Music Schools
Best Music Schools in Pennsylvania | Cost, Requirements, How to Apply
This article explores the best music schools in Pennsylvania.
With music ranking as the country’s Number 40 most popular degree program, it has above-average popularity.
Consequently, you have a good number of possibilities when looking for a school as there are numerous music schools in Pennsylvania especially.
This article attempts to include schools with a variety of specialties and experience levels, so you might never need to do extra research to verify that any of these institutions are a part of the best music schools in Pennsylvania.
Kindly read along to note the top-ranked music schools in Pennsylvania, the cost, and how to apply.
Are there Music Schools in Pennsylvania?
Yes, there are music schools in Pennsylvania for music students pursuing a music degree.
These are some of the music schools in Pennsylvania;
- Lafayette College
- Dickinson College
- University of Pennsylvania
- Messiah University
- Carnegie Mellon University
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania
- Moravian University
- Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
- Lebanon Valley College
- Millersville University of Pennsylvania
- Curtis Institute of Music
How Much Does Music Schools Cost in Pennsylvania?
Curtis Institute of Music costs a net price of $20,993
Carnegie Mellon University, one of the music schools in Pennsylvania costs $70,094 per year
Lebanon Valley College costs $57,390 annually.
Tuition fees at Temple University cost $32,430 per year.
Also, the West Chester University of Pennsylvania costs $26,773 a year.
See also: Most Expensive Universities in the World
What are the Requirements for Music Schools in Pennsylvania?
The Requirements for Curtis Institute of Music are SAT scores which are highly recommended and also a High Test score and a high GPA.
Requirements for Carnegie Mellon University are SAT scores of 1460-1560, ACT Range of 33-35, and also an application fee of $75.
Temple University requires an SAT range score of 1010- 1230, an ACT range of 22-28, and an application fee of $55. High School GPA is also required.
Lebanon Valley College requirements are SAT scores of 1070-1260, High school GPA. No application is required.
Messiah University is also one of the music schools in Pennsylvania with requirements of SAT range scores of 1080-1030, an application fee of $50 and a High school GPA is required.
What are the Best Music Schools in Pennsylvania?
Though Music schools in Pennsylvania are numerous, let’s look at the Best Music schools in Pennsylvania. These high-ranked music schools in Pennsylvania are discussed below;
1. Lafayette college
Students who want to major in music should consider Lafayette College. Easton, a sizable suburb of Lafayette, is home to the small private, not-for-profit college Lafayette.
Lafayette is a fantastic university overall, coming in at #49 out of 2,576 colleges in the country according to Best Schools.
In the most recent graduating class at Lafayette, 4 students majored in music.
Lafayette was ranked #9 in the most recent lists of the top universities for music majors.
This places it among the top 5% of universities in the nation for a music degree. The city of Pennsylvania has also ranked Lafayette College first.
This is a good reason why it is one of the best music schools in Pennsylvania to be enrolled at.
2. University of Pennsylvania
Undergraduate, graduate, professional, and postdoctoral students are the main target audience for the educational services provided by the University of Pennsylvania.
The institute also provides training, research, and other services to sponsoring entities, principally departments and agencies of the US government, under grants, contracts, and other similar agreements.
To study music, it’s challenging to surpass the University of Pennsylvania because of its low student policy and low acceptance rate.
UPenn is a private, non-profit institution with a sizable student body that is situated in Philadelphia.
UPenn is a fantastic university overall, earning a Best Schools ranking of #13 out of 2,576 colleges nationally.
The University of Pennsylvania awarded 8 bachelor’s degrees in music during the 2019–2020 academic year.
Due to this, among all schools and universities that provide this degree, the school was ranked #381 in terms of popularity.
In comparison to the previous year, when 7 degrees were awarded, this represents an increase of 14%.
Two students from UPenn obtained their master’s in music in 2020. This places it as the country’s #271 most sought-after school for students seeking music master’s degrees.
Additionally, 6 students graduated with doctoral degrees in music in 2020, ranking the institution as the 61st most popular institution in the country for this group of students.
This is why it is one of the Best Music schools in Pennsylvania.
See also: Best Music Schools In Maryland | Cost, Requirements, & How To Apply
3. Carnegie Mellon University
Research and educational institutions are both found at Carnegie Mellon University.
The private, non-profit Carnegie Mellon University, which is situated in Pittsburgh, has a sizable student body.
Also, out of 2,576 institutions nationally, Carnegie Mellon is ranked #20 by Best Schools, making it among the top music schools in Pennsylvania.
In terms of music, Carnegie Mellon ranks among the top 10% in the nation. More specifically, Research shows it is placed at #41 out of 697 music institutions.
Additionally, Pennsylvania ranked this school fifth.
This illustrates why it is one of the top-ranked music schools in Pennsylvania.
4. West Chester University of Pennsylvania
In the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area of Pennsylvania, West Chester is a public university that is situated in West Goshen Township.
With 13,056 undergraduate students enrolled, it is a sizable college. The acceptance rate for West Chester is 86%. Popular majors include business, psychology, and merchandise and purchasing operations.
Also, alumni from the music department of West Chester earn an entry-level salary of $37,900, with a graduation rate of 75%.
In the most recent data year, WCUPA awarded this degree to around 92 music students.
West Chester University of Pennsylvania graduates with music degrees see an increase in salary of about $10,842 compared to other music majors.
This is a good reason to enroll in one of the best-ranked music schools in Pennsylvania.
5. Dickinson University
Every student with a passion for music should look at Dickinson College.
Besides being one of the top-ranked music schools in Pennsylvania, Dickinson is a private, non-profit institution with a small student body that is situated in the city of Carlisle.
Dickinson is a top-notch university overall, coming up at #77 out of 2,576 institutions countrywide in the Best Schools ranking.
Five bachelor’s degrees in music were awarded by Dickinson College during the 2019–2020 academic year.
Due to this, among all schools and institutions that provide this degree, the school was ranked #726 in terms of popularity. This represents a 25% increase from the previous year when 4 degrees were awarded.
6. Messiah University
If you want to pursue a degree in music, Messiah University is tough to beat as it is one of the best music schools in Pennsylvania.
In the Mechanicsburg neighborhood, there is a tiny, private, non-profit institution called Messiah.
In Pennsylvania, this university is ranked 37th overall out of 134 institutions.
At Messiah, roughly 55 music majors received a music degree in the most recent academic year.
The musical quality of Messiah is among the best in the nation. Furthermore, it is ranked 37th out of 697 institutions. Furthermore, Pennsylvania has it at #4.
See also: Best Music Schools In Ohio | Cost, Requirements, & How To Apply
7. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
The town of Slippery Rock is home to the medium-sized public university known as SRU.
SRU is a fantastic university overall, earning a Best Schools ranking of #409 out of 2,576 universities nationwide.
On the most recent research ranking of the top universities for music majors, SRU came in at number 92.
Also, this places the university’s bachelor’s program firmly in the top 15% of all colleges and institutions in the nation. In Pennsylvania, it is ranked #10.
This is why it is one of the best music schools in Pennsylvania
8. Lebanon Valley College
Lebanon Valley College is a private, non-profit university with a modest enrollment that is situated in the small community of Annville.
LVC is a top-tier university overall, earning a Best Schools ranking of #261 out of 2,576 institutions across the country.
In the most recent year, around 27 music students at LVC received this degree.
Compared to other music graduates, Lebanon Valley College alumni with music degrees earn an extra $5,042 on average.
These are good reasons why it is one of the best music schools in Pennsylvania.
9. Millersville University of Pennsylvania
A public institution with a medium-sized student body, Millersville is situated in the sizable suburb of Millersville.
In terms of overall quality, this university is ranked 45th out of 134 universities in Pennsylvania.
In the most recent year, about 38 music students at Millersville received degrees in music. The average music student receives $3,142 less than those who earn their degree from Millersville University of Pennsylvania.
The starting median salary for a graduate from this music school in Pennsylvania is $27,300
Also, according to research for the most current ranking of the top universities for music majors, Millersville came in at number 89.
As a result, the school’s bachelor’s program is among the top 15% of all colleges and universities in the nation.
Additionally, Pennsylvania ranked ninth.
10. Moravian University
The private, non-profit Moravian University is a small college with a small student body and is situated in the town of Bethlehem.
Moravian is a fantastic university overall, coming in at #377 out of 2,576 colleges nationwide according to Best Schools.
Moravian is in the top 10% of the country for music. More specifically it was ranked #51 out of 697 schools by recent data and research.
It is also ranked #7 among the music schools in Pennsylvania
How Much Do Musicians Make in Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania, musicians typically make $29.02 per hour. Typical hourly pay ranges from $10.23 to $85.59 per hour.
Professional musicians in PA make an average of $38248 per year. Most people earn between $22551 and $40592 annually.
See Also: Best Music Schools In Colorado | Cost, Requirements, & How To Apply
How do I become a musician in Pennsylvania?
To become a musician in Pennsylvania, you have to develop and motivate yourself because a career in Music can be very demanding, time-consuming, and takes a whole lot of practice.
The following are steps you can take to pursue a career as a musician:
- Decide what type of musician you want to be.
- Pick an instrument.
- Take music lessons.
- Practice regularly.
- Join a band.
- Record your music.
- Don’t give up on your music dream
Best Paying Music jobs in Pennsylvania with Salary?
A Director role in Music content earns between $62.7k- 79.3k per year.
A music counselor role gets paid an estimated $34.5k – $43.7k a year.
Musical Stage Director / Choreographer earns around $3,398 a month.
A Music Production Director gets paid an Estimated $43.7k -$55.7k a year.
Also, a music teacher in Pennsylvania earns between $52.1k – $65.9k.
The average annual salary for a professional musician in Pennsylvania as of August 28, 2022, is $38,248.
Frequently Asked Questions
The bachelor’s program at Penn State University Park was ranked #35 on College Factual’s Best Schools for music list. It is also ranked #3 in Pennsylvania.
The Penn State School of Music has a tradition of research excellence across a wide range of disciplines including music theory, musicology, music education, composition/technology, and performance.
The Pennsylvania State University admissions are more selective with an acceptance rate of 54% and an early acceptance rate of 67.9%. Also, half the applicants admitted to Penn State have an SAT score between 1150 and 1340 or an ACT score of 25 and 30.
Annual competitive auditions result in a membership ratio of between 15-18% music majors and 82-85% non-music majors within the 300-member band. Further information regarding the marching band can be found at Penn State Blue Band.
There are 4,634 institutions in higher education in the United States. Of these, 1,795 institutions have degree-granting music programs.
With a GPA of 3.58, Penn State requires you to be around average in your high school class.
In addition, you’ll need a mix of A’s and B’s, and very few C’s. If you have a lower GPA, you can compensate with harder courses like AP or IB classes.
Also, this will help boost your weighted GPA and show your ability to take college classes.
Conclusion
Several reputable music schools offer a wide variety of music classes, assignments, and coursework in Pennsylvania.
What’s left is for you to enroll in any of the top music schools in India to maximize your potential while learning music and building your music career.
Good luck!
References
- niche.com – Best Music Schools in Pennsylvania
- collegefactual.com – Most popular Music schools in Pennsylvania
- prepler.com – Best Colleges for music in Pennsylvania
- indeed.com – Musician Jobs and Salaries in Pennsylvania
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