Best colleges for music in Pennsylvania
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in music, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for music in Pennsylvania51 schools
51 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Pennsylvania.
- 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
Curtis Institute of Music
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofit#1 in Pennsylvania
- Bachelor’s program in music
- 2
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 3
Haverford College
Haverford, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A- · Top 13%
- 4
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade A- · Top 15%
- 5
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B
- 6
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 7
Lafayette College
Easton, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 4% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B · Top 47%
- 8
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 3% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 9
Franklin and Marshall College
Lancaster, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 10
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 11
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 12
Dickinson College
Carlisle, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 13
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
Pittsburgh, PA · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 14
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 15
Muhlenberg College
Allentown, PA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 16
Grove City College
Grove City, PA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in music
- 17
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitTop 5% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B
- 18
Allegheny College
Meadville, PA · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B
- 19
Susquehanna University
Selinsgrove, PA · Private nonprofitTop 10% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 20
Ursinus College
Collegeville, PA · Private nonprofitTop 12% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B-
- 21
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 22
Messiah University
Mechanicsburg, PA · Private nonprofitTop 15% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 23
Immaculata University
Immaculata, PA · Private nonprofitTop 10% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade B · Top 41%
- 24
Moravian University
Bethlehem, PA · Private nonprofitTop 18% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in music
- Value grade C+
- 25
Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown, PA · Private nonprofitTop 13% for graduation
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curtis Institute of Music | — | — | — | 96% |
| University of Pennsylvania | $28,699 | $15,715 | $111,371 | 97% |
| Haverford College | $25,314 | $13,621 | $79,966 | 90% |
| Swarthmore College | $23,149 | $17,500 | $80,257 | 92% |
| Carnegie Mellon University | $31,944 | $21,750 | $114,862 | 94% |
| Lehigh University | $36,931 | $21,960 | $105,584 | 88% |
| Lafayette College | $34,433 | $16,000 | $91,410 | 88% |
| Bucknell University | $40,766 | $27,000 | $93,807 | 86% |
| Franklin and Marshall College | $36,425 | $19,000 | $76,124 | 84% |
| Bryn Mawr College | $31,759 | $25,000 | $75,217 | 82% |
| Gettysburg College | $31,490 | $26,999 | $71,517 | 83% |
| Dickinson College | $37,607 | $19,000 | $70,204 | 80% |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | $30,434 | $24,250 | $66,125 | 86% |
| Pennsylvania State University | $32,875 | $25,000 | $63,435 | 86% |
| Muhlenberg College | $28,905 | $25,455 | $69,107 | 82% |
| Grove City College | — | — | — | 83% |
| Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | $29,689 | $25,500 | $86,881 | 79% |
| Allegheny College | $22,940 | $27,000 | $62,069 | 73% |
| Susquehanna University | $28,819 | $27,000 | $61,723 | 82% |
| Ursinus College | $30,536 | $27,000 | $73,721 | 73% |
| Duquesne University | $37,730 | $26,244 | $74,742 | 77% |
| Messiah University | $26,502 | $25,621 | $54,064 | 75% |
| Immaculata University | $24,258 | $27,000 | $75,701 | 71% |
| Moravian University | $30,670 | $26,793 | $61,860 | 72% |
| Elizabethtown College | $26,598 | $27,000 | $62,399 | 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
- New York 59
- North Carolina 44
- North Dakota 7
- Ohio 48
- Oklahoma 20
- Oregon 17
- 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