In compiling this year's Guide (our largest), we focused on quality and reputation, and paid little attention to school size. The result: the 2026-27 Guide runs the gamut from the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia (24 students) to Kunstuniversität Graz in Austria (2,200 students). While a school’s size doesn’t necessarily impact its quality, it can impact the breadth of options. Large university music programs will more likely offer, say, a double degree in violin performance and business. However, some of the smallest schools are tuition-free, and most schools in the Guide offers some training in the music business.

For the student of the arts, it seems the field is rich in options.

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DePaul University School of Music is a vibrant community of performers, educators, entrepreneurs, recording artists and sound engineers. Our world-renowned faculty perform with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and on leading jazz stages, while serving as dedicated mentors who support students’ growth as musicians, professionals, and individuals.

Indiana University Jacobs School of Music boasts more than 175 full-time faculty and 1,400 performances a year. Numerous dual degrees, double majors, and minors are offered; there are six on-campus musical research hubs. More than 70 degree programs are offered with a 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio; more than 30 ensembles are offered.

Manhattan School of Music takes full advantage of New York's abundant learning and performance opportunities, preparing highly talented students for careers as passionate performers and composers and to be imaginative, effective leaders in the arts. Our students thrive in a supportive atmosphere that encourages excellence, values individuals, and welcomes innovation.

At Mannes, students engage in mentorship-driven training and collaboration with the artists shaping 21st-century music—the best preparation for a career in today's industry. World-renowned ensembles-in-residence and award-winning faculty help shape students into professional artists through a program anchored in foundational excellence, interdisciplinary innovation, and marquee performing opportunities.

Outstanding faculty mentors, real-world career training, and Johns Hopkins' extensive academic and health and wellness resources make Peabody a destination for exceptionally talented student artists, all within Baltimore's unique and thriving artistic environment. Peabody's robust financial aid program meets 100% of demonstrated need without loans for domestic undergraduates.

Founded in 1991, the Reina Sofía School of Music is one of Europe's leading conservatoires for advanced performance training. Every student receives a full scholarship. With a 2:1 student-faculty ratio, training is genuinely personalized at every level. Students from more than 35 countries take part in close to 400 performances a year—recitals, chamber music, orchestral projects, and international tours—in the cultural heart of Madrid.

The Royal College of Music has been launching the careers of extraordinary musicians since 1883. Excellence drives everything we do, from our teaching and facilities to our unique student experience. Ranked the top institution for performing arts in the United Kingdom for 11 consecutive years (QS [Quacquarelli Symonds] World University Rankings 2016-2026). We welcome staff and students from all over the world bringing exceptional talent, creativity, and inspiration.

CCM provides life-changing experiences within a highly creative and multidisciplinary artistic environment. The college offers 10 degree types (BA, BFA, BM, MA, MFA, MM, MME, AD, DMA, PhD) in more than 100 possible majors, along with a graduate certificate in Music Pedagogy and minors in both Music and Media Production.

Internationally recognized, the Milan Conservatoire is Italy’s leading music school and the place where music becomes a profession. It is the only conservatoire in Italy to have a symphony orchestra, a big band, and professional, permanent ensembles specializing in electronic music, early music, and contemporary music.

The Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam, is an undergraduate-focused music school of about 450 students on a liberal arts campus. Crane students work with attentive overwhelmingly full-time faculty. Students at Crane can choose from a wide variety of programs and majors.

NFMC is the largest nonprofit organization in the United States promoting and supporting American music, performers and music education. As a grassroots organization working in communities throughout America, we provide musical opportunities for all ages: professional and amateur musicians, benefactors, volunteers, music lovers, music teachers, music students, and supportive parents.

The Department of Music at Northeastern is devoted to offering graduate and undergraduate majors, combined majors, and minors a cross-disciplinary approach to research and practice in music, underscored by real-world experiential learning and cutting-edge technology.

RCS is a global leader in performing arts education (QS World University Rankings 2026) and the only place in Europe where you can study all of the performing arts on one campus. You'll benefit from side-by-side opportunities with world-class orchestras and work with award-winning staff and internationally acclaimed visiting artists.

The Shepherd School of Music provides a one-of-a-kind experience to its students: a world-class conservatory training with the opportunities and resources of a leading research university, pairing artistic mastery with academic rigor and curiosity. In just over half a century, Shepherd has become one of America’s premier music schools, renowned for its focus on ensemble building.

The Tianjin Juilliard School uniquely focuses on collaborative musicianship. Our programs in Orchestral Studies, Chamber Music Studies, Collaborative Piano and Composition, reflect the best of educational standards, preparing students for a lifetime of creative expression, of engagement and growth as an individual, and as a musician.

The School's unique relationship as a part of the U-M, ranked as one the top universities in the U.S., provides students with a vast array of options and opportunities. All of our degrees require some academic coursework, most of which can be selected from any area of the University.

Walnut Hill's renowned faculty and exclusive partnerships with the New England Conservatory and the Parker Quartet provide unique opportunities to learn, perform, and connect with world-class professionals. Our students are prize winners in some of the most prestigious international competitions and go on to study at premier conservatories and universities around the world.