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369 Best Bachelor's Music & Performing Arts Universities in the United States

Cornell University leads the 369 Bachelor's Music & Performing Arts universities in the United States at #13 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. It is followed by University of Chicago (QS World #13) and Duke University (QS World #26). The universities on this list offer 802 matching courses between them.

369 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
23Ranked
WC Windward Community College logo
QS World #488 #115 in United States United States

Windward Community College

Public University · 6 courses in Bachelor's Music & Performing Arts

All 6 courses →
Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#488 QS World University Rankings 2025
#115 in United States

Related subjects

How these universities are ranked

27 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #13 (Cornell University) to #548 (Lehigh University); they are listed first, in that order. The rest are ordered by research impact. Cornell University has the largest research record in this group, with 57,855,264 citations and an h-index of 1,875. 3 universities have neither a QS position nor a research record yet and appear at the end, marked "Not yet ranked".

Public, private and where they are

The split is 368 public to 1 private institutions. By location, Massachusetts (2), Ohio (1) and Minnesota (1) account for the most of those we can place. Ohio State University-Main Campus is the largest, with 45,638 students.

Levels, lengths and start dates

Within the subject, the largest areas are Music & Performing Arts (748), Music (25), Theatre & Drama (11) and Dance (8). The usual length is 4 years and 2 years. 99% are full-time and 11 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (100% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (100% of courses with a stated intake). Berklee College of Music offers the widest choice, with 33 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 10 of these universities. Wayne State College is the least expensive at USD 8,216 a year and The Catholic University of America the most at USD 58,378; the middle of the range is about USD 19,531. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top universities for Bachelor's Music & Performing Arts in the United States?

Cornell University (QS World #13), University of Chicago (QS World #13) and Duke University (QS World #26) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for Bachelor's Music & Performing Arts in the United States?

Of those with published fees, Wayne State College is the least expensive at about USD 8,216 a year. Fees are indicative — confirm on the university's site.

How many public universities offer Bachelor's Music & Performing Arts in the United States?

368 public and 1 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Bachelor's Music & Performing Arts course take in the United States?

Most listed courses run 4 years, with 2 years the next most common.

When do Bachelor's Music & Performing Arts courses start in the United States?

Fall is the main intake — 100% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Spring is the second.

Can I study Bachelor's Music & Performing Arts online with a university in the United States?

11 of these courses are listed as online.

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