collageMusic colleges in Georgia are important to the higher education industry and provide valuable assistance, skills and knowledge to students who want to pursue music as a career.
If you are seeking to learn about music colleges in georgia for the first time, the subject might seem overpowering for those who have not researched the subject before, but you are likely to be fascinated by the information you come across.
Read more about best music colleges in georgia, music colleges in atlanta georgia, music production colleges in georgia, and colleges in georgia with music programs. You can also find articles related to music therapy colleges in georgia on collegelearners.
music colleges in georgia
If you plan on majoring in music, you won’t be alone since the degree program is ranked #40 in the country in terms of popularity. As a result, there are many college that offer the degree, making your choice of school a hard one.
College Factual reviewed 16 schools in Georgia to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of music. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 536 degrees in music during the 2019-2020 academic year.
Best Schools for Music in Georgia
If you aren’t interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the music degrees they offer, see the list below.
10 Top Georgia Schools in Music
Emory crest
1
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
Bachelor’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
4th
MOST POPULAR IN GA
31
MUSIC DEGREES AWARDED
It’s hard to beat Emory University if you wish to pursue a degree in music. Emory is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Atlanta. A Best Schools rank of #66 out of 2,576 schools nationwide means Emory is a great university overall.
There were roughly 31 music students who graduated with this degree at Emory in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in music from Emory University
UGA crest
2
University of Georgia
Athens, GA
Doctor’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
86
MUSIC DEGREES AWARDED
4.7%
GROWTH IN GRADUATES
University of Georgia is a wonderful option for students pursuing a degree in music. UGA is a very large public university located in the city of Athens. A Best Schools rank of #116 out of 2,576 colleges nationwide means UGA is a great university overall.
There were about 86 music students who graduated with this degree at UGA in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the music program earn around $18,300 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a degree in music from University of Georgia
KSU Georgia crest
3
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw, GA
Bachelor’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
5th
MOST POPULAR IN GA
Kennesaw State University is a good choice for students pursuing a degree in music. KSU Georgia is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Kennesaw. A Best Schools rank of #681 out of 2,576 schools nationwide means KSU Georgia is a great university overall.
There were approximately 20 music students who graduated with this degree at KSU Georgia in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in music from Kennesaw State University
Covenant crest
4
Covenant College
Lookout Mountain, GA
Bachelor’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
26th
MOST POPULAR IN GA
25.0%
GROWTH IN GRADUATES
Every student pursuing a degree in music has to look into Covenant College. Covenant is a small private not-for-profit college located in the rural area of Lookout Mountain. A Best Schools rank of #777 out of 2,576 schools nationwide means Covenant is a great college overall.
There were roughly 4 music students who graduated with this degree at Covenant in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in music from Covenant College
GaSou crest
5
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, GA
Master’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
8th
MOST POPULAR IN GA
40.0%
GROWTH IN GRADUATES
GaSou is a fairly large public university located in the distant town of Statesboro. A Best Schools rank of #567 out of 2,576 colleges nationwide means GaSou is a great university overall.
There were roughly 30 music students who graduated with this degree at GaSou in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in music from Georgia Southern University
Augusta University crest
6
Augusta University
Augusta, GA
Bachelor’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
11th
MOST POPULAR IN GA
Augusta University is a medium-sized public university located in the city of Augusta. A Best Schools rank of #601 out of 2,576 colleges nationwide means Augusta University is a great university overall.
There were roughly 9 music students who graduated with this degree at Augusta University in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in music from Augusta University
Georgia State crest
7
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA
Master’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
75
MUSIC DEGREES AWARDED
$32,200
MEDIAN STARTING SALARY
Georgia State is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Atlanta. This university ranks 18th out of 80 colleges for overall quality in the state of Georgia.
There were about 75 music students who graduated with this degree at Georgia State in the most recent year we have data available. Those music students who get their degree from Georgia State University earn $8,650 more than the average music grad.
More information about a degree in music from Georgia State University
Georgia College crest
8
Georgia College & State University
Milledgeville, GA
Bachelor’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
16th
MOST POPULAR IN GA
16.7%
GROWTH IN GRADUATES
Georgia College is a moderately-sized public university located in the town of Milledgeville. A Best Schools rank of #458 out of 2,576 colleges nationwide means Georgia College is a great university overall.
There were approximately 6 music students who graduated with this degree at Georgia College in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in music from Georgia College & State University
Berry crest
9
Berry College
Mount Berry, GA
Bachelor’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
16th
MOST POPULAR IN GA
28.6%
GROWTH IN GRADUATES
Located in the suburb of Mount Berry, Berry is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. A Best Schools rank of #673 out of 2,576 colleges nationwide means Berry is a great college overall.
There were roughly 7 music students who graduated with this degree at Berry in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in music from Berry College
CSU crest
10
Columbus State University
Columbus, GA
Master’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
3rd
MOST POPULAR IN GA
55
MUSIC DEGREES AWARDED
Located in the midsize city of Columbus, CSU is a public university with a medium-sized student population. This university ranks 34th out of 80 colleges for overall quality in the state of Georgia.
There were approximately 55 music students who graduated with this degree at CSU in the most recent data year.
Best Music Production Colleges in Atlanta
We have created a ranking of the best colleges in Atlanta that offer Music Production degrees to help you find a school that fits your needs. Each school’s ranking is based on the compilation of our data from reliable government sources, student surveys, college graduate interviews, and editorial review. In addition, you can view our entire list of all 12 Music Production schools located within Atlanta. We also provide reviews, facts, and questions and answers for schools on our site and offer you access to get valuable information from colleges and universities today.
Best Music Production Colleges in Atlanta for 2021
| 1 | Emory University | Atlanta, GA | Emory University offers 3 Music Production Degree programs. It’s a large private university in a large suburb. In 2015, 27 students graduated in the study area of Music Production with students earning 25 Bachelor’s degrees, and 2 Master’s degrees. | Based on 16 Reviews | ||
| 2 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | Atlanta, GA | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus offers 1 Music Production Degree program. It’s a large public university in a large city. In 2015, 12 students graduated in the study area of Music Production with students earning 12 Master’s degrees. | Based on 32 Reviews | ||
| 3 | Georgia State University | Atlanta, GA | Georgia State University offers 3 Music Production Degree programs. It’s a large public university in a large city. In 2015, 60 students graduated in the study area of Music Production with students earning 33 Bachelor’s degrees, 26 Master’s degrees, and 1 Certificates degree. | Based on 32 Reviews | ||
| 4 | Spelman College | Atlanta, GA | Spelman College offers 1 Music Production Degree program. It’s a small private university in a large city. | |||
| 5 | Morehouse College | Atlanta, GA | Morehouse College offers 3 Music Production Degree programs. It’s a small private university in a large city. In 2015, 4 students graduated in the study area of Music Production with students earning 4 Bachelor’s degrees. | |||
| 6 | University of West Georgia | Carrollton, GA | University of West Georgia offers 5 Music Production Degree programs. It’s a large public university in a outlying town. In 2015, 8 students graduated in the study area of Music Production with students earning 7 Bachelor’s degrees, and 1 Master’s degree. | Based on 20 Reviews | ||
| 7 | Clayton State University | Morrow, GA | Clayton State University offers 1 Music Production Degree program. It’s a medium sized public university in a large suburb. In 2015, 7 students graduated in the study area of Music Production with students earning 7 Bachelor’s degrees. | Based on 4 Reviews | ||
| 8 | Reinhardt University | Waleska, GA | Reinhardt University offers 8 Music Production Degree programs. It’s a small private university in a outlying rural. In 2015, 17 students graduated in the study area of Music Production with students earning 12 Bachelor’s degrees, and 5 Master’s degrees. | |||
| 9 | Clark Atlanta University | Atlanta, GA | Clark Atlanta University offers 1 Music Production Degree program. It’s a medium sized private university in a large city. In 2015, 4 students graduated in the study area of Music Production with students earning 4 Bachelor’s degrees. | |||
| 10 | Agnes Scott College | Decatur, GA | Agnes Scott College offers 2 Music Production Degree programs. It’s a very small private university in a large suburb. In 2015, 5 students graduated in the study area of Music Production with students earning 5 Bachelor’s degrees. |
best music colleges
One of the first things you should be doing as a student still in high school is decide which establishments you will even attempt to get into in the coming months and years. Depending on what you want to study, there could be literally hundreds of options, and all of them will claim to be the perfect fit for you.
As someone who wants to study music, you are both lucky and limited when it comes to colleges, depending on how optimistic you want to be. There are many schools with music programs but only a handful have developed well-earned reputations as excellent educational leaders and those are the ones you want to go for.
Having said this, because there aren’t hundreds of beloved, truly exceptional choices, the playing field is smaller and it can be even more difficult to stand out and eventually be accepted into a program. There are more students who would love to attend these locations than spots available, so you certainly have your work cut out for you if you want admissions counselors to look upon you with favor. For better or worse, that’s just how these things go.
If you’re just beginning your search for where you may go to study music, consider these ten colleges and universities above all others, as they are widely understood to be the absolute best in the world.
In no particular order, our picks for the best music schools in the world are:
- The Juilliard School
- Berklee College of Music
- Yale School of Music
- New England Conservatory of Music
- University of Southern California Thornton School of Music
- Curtis Institute of Music
- The Royal Academy of Music
- Royal College of Music
- Indiana University – The Jacobs School of Music
- Mannes School of Music
1. The Juilliard School
Location: New York City, NY
Founded: 1905
Notable Alumni: Barry Manilow, Yo-Yo Ma, John Williams
The Juilliard School, or simply Juilliard as most people call it, is known as the most prestigious performing arts educational institution in the world, according to a number of rankings doled out every year. The college teaches students in a number of verticals, including dance, acting, and, of course, music, which it is perhaps best known for.
The school is attached to the similarly prestigious Lincoln Center, which plays host to some of the best live music performances to be found anywhere, with a focus on all things classical and opera. This option is best for those who one day would like to compose or perhaps play in an orchestra, but it probably isn’t ideal for anyone looking to create more contemporary popular music.
2. Berklee College of Music
Location: Boston, MA
Founded: 1945
Notable Alumni: Melissa Etheridge, Quincy Jones, John Mayer
Unlike many other music programs all around the world, Berklee College of Music is focused on churning out artists who go on to top the charts and own the pop culture conversation. Many of the most successful alumni aren’t in orchestras or crafting classical compositions, but rather, they have squarely focused their musical efforts in pop, rock, and other modern genres.”Berklee College of Music produces more hitmakers than any other school in the world so if you want to make it big in the Top 40 world, this is where you need to go.”
Boston is known as a college town and Berklee College of Music is simply one of the best in a crowded area.
3. Yale School of Music
Location: New Haven, CT
Founded: 1894
Notable Alumni: Marco Beltrami, Michael Daugherty, Matt Brubeck
Yale needs no introduction, but sadly, many people overlook the music education school as the other programs receive the majority of attention. The legendary university’s musical wing is world-renowned and not just because of the name. It has truly earned its stellar reputation and it lives up to the Yale brand, producing many incredibly accomplished musicians.
New Haven, Connecticut is a relatively smaller city without all the flash of (fairly) nearby NYC but it will be worth it when you get out of school and have Yale on your resume.
4. New England Conservatory of Music
Location: Boston, MA
Founded: 1867
Notable Alumni: Neal E. Boyd, Aoife O’Donovan, Vic Firth
Yes, of course, another Boston college makes this list! With so many schools in such a relatively small area, it’s impossible to avoid including more than one institution from the city on any ranking of great universities. While Berklee does get a majority of the music-focused collegiate attention when it comes to Beantown, there is plenty of room for the New England Conservatory of Music, as the two don’t overlap very much.
Where Berklee is focused on creating hitmakers and pop stars, the NECM keeps its eyes (and ears) on helping those with a passion for playing become some of the best in the world on stringed, woodwind, and brass instruments.
5. University of Southern California Thornton School of Music
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Founded: 1884
Notable Alumni: Herb Alpert, James Newton Howard, James Horner
Founded just four years after the university itself, the Thornton School of Music is one of the oldest musical institutions in America and it benefits immensely from more than a century of knowing what it takes to craft a truly wonderful musician. While the organization focuses on styles like jazz, classical, and earlier forms of music, the school also has a celebrated program for those looking to work in the music industry but who may not be musicians themselves.
Even if you want to be on the more creative end of things as an artist, taking classes to teach you what’s happening in the business can only benefit you and this is a great place to receive such a blended education. Aspiring Music Business majors should take note of this school. USC also has strong connections to the film music industry.
6. Curtis Institute of Music
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Founded: 1924
Notable Alumni: Leonard Bernstein, David Brooks, Lang Lang
While not specifically known as one of the better music cities in America, Philadelphia does have at least one hidden gem everybody considering going to college to study the craft should look into: The Curtis Institute of Music. The school, which is coming up on one hundred years of age, has been quietly producing some of the most accomplished musicians in the world for a long time. While you might not have heard of it, everybody in the opera field (the school’s specialty) certainly has!
It is notoriously difficult to be accepted to, as it agrees to take on less than five percent of all applicants, so you’re going to need to show them something really special if you want to go here.
7. The Royal Academy of Music
Location: London, UK
Founded: 1822
Notable Alumni: Elton John, Annie Lennox
If you’re looking to travel overseas when you take up your musical studies, the Royal Academy of Music may be exactly what you need. The school accepts students from dozens of countries so you certainly have a chance of going but you’re going to need to be really, really great to be included in the incoming class -— this is one institution that can afford to be picky.
The college is also connected to the University of London which can come in handy if you’re looking to study something other than music (in addition to becoming a serious artist, of course).
8. Royal College of Music
Location: London, UK
Founded: 1882
Notable Alumni: Andrew Lloyd Webber, James Horner, Vanessa-Mae
Speaking of London, if you don’t get into the Royal Academy of Music, there are other options in that great city and the second one on your list should absolutely be the Royal College of Music. The two similarly-named universities are part of the ABRSM (the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music), four wonderful educational institutions in the U.K. dedicated to teaching the art of performance.
Only two of the four are located in London, which is where you probably want to live if you’re moving to the country for college. In addition to actually helping people become better musicians, the Royal College of Music does a lot of research into all things related to performance, which further influences teaching methods and how live events are staged and buildings are created.
9. Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University
Location: Bloomington, IN
Notable Alumni: Joshua Bell, Carl Broemel
It may not be quite as impressive as some other schools on this list and it doesn’t carry the same reputation to one day help you get noticed by employers simply because of a famous name but the Jacobs School of Music, which is based at Indiana University, offers the greatest chance of acceptance for many up-and-coming artists. Many of the universities I’ve already mentioned only admit a small group of new applicants every year, while the Jacobs School has almost 2,000 students at any given time.
As a public university, this option is often offered at a lower price than many private choices, especially for those from the region.
10. Mannes School of Music
Location: New York City, NY
Founded: 1916
Notable Alumni: Burt Bacharach
Another New York City school, I know — but there’s a reason why so many of these colleges are located in the Big Apple!
While it may be difficult to make a go of being a professional musician in America’s largest metropolis, it also happens to be where the majority of the music industry is focused. Students at the Mannes School of Music benefit not only from excellent Professors who typically have decades of experience, but from being just a subway ride away from countless opportunities for internships, jobs, and places to perform whenever they like.”New York City is to music what Los Angeles is to acting — you’ll be just a small fish in a big pond but at least you’re in the right pond to begin with.”
Also, as part of the New School, which houses fellow artistic college Parsons (known as one of the best in the fashion world), there are plenty of facilities and faculty who will be willing to help in whatever way possible when it comes to making you a success.
Honorable Mentions
Thankfully, there aren’t just 10 great music schools in the world, there are dozens. If you don’t get into the locales listed above, or if you simply want to broaden your search as you kick things of.
Here are 10 more institutions worthy of looking at (which could all be featured in another article):
- San Francisco Conservatory of Music – San Francisco, CA
- Boston Conservatory at Berklee – Boston, MA (yes, another school within the larger Berklee institution)
- The Johns Hopkins University – Peabody Institute, Baltimore, MD
- Cleveland Institute of Music – Cleveland, OH
- Northwestern University – Bienen School of Music, Evanston, IL
- Oberlin College – Oberlin Conservatory, Oberlin, OH
- Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, Paris, FRANCE
- University of Rochester, Eastman School of Music – Rochester, NY
- Guildhall School of Music & Drama – London, UK
- Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo, NORWAY
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