Best colleges for music in Texas
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in music, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for music in Texas56 schools
56 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Texas.
- 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
Rice University
Houston, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 2
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX · PublicHonor Roll#2 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A- · Top 12%
- 3
Trinity University
San Antonio, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#3 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B+ · Top 32%
- 4
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#4 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 5
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#5 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 6
Texas A&M University-College Station
College Station, TX · PublicHonor Roll#6 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A- · Top 14%
- 7
- 8
Southwestern University
Georgetown, TX · Private nonprofit#11 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 9
Austin College
Sherman, TX · Private nonprofit#14 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B · Top 43%
- 10
University of Houston
Houston, TX · Public#16 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A · Top 7%
- 11
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX · Public#18 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 12
Abilene Christian University
Abilene, TX · Private nonprofit#20 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 13
University of St. Thomas
Houston, TX · Private nonprofitTop 22% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B+ · Top 29%
- 14
University of North Texas
Denton, TX · Public#23 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A- · Top 20%
- 15
The University of Texas at Tyler
Tyler, TX · PublicTop 24% for low debt
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A · Top 9%
- 16
Texas A & M International University
Laredo, TX · PublicTop 2% for low net price
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A · Top 9%
- 17
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX · Public#28 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 18
St. Mary's University
San Antonio, TX · Private nonprofit#29 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B
- 19
The University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, TX · PublicTop 23% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A · Top 6%
- 20
The University of Texas at San Antonio
San Antonio, TX · PublicTop 17% for low net price
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A · Top 9%
- 21
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Edinburg, TX · PublicTop 4% for low net price
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A · Top 5%
- 22
Lubbock Christian University
Lubbock, TX · Private nonprofit#34 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 23
Dallas Baptist University
Dallas, TX · Private nonprofit#36 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 24
West Texas A & M University
Canyon, TX · Public#38 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B · Top 44%
- 25
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX · Public#39 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B+ · Top 33%
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice University | About $13,000 | $11,000 | $89,718 | 95% |
| The University of Texas at Austin | About $20,000 | $20,500 | $75,121 | 89% |
| Trinity University | About $23,000 | $22,954 | $71,668 | 84% |
| Southern Methodist University | About $41,000 | $19,500 | $78,354 | 84% |
| Texas Christian University | About $37,000 | $21,500 | $68,424 | 86% |
| Texas A&M University-College Station | About $21,000 | $17,804 | $72,097 | 84% |
| Baylor University | About $41,000 | $23,000 | $65,793 | 80% |
| Southwestern University | About $29,000 | $25,000 | $56,878 | 73% |
| Austin College | About $21,000 | $24,500 | $61,296 | 67% |
| University of Houston | About $14,000 | $18,194 | $62,377 | 65% |
| Texas Tech University | About $19,000 | $21,500 | $62,454 | 69% |
| Abilene Christian University | About $26,000 | $24,250 | $55,736 | 59% |
| University of St. Thomas | About $19,000 | $19,928 | $59,224 | 69% |
| University of North Texas | About $16,000 | $19,250 | $57,010 | 61% |
| The University of Texas at Tyler | About $13,000 | $17,137 | $57,053 | 54% |
| Texas A & M International University | About $4,000 | $15,000 | $48,386 | 46% |
| Texas State University | About $17,000 | $21,000 | $56,906 | 55% |
| St. Mary's University | About $21,000 | $25,563 | $56,955 | 59% |
| The University of Texas at Arlington | About $14,000 | $17,527 | $63,199 | 54% |
| The University of Texas at San Antonio | About $11,000 | $20,500 | $57,131 | 53% |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | About $5,000 | $12,950 | $49,620 | 51% |
| Lubbock Christian University | About $24,000 | $20,948 | $53,787 | 51% |
| Dallas Baptist University | About $29,000 | $21,591 | $56,807 | 57% |
| West Texas A & M University | About $19,000 | $19,500 | $50,741 | 55% |
| Sam Houston State University | About $16,000 | $21,983 | $54,211 | 55% |
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
- Massachusetts 31
- 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
- Utah 8
- Vermont 6
- Virginia 34
- Washington 16
- West Virginia 8
- Wisconsin 25