Best colleges for music in Massachusetts
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in music, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for music in Massachusetts31 schools
31 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Massachusetts.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Offers a bachelor’s program in music, from the College Scorecard field-of-study data (credential level 3).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Massachusetts
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A · Top 5%
- 2
Williams College
Williamstown, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 3
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A · Top 4%
- 4
Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A · Top 7%
- 5
Amherst College
Amherst, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A · Top 8%
- 6
Tufts University
Medford, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 3% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 7
Boston University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B+ · Top 32%
- 8
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 2% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 9
Northeastern University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 3% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 10
Smith College
Northampton, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B · Top 43%
- 11
College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 4% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 12
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 13
Brandeis University
Waltham, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 14
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Amherst, MA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B+ · Top 28%
- 15
Clark University
Worcester, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 16
Emerson College
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 17
Simmons University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B
- 18Tie
The New England Conservatory of Music
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitTop 16% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 18Tie
Wheaton College (Massachusetts)
Norton, MA · Private nonprofitTop 17% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 20
Gordon College
Wenham, MA · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 21
Berklee College of Music
Boston, MA · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 22
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Lowell, MA · PublicTop 20% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B+ · Top 22%
- 23
Assumption University
Worcester, MA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 24
Merrimack College
North Andover, MA · Private nonprofitTop 10% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 25
Bard College at Simon's Rock
Great Barrington, MA · Private nonprofitTop 23% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | About $20,000 | $14,768 | $143,372 | 96% |
| Williams College | About $18,000 | $12,761 | $88,665 | 94% |
| Harvard University | About $19,000 | $14,000 | $101,817 | 98% |
| Wellesley College | About $25,000 | $10,000 | $84,803 | 92% |
| Amherst College | About $23,000 | $13,740 | $77,644 | 94% |
| Tufts University | About $40,000 | $16,250 | $83,214 | 94% |
| Boston University | About $24,000 | $23,250 | $83,238 | 89% |
| Boston College | About $42,000 | $19,000 | $103,937 | 91% |
| Northeastern University | About $31,000 | $24,250 | $92,538 | 91% |
| Smith College | About $28,000 | $17,550 | $64,027 | 89% |
| College of the Holy Cross | About $39,000 | $27,000 | $90,543 | 87% |
| Mount Holyoke College | About $26,000 | $22,902 | $58,418 | 84% |
| Brandeis University | About $36,000 | $25,648 | $77,231 | 86% |
| University of Massachusetts-Amherst | About $22,000 | $22,763 | $71,631 | 83% |
| Clark University | About $29,000 | $26,759 | $62,381 | 77% |
| Emerson College | About $49,000 | $23,000 | $62,832 | 77% |
| Simmons University | About $25,000 | $24,840 | $63,494 | 72% |
| The New England Conservatory of Music | About $47,000 | $27,000 | $34,483 | 73% |
| Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | About $30,000 | $26,000 | $67,725 | 73% |
| Gordon College | About $25,000 | $26,250 | $52,119 | 69% |
| Berklee College of Music | About $49,000 | $25,000 | $33,647 | 67% |
| University of Massachusetts-Lowell | About $17,000 | $23,704 | $64,874 | 65% |
| Assumption University | About $29,000 | $27,000 | $74,895 | 75% |
| Merrimack College | About $38,000 | $27,000 | $75,584 | 70% |
| Bard College at Simon's Rock | About $32,000 | $24,254 | $46,543 | 68% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 21
- Arizona 5
- Arkansas 19
- California 70
- Colorado 17
- Connecticut 18
- District of Columbia 6
- Florida 29
- Georgia 33
- Hawaii 3
- Idaho 6
- Illinois 46
- Indiana 29
- Iowa 25
- Kansas 21
- Kentucky 20
- Louisiana 17
- Maine 6
- Maryland 14
- Michigan 28
- Minnesota 27
- Mississippi 14
- Missouri 30
- Montana 4
- Nebraska 13
- New Hampshire 6
- New Jersey 18
- New Mexico 4
- New York 59
- North Carolina 44
- North Dakota 7
- Ohio 48
- Oklahoma 20
- Oregon 17
- Pennsylvania 51
- Puerto Rico 6
- Rhode Island 6
- South Carolina 22
- South Dakota 7
- Tennessee 35
- Texas 56
- Utah 8
- Vermont 6
- Virginia 34
- Washington 16
- West Virginia 8
- Wisconsin 25