Best colleges for music in New York
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in music, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for music in New York59 schools
59 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in New York.
- 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
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll#2 in New York
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B+ · Top 22%
- 2
Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollTop 2% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A- · Top 19%
- 3
Colgate University
Hamilton, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B+ · Top 25%
- 4
Hamilton College
Clinton, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B+ · Top 32%
- 5
Barnard College
New York, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B+ · Top 33%
- 6
New York University
New York, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 7
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 8
The Juilliard School
New York, NY · Private nonprofitTop 3% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 9
Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 10
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B · Top 43%
- 11
Binghamton University
Vestal, NY · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A- · Top 13%
- 12
Yeshiva University
New York, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 13
Union College
Schenectady, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 5% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 14
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 2% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 15
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A · Top 6%
- 16
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 8% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 17
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
New York, NY · PublicHonor RollTop 2% for low net price
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 18
Fordham University
Bronx, NY · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 6% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 19
St. Lawrence University
Canton, NY · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 20
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY · PublicExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A- · Top 16%
- 21
Hobart William Smith Colleges
Geneva, NY · Private nonprofitTop 12% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 22
Manhattan School of Music
New York, NY · Private nonprofitTop 12% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 23
Bard College
Annandale-On-Hudson, NY · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 24
SUNY College at Geneseo
Geneseo, NY · PublicExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A- · Top 14%
- 25
Ithaca College
Ithaca, NY · Private nonprofitTop 13% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornell University | $28,690 | $14,000 | $104,043 | 95% |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | $21,590 | $21,500 | $102,491 | 96% |
| Colgate University | $28,786 | $15,000 | $85,139 | 91% |
| Hamilton College | $28,985 | $17,000 | $78,411 | 91% |
| Barnard College | $28,800 | $18,000 | $80,516 | 93% |
| New York University | $37,050 | $20,500 | $82,509 | 88% |
| Vassar College | $39,343 | $18,625 | $71,366 | 91% |
| The Juilliard School | $43,571 | $25,500 | $37,827 | 93% |
| Skidmore College | $32,297 | $19,500 | $69,363 | 83% |
| University of Rochester | $29,278 | $21,000 | $79,042 | 85% |
| Binghamton University | $21,620 | $18,500 | $80,596 | 82% |
| Yeshiva University | $49,965 | $18,250 | $71,353 | 83% |
| Union College | $34,561 | $25,337 | $88,604 | 80% |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | $36,228 | $23,750 | $102,051 | 84% |
| Stony Brook University | $18,784 | $18,228 | $74,502 | 76% |
| Syracuse University | $38,793 | $26,000 | $79,164 | 84% |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | $3,033 | $11,512 | $75,971 | 72% |
| Fordham University | $44,338 | $24,300 | $85,569 | 82% |
| St. Lawrence University | $28,651 | $27,000 | $67,258 | 79% |
| University at Buffalo | $20,995 | $19,000 | $70,814 | 75% |
| Hobart William Smith Colleges | $31,563 | $27,000 | $68,831 | 77% |
| Manhattan School of Music | $51,754 | $26,994 | $26,878 | 78% |
| Bard College | $34,649 | $24,254 | $46,543 | 68% |
| SUNY College at Geneseo | $18,211 | $19,500 | $67,316 | 71% |
| Ithaca College | $33,926 | $24,000 | $63,548 | 76% |
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
- 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