialties, and of course the people you meet will be important to your future professional network.

College is expensive in the U.S., and ultimately everyone must make the decision of whether it’s the right move for them considering their circumstances and goals for future career and life. Besides Associate’s and Bachelor’s degrees, there are also graduate degrees available. Besides having a meaningful and recognized credential, what is taught and learned in college music programs could potentially contribute to future prospects for outsized success, and must be weighed as an investment.

Do You Want a 4-Year Degree or Diploma?

This is a question that comes up frequently, especially with students from abroad who aren’t as familiar with our educational system. Some schools offer degrees, others offer diplomas, and some schools offer both.

The main difference between the two is that a bachelor’s degree adds a strong component of liberal arts, typically 30 credits of coursework, or about a quarter of all credits completed. A degree is considered more academically rigorous than a diploma and is seen as the more valuable credential.

There are also some jobs requiring a college degree that may not accept a diploma, such as teaching. Some people feel that a degree offers a broader and more well-rounded education.

Students might choose to study for a diploma because they feel unprepared or unwilling to tackle the academic courses. They may feel that the diploma is enough of a credential for what they want to do in their career. They might prefer to focus on studying music and nothing else.

Some choose the diploma because they have already earned a degree from another school. A diploma might also cost less than a degree, since there are fewer courses required. If you think you’d like to attend graduate school someday, or be a Teacher, you will need at least a bachelor’s degree.

You could also start out studying for a diploma and later switch to the degree if your school offers both credentials. Setting your goal of earning either a diploma or a degree may inform your decision on which school is best for you.

Want to become a Music Producer or Recording Engineer? Check out our picks for the best music production schools!

How To Apply to Music School

Once you’ve narrowed down your list of top-choice schools, based on your criteria, and prioritized the list in order of preference, the next step is to get organized! This means making note of the requirements for each school, and very importantly, the deadlines for each aspect of the application.

Every school does things differently, so you really need to pay close attention to what they ask for and when. Some schools use the Common Application or other platforms such as Slide Room or Get Accepted. They may have separate guidelines and deadlines for early action or early decision (they are not the same thing).

Make a separate file for each school with the link to the application page and all requirements and deadlines. Create a timeline for completing all the applications, and make sure to put aside enough time to do a good job applying. One college application could take as little as a few hours, or as much as 30-40 hours of your time to complete. Since every school is different, you want to understand fully what will be required for each application early in the process.

Most schools require an essay or essays, letters of recommendation, and some kind of music portfolio. This means you may need to make some recordings or videos, which can take time as well. You will most likely need to schedule an audition, too. Make a list of who will provide your letters of recommendation and start asking them if they are willing to write you a letter.

Filling out the forms carefully will also take time and care, and you might need help from your parents, especially for inputting the financial information. Most schools consider applicants for financial aid automatically, so you won’t need to file a separate application, though you will need to fill out the Federal forms required by all, known as the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

If you run into problems, contact the school admissions office directly. You can also work with a College Consultant or Counselor at your school who can assist with filling out the forms and help guide you through the essay writing and creation of portfolio materials.

Applying to college can feel like an overwhelming chore, but I recommend you approach it with curiosity, real interest, and enthusiasm. This is about your music and career, so try to make it fun if possible. Get excited about your prospects and you’ll likely do a better job of presenting yourself.

"Colleges and universities need good students, and they want to accept you. It’s your job to present yourself in the best light possible and make it hard for them to say no."

Above all, be your authentic self. Be patient, thorough, and diligent throughout the college application process, and be sure to always put your best foot forward. All this will increase your likelihood of multiple acceptance.

What is the hardest music school to get into?

Tom Stein

Getting into a top music school ultimately depends on a host of factors, ranging from choice of principal instrument and overall talent to proficiency and fluency in performance, music theory, or composing. Of course, high school grades will also impact acceptability of an applicant, as might hobbies, personal background, and life experiences. Well-prepared students will have a greater chance of being accepted and offered scholarships.

From our list, the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia has the lowest acceptance ratio, at about 4.5%. This is lower than Harvard or Stanford University. What this means is that about one out of twenty students applying are likely to be accepted. (At Curtis, all students receive full-tuition scholarships.) Other top schools, such as Julliard, Eastman, and Manhattan School of Music also have relatively low acceptance rates, partly because their programs are not very large. Berklee College of Music in Boston has a higher acceptance rate, mainly because their program is quite big and has room for more students.

How Much Does Music School Cost?

Music school is incredibly expensive, as is almost all college education in the US. But most students receive some sort of financial aid package, based on their ability to pay and their attractiveness to the school. Schools use financial aid to entice students to attend, and about 85% of students receive some aid.

There are grants available, which don’t need to be paid back, and loans, which do. Many students borrow money to pay for living expenses and work to pay for bills, books, gear, and supplies. It’s common for students to hold down a part-time or even full-time job while in school, and students also receive work-study opportunities, which is considered a grant.

State schools are often the least expensive, and private institutions the least affordable. Total costs per year, including living costs, range from around $20,000 to as high as $75,000 or even $80,000. Since most music degree programs are four years, the costs really add up.

Many schools offer full scholarships to the most talented and deserving students. To qualify for the maximum aid, students need to be good students and get good grades. It’s not enough to just play your instrument well, though that also helps. There are also some ways to make it less expensive, such as attending during summers and living off-campus in shared accommodations.

Interested in attending school online? Check out our picks for the best online music schools.

Which School Is the Best Fit for You?

How do you know which school is going to be the best fit for you? This is not an easy or straightforward question, although some students just know the answer in their gut. Maybe you attended a summer program and felt right at home. Spending time on campus and talking to current students is always useful and could also happen in a school visit. What you learn this way might be a deciding factor.

You might be a huge fan of a famous musician who attended a certain school. While I don’t recommend attending school just to get famous, it’s true that in music success usually comes together with fame. This might skew your preference for a specific school, and that’s fine.

Beyond that, you should think about what you will do after school is done. What kind of a job do you want, and what do you want your career to look like? What skills will you need to launch that career and get that first job? Having a career plan in mind can help you to decide whether a school can help you get there.

The people you meet will also be important. Networking opportunities are another reason to choose to attend a school. Try to picture yourself going to class, practicing, performing, and living in a new location, keeping in mind what a typical day might look like. Organizing your thinking around what you hope to get out of school will help inform your choice.

Ask your Teachers what they think and look for online reviews of Professors at the school. Contact the admissions people and other staff at the school and evaluate how they respond to you. Financial aid offers from different schools can be compared. Schools must compete for the best students, and offering financial aid is one way they do that.

When it is time to decide, trust your gut feelings about a place. If it “feels” right, it probably is! If you have any concerns, be sure to investigate before deciding. You are the “consumer” of your education, and caveat emptor, or buyer beware.

Once you’ve made your choice and committed to it, if it turns out to not be all you hoped for it is sometimes possible to transfer your earned credits to another school, although this can be tricky. It’s not unusual for music students to attend multiple schools before finally graduating, although it may not be the most economical solution.

In any case, getting accepted is only the beginning of a long journey that culminates in your receiving your degree or diploma, and then moving to the next stage of your life. Take your time, do your research, and choose carefully and wisely.

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