Music Schools and Programs in The United States

Music Studies in The United States

The University of Michigan has one of the top music schools in the United States.

Music is taught in the United States in three kinds of institution: schools of music inside large universities, music departments in liberal arts colleges, and community colleges that offer the first two years. The 202 schools listed here cover all three.

How music degrees are organised

At undergraduate level there are two main routes. Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music, for example, awards the Bachelor of Music, the Bachelor of Arts in Music and the Bachelor of Science in Music. It describes the Bachelor of Music as a degree focused on the performance and study of music, with majors in performance (piano, strings, voice, winds and percussion, and jazz studies) and in music studies (composition, musicology, music cognition, music education and music theory). The Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in Music are described as non-performance degrees that offer a broad liberal arts education with a major in music.

University departments without a conservatory structure usually offer the Bachelor of Arts. At Stanford University the Bachelor of Arts in Music requires 62 units, of which 42 form a shared core of theory, performance, history, technology and science.

EducationUSA, the US Department of State's advising network, states that the bachelor's degree is usually completed in four years of full-time study. Graduate study follows the same division. Northwestern lists the Master of Music, the Doctor of Musical Arts (a performance or composition doctorate) and the Doctor of Philosophy, which is the research degree in fields such as musicology and music theory. EducationUSA describes the master's as a two-year degree.

Students who want to teach music in schools should look for a music education major. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that teaching music in elementary, middle and high schools typically requires a bachelor's degree and a teaching licence.

Admission: auditions, English and visa

Admission to performance programmes is not decided on school grades alone. The BLS states that applicants to postsecondary programmes in music typically are required to submit recordings, audition in person, or both. At Northwestern, for instance, all students whose programme requires an audition are asked to audition on campus, virtual auditions are considered case by case, and some programmes require a prescreening recording first. Check the repertoire requirements and deadlines for your instrument well ahead: the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami lists 1 December as its regular undergraduate deadline.

EducationUSA states that US universities require an English language proficiency test before admission. International students on a degree programme normally hold an F student visa, for study at an accredited US college or university, and the school must be certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). EducationUSA also notes that no official ranking system exists for US colleges and universities.

Where to study music in the United States

New York has the most schools in this list (six), followed by Pittsburgh, Boston, Cambridge and Denver with three each. Examples of the different kinds of institution are:

• Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois: the Bienen School of Music, with degrees from the Bachelor of Music to the doctorate
• Vanderbilt University in Nashville: the Blair School of Music, which states that each programme of study provides a balanced education in music in addition to a liberal arts core
• University of Miami: the Frost School of Music, with undergraduate and graduate degrees
• University of Wisconsin-Madison: the Mead Witter School of Music, where according to the school nearly 50% of undergraduate music majors take a double major with another field
• Stanford University, Duke University and the University of Pittsburgh: music departments with a Bachelor of Arts major and research-oriented graduate programmes
• Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin: a liberal arts college with a conservatory of music for undergraduates

Community colleges in the list offer two-year associate degrees. EducationUSA describes the "2+2" route, in which two years of community college are followed by two years of university study.

Careers

A music degree is not a formal requirement for performing. The BLS states that musicians and singers typically need no postsecondary education to enter the occupation, although those in classical music and opera may pursue a bachelor's degree. Music directors and composers typically need at least a bachelor's degree, and employers may prefer a master's degree for some positions.

Work is often freelance: 48 percent of musicians and singers were self-employed in 2025, according to the BLS. The median hourly wage for musicians and singers was $47.80 in May 2025, and their employment is projected to show little or no change from 2025 to 2035. For music directors and composers the median annual wage was $73,710 in May 2025, with projected growth of 1 percent over the same period.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a Bachelor of Music and a Bachelor of Arts in Music?

The Bachelor of Music is centred on performance and the study of music. The Bachelor of Arts in Music is a broader liberal arts degree with a major in music; Northwestern describes it as a non-performance degree.

Do I need to audition to study music in the United States?

For performance programmes, usually yes. The BLS says applicants are typically required to submit recordings, audition in person, or both. Check each school for academic music majors.

How long does a music degree take?

A bachelor's degree is usually completed in four years of full-time study, according to EducationUSA, and a master's degree normally takes two more years.