Best colleges for music in Illinois
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in music, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for music in Illinois46 schools
46 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Illinois.
- 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
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 2
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 3
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL · PublicHonor Roll#3 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A · Top 4%
- 4
Wheaton College
Wheaton, IL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#4 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 5
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, IL · Private nonprofit#5 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 6
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, IL · Private nonprofit#7 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 7
Knox College
Galesburg, IL · Private nonprofit#8 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 8
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitTop 13% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 9
Augustana College
Rock Island, IL · Private nonprofit#10 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B
- 10
Bradley University
Peoria, IL · Private nonprofitTop 13% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B · Top 47%
- 11
DePaul University
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitTop 16% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 12
University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago, IL · PublicTop 16% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 13
University of St. Francis
Joliet, IL · Private nonprofitTop 21% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A · Top 8%
- 14
Elmhurst University
Elmhurst, IL · Private nonprofitTop 21% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B · Top 43%
- 15
VanderCook College of Music
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofit#16 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 16
Lewis University
Romeoville, IL · Private nonprofitTop 18% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A- · Top 16%
- 17
North Central College
Naperville, IL · Private nonprofit#18 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B · Top 45%
- 18
Illinois State University
Normal, IL · PublicTop 24% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B+ · Top 26%
- 19
Trinity Christian College
Palos Heights, IL · Private nonprofit#21 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B · Top 47%
- 20Tie
Monmouth College
Monmouth, IL · Private nonprofit#22 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B
- 20Tie
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, IL · Private nonprofit#22 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 22Tie
Aurora University
Aurora, IL · Private nonprofit#25 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B+ · Top 29%
- 22Tie
Judson University
Elgin, IL · Private nonprofit#25 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B · Top 44%
- 24
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville, IL · Public#27 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B+ · Top 21%
- 25
Illinois College
Jacksonville, IL · Private nonprofit#29 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Chicago | $14,860 | $15,000 | $91,885 | 96% |
| Northwestern University | $29,167 | $15,000 | $89,363 | 95% |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $14,355 | $19,500 | $81,054 | 85% |
| Wheaton College | $26,975 | $23,250 | $63,756 | 85% |
| Lake Forest College | $28,673 | $26,158 | $61,825 | 78% |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | $28,199 | $27,000 | $70,871 | 75% |
| Knox College | $24,595 | $27,000 | $54,820 | 68% |
| Loyola University Chicago | $36,079 | $24,157 | $71,530 | 73% |
| Augustana College | $22,736 | $27,000 | $62,971 | 73% |
| Bradley University | $22,719 | $27,000 | $66,852 | 76% |
| DePaul University | $30,902 | $23,168 | $68,751 | 68% |
| University of Illinois Chicago | $10,974 | $16,704 | $68,740 | 62% |
| University of St. Francis | $13,006 | $21,079 | $63,926 | 67% |
| Elmhurst University | $24,185 | $20,489 | $61,462 | 70% |
| VanderCook College of Music | $19,780 | $27,000 | $47,863 | 67% |
| Lewis University | $17,028 | $21,500 | $66,099 | 67% |
| North Central College | $21,044 | $24,500 | $60,123 | 64% |
| Illinois State University | $19,398 | $20,482 | $62,117 | 65% |
| Trinity Christian College | $19,125 | $25,009 | $55,700 | 58% |
| Monmouth College | $17,133 | $27,000 | $51,110 | 65% |
| Olivet Nazarene University | $20,729 | $25,000 | $53,213 | 61% |
| Aurora University | $18,838 | $20,318 | $58,709 | 60% |
| Judson University | $18,558 | $25,000 | $56,313 | 60% |
| Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $14,889 | $20,500 | $56,346 | 57% |
| Illinois College | $18,298 | $25,565 | $52,575 | 64% |
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
- 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
- Texas 56
- Utah 8
- Vermont 6
- Virginia 34
- Washington 16
- West Virginia 8
- Wisconsin 25