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Top Music Colleges in L.A.

Thinking of going to school for music? These are the best colleges with music programs in SoCal.

University of Southern California

Undergraduate and graduate music programs in everything from music business to performance.

University of California (Los Angeles)

Western classical music degrees in composition, performance, and music education are offered at UCLA.

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California Institute of the Arts

Undergraduate and graduate music programs in everything from performance to composition. California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) is a private art university located in Santa Clarita, California.

It offers undergraduate and graduate programs in Art, Critical Studies, Music, Dance, Film/Video, Theater and Writing for the Visual Arts. The tuition fees for the institute range from $50,000 to $60,000 per year. CalArts also offers financial aid and scholarships to help students cover their educational expenses.

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CalArts Review: “It felt like the main goal of CalArts was to push my imagination and curiosity. It gave me the chance to work with artists from multiple disciplines, even though I was in the music program. They focus heavily on academia and research. I was encouraged to lean into the academics of music rather than just a music “career.” I felt like I learned a lot about music composition and was able to bring those skills to the studio. I wanted a four year degree program that could also help set me up for success working in the music and entertainment business.”

Musicians Institute

Musicians Institute offers a full range of degrees and a wide variety of areas of concentration in the field of contemporary music.

Musicians Institute Review: ”It’s obvious the staff are passionate about music. And most of the other musicians I met there were eager to get started on their music careers. But the credits weren’t easily transferable and I did a lot of leg work to find a job after graduation.” 🎛️Should You Attend Musicians Institute in Los Angeles?

University of California (Irvine)

Undergraduate and graduate programs (MFAs) in performance and fine arts.

Los Angeles College of Music

Undergraduate and graduate programs in modern music performance and production.