Compare 244 Music-related PhD Programs in the US

Grad School Navigator tracks 244 Music-related PhD programs in the US across 59 universities. Most do not require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE); only 7% report it as a requirement. Published annual tuition ranges from $12,346 to $107,232. Start with the ranked programs below, then use Explorer to compare the details that matter to your shortlist.

Top Programs

Sorted by Grad School Navigator University Rank. Each row also shows QS, Times Higher Education, U.S. News, or Academic Ranking of World Universities positions when available.

1
Harvard University
Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology and Ethnomusicology
Application deadline
Jan 5
Annual tuition
$59,048
Program duration
72 months
2
Stanford University
Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition
Application deadline
Dec 8
Annual tuition
$63,540
Program duration
60 months
3
Princeton University
Doctor of Philosophy in Music Composition
Application deadline
Dec 30
Annual tuition
$65,936
Program duration
60 months
4
University of California, Berkeley
Doctor of Philosophy in Ethnomusicology
Application deadline
Dec 15
Annual tuition
$28,242
Program duration
84 months
5
Yale University
Doctor of Philosophy in Music History, Music Theory, and Ethnomusicology
Application deadline
Dec 15
Annual tuition
$50,900
Program duration
72 months
6
University of Pennsylvania
Doctor of Philosophy in Composition
Application deadline
Dec 1
Program duration
72 months
7
University of Chicago
Doctor of Philosophy in Music
Application deadline
Dec 2
Program duration
84 months
8
Columbia University
Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology
Application deadline
Dec 11
Annual tuition
$56,840
Program duration
72 months
9
Cornell University
Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology
Application deadline
Dec 1
Program duration
72 months
10
Johns Hopkins University
Doctor of Musical Arts Degree
Application deadline
Dec 1 +4
Annual tuition
$68,670
Program duration
24 months

Use detailed filters for tuition, deadlines, duration, admission requirements, and rankings in Programs Explorer. Compare programs and create your application shortlist.

Compare all 244 programs in Explorer

Popular Criteria

See programs that match these criteria.

No Graduate Record Examination required132 Lower annual tuition37 Application fee waived21

Complete Program List244 programs

The complete list of Music-related PhD Programs, ranked by their global university rank first.

First programs in this cohort
Rank	University	Program	Duration
#1	Harvard University	Doctor of Philosophy in Composition
#1	Harvard University	Doctor of Philosophy in Creative Practice and Critical Inquiry
#1	Harvard University	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology and Ethnomusicology	72 months
#1	Harvard University	PhD in Music Theory	72 months
#2	Stanford University	Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition	60 months
#2	Stanford University	Doctor of Philosophy in Computer-Based Music Theory and Acoustics	60 months
#2	Stanford University	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology	84 months
#4	Princeton University	Doctor of Philosophy in Music Composition	60 months
#4	Princeton University	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology	60 months
#6	University of California, Berkeley	Doctor of Philosophy in Composition	60 months
#6	University of California, Berkeley	Doctor of Philosophy in Ethnomusicology	84 months
#8	Yale University	Doctor of Musical Arts	60 months
#8	Yale University	Doctor of Philosophy in Music History, Music Theory, and Ethnomusicology	72 months
#10	University of Pennsylvania	Doctor of Philosophy in Composition	72 months
#10	University of Pennsylvania	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology, Theory and Ethnomusicology	60 months
#11	University of Chicago	Doctor of Philosophy in Music	84 months
#12	Columbia University	Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Composition	60 months
#12	Columbia University	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology	72 months
#13	Cornell University	Doctor of Philosophy in Composition	48 months
#13	Cornell University	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology	72 months
#16	Johns Hopkins University	Doctor of Musical Arts Degree	24 months
#17	University of California, Los Angeles	Doctor of Musical Arts (D.MA) \| Doctor of Philosophy
#17	University of California, Los Angeles	Doctor of Philosophy in Ethnomusicology
#17	University of California, Los Angeles	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology	72 months
#19	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	Doctor of Musical Arts in Collaborative Piano	36 months
#19	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition	36 months
#19	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting: Band & Wind Ensemble
#19	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting: Choral	36 months
#19	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting: Orchestral
#19	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance: Harpsichord	36 months
#19	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance: Organ	36 months
#19	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance: Piano	48 months
#19	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance: Piano Pedagogy And Performance	48 months
#19	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance: Sacred Music	36 months
#19	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance: Strings
#19	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance: Voice	36 months
#19	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance: Winds & Percussion	36 months
#19	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	Doctor of Philosophy in Composition & Music Theory	60 months
#19	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	Doctor of Philosophy in Ethnomusicology	60 months
#19	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	Doctor of Philosophy in Music Theory	60 months
#19	University of Michigan--Ann Arbor	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology	60 months
#22	Duke University	Doctor of Philosophy in Composition
#22	Duke University	Doctor of Philosophy in Ethnomusicology	84 months
#22	Duke University	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology	84 months
#23	Northwestern University	Doctor of Philosophy in Musical Arts	24 months
#23	Northwestern University	PhD in Music Theory and Cognition	60 months
#24	New York University	Doctor of Philosophy in Music Performance and Composition: Composers
#24	New York University	Doctor of Philosophy in Music Performance and Composition: Performers	72 months
#24	New York University	Doctor of Philosophy in Music Technology
#24	New York University	Doctor of Philosophy Program in Music	84 months
#25	University of Washington	Doctor of Musical Arts in Brass Performance	60 months
#25	University of Washington	Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting	60 months
#25	University of Washington	Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition	60 months
#25	University of Washington	Doctor of Musical Arts in Harp Performance	60 months
#25	University of Washington	Doctor of Musical Arts in Harpsichord Performance	60 months
#25	University of Washington	Doctor of Musical Arts in Instrumental Conducting
#25	University of Washington	Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ Performance	60 months
#25	University of Washington	Doctor of Musical Arts in Percussion Performance	60 months
#25	University of Washington	Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance	60 months
#25	University of Washington	Doctor of Musical Arts in String Performance	60 months
#25	University of Washington	Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice Performance	60 months
#25	University of Washington	Doctor of Musical Arts in Woodwind Performance	60 months
#25	University of Washington	Doctor of Philosophy in Ethnomusicology	60 months
#25	University of Washington	Doctor of Philosophy in Music Theory	60 months
#26	University of California San Diego	Doctor of Musical Arts in Music	60 months
#26	University of California San Diego	PhD in Composition	72 months
#26	University of California San Diego	PhD in Computer Music	60 months
#30	Brown University	Doctor of Philosophy in Ethnomusicology	60 months
#30	Brown University	Doctor of Philosophy in Music and Multimedia Composition	72 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Musical Arts in Brass, Woodwind and Percussion Performance	36 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Musical Arts in Collaborative Piano	36 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition	48 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting - Band and Wind	36 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting - Choral	36 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting - Orchestral	36 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Composition	48 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Performance	36 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Musical Arts in Music & Human Learning - Jazz Emphasis	36 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Musical Arts in Music & Human Learning - Piano Pedagogy Emphasis	36 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Musical Arts in Opera Coaching	36 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Musical Arts in Opera Performance	36 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ Performance	36 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance	36 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance with jazz emphasis	36 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Musical Arts in String Performance	36 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance	36 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance - Pedagogy Emphasis	36 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Philosophy in Ethnomusicology	60 months
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Philosophy in Music & Human Learning
#31	The University of Texas at Austin	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology	60 months
#33	Georgia Institute of Technology	Doctor of Philosophy in Music Technology
#35	University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology	96 months
#36	Washington University in St. Louis	Doctor of Philosophy in Music Theory
#36	Washington University in St. Louis	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology	72 months
#38	University of Wisconsin--Madison	Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Performance
#38	University of Wisconsin--Madison	Doctor of Philosophy in English with a specialization in Composition & Rhetoric	36 months
#38	University of Wisconsin--Madison	Doctor of Philosophy in Music	60 months
#39	Purdue University--West Lafayette	Doctor of Philosophy in English with a concentration in Rhetoric and Composition	60 months
#40	Pennsylvania State University--University Park	Doctor of Musical Arts degree, major in Piano Performance
#41	University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign	Doctor of Musical Arts

Show remaining 144 programs

Remaining programs in this cohort
Rank	University	Program	Duration
#41	University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology
#42	University of Southern California	Doctor of Musical Arts – Choral Music	72 months
#42	University of Southern California	Doctor of Musical Arts – Classical Guitar Performance	96 months
#42	University of Southern California	Doctor of Musical Arts – Composition	24 months
#42	University of Southern California	Doctor of Musical Arts – Early Music Performance
#42	University of Southern California	Doctor of Musical Arts – Jazz Studies Performance	72 months
#42	University of Southern California	Doctor of Musical Arts – Keyboard Collaborative Arts
#42	University of Southern California	Doctor of Musical Arts – Organ Performance
#42	University of Southern California	Doctor of Musical Arts – Sacred Music	96 months
#42	University of Southern California	Doctor of Musical Arts – Strings Performance
#42	University of Southern California	Doctor of Musical Arts – Studio Guitar Performance	24 months
#42	University of Southern California	Doctor of Musical Arts – Vocal Arts Performance
#42	University of Southern California	Doctor of Musical Arts – Winds and Percussion Performance	48 months
#42	University of Southern California	Doctor of Philosophy – Musicology
#55	University of Virginia	Doctor of Philosophy in Music
#59	University of California--Santa Barbara	Combined MA and PhD in Music Theory	72 months
#59	University of California--Santa Barbara	Combined MA and PhD in Musicology
#59	University of California--Santa Barbara	Combined Master of Music\|Doctor of Musical Arts (MM\|DMA) in Choral, Orchestral & Conducting Programs
#59	University of California--Santa Barbara	Combined Master of Music\|Doctor of Musical Arts (MM\|DMA) in Keyboard	60 months
#59	University of California--Santa Barbara	Combined Master of Music\|Doctor of Musical Arts (MM\|DMA) in Music 1
#59	University of California--Santa Barbara	Combined Master of Music\|Doctor of Musical Arts (MM\|DMA) in Strings
#59	University of California--Santa Barbara	Combined Master of Music\|Doctor of Musical Arts (MM\|DMA) in Voice	60 months
#59	University of California--Santa Barbara	Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Choral, Orchestral & Conducting Programs	60 months
#59	University of California--Santa Barbara	Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Keyboard	60 months
#59	University of California--Santa Barbara	Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Music 1
#59	University of California--Santa Barbara	Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Strings	60 months
#59	University of California--Santa Barbara	Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Voice	36 months
#59	University of California--Santa Barbara	Doctor of Philosophy in Composition
#59	University of California--Santa Barbara	Doctor of Philosophy in Ethnomusicology	96 months
#59	University of California--Santa Barbara	Doctor of Philosophy in Music Theory	72 months
#59	University of California--Santa Barbara	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology	72 months
#61	University of Rochester	Doctor of Musical Arts with a major in Composition	48 months
#61	University of Rochester	Doctor of Musical Arts with a major in Conducting (Choral, Orchestral, or Wind Ensemble)	42 months
#61	University of Rochester	Doctor of Musical Arts with a Major in Early Music (Emphasis in Historical Plucked Instruments)	42 months
#61	University of Rochester	Doctor of Musical Arts with a Major in Music Educaion	42 months
#61	University of Rochester	Doctor of Musical Arts with a Major in Piano Accompanying and Chamber Music	42 months
#61	University of Rochester	Doctor of Philosophy with a Major in Composition	84 months
#61	University of Rochester	Doctor of Philosophy with a Major in Musicology
#62	University of California, Davis	Doctor of Philosophy in Composition and Theory	60 months
#62	University of California, Davis	Doctor of Philosophy in Ethnomusicology	72 months
#62	University of California, Davis	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology	60 months
#64	University of Maryland, College Park	Doctor of Musical Arts
#64	University of Maryland, College Park	Doctor of Philosophy in Ethnomusicology\|Musicology\|Music Theory\|Music Education	24 months
#65	University of California--Irvine	Doctor of Philosophy in Integrated Composition, Improvisation, and Technology	48 months
#72	University of Minnesota--Twin Cities	Doctor of Musical Arts (Collaborative Piano & Coaching)
#72	University of Minnesota--Twin Cities	Doctor of Musical Arts (Conducting)
#72	University of Minnesota--Twin Cities	Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance
#72	University of Minnesota--Twin Cities	Doctor of Philosophy in Music (Composition)
#75	University of Pittsburgh	Doctor of Philosophy in Music
#77	University of Notre Dame	Doctor of Musical Arts Program in Choral Conducting or Organ
#84	University of Massachusetts--Amherst	Doctor of Philosophy in Music
#85	Boston University	Doctor of Musical Arts in Collaborative Piano	84 months
#85	Boston University	Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition
#85	Boston University	Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting	84 months
#85	Boston University	Doctor of Musical Arts in Historical Performance
#85	Boston University	Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance	84 months
#85	Boston University	Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano	84 months
#85	Boston University	Doctor of Musical Arts in Strings
#85	Boston University	Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice
#85	Boston University	Doctor of Musical Arts in Woodwinds, Brass, & Percussion
#85	Boston University	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology
#95	Ohio State University--Columbus	Doctor of Musical Arts (Composition, Conducting, Performance)
#95	Ohio State University--Columbus	Doctor of Philosophy (Music Education, Music Theory, Musicology)
#96	University of Florida	Doctor of Philosophy in Composition, Theory and Technology
#96	University of Florida	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology and Ethnomusicology
#99	University of Georgia	Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition
#99	University of Georgia	Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting
#99	University of Georgia	Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance
#99	University of Georgia	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology\|Ethnomusicology
#119	University of California, Santa Cruz	Doctor of Musical Arts in Music
#119	University of California, Santa Cruz	Doctor of Philosophy in Music
#126	Indiana University--Bloomington	Doctor of Music in Choral Conducting
#126	Indiana University--Bloomington	Doctor of Music in Orchestral Conducting
#126	Indiana University--Bloomington	Doctor of Music in Percussion
#126	Indiana University--Bloomington	Doctor of Music in Performance
#126	Indiana University--Bloomington	Doctor of Music in Wind Conducting
#126	Indiana University--Bloomington	Doctor of Philosophy in Ethnomusicology	72 months
#126	Indiana University--Bloomington	Doctor of Philosophy in Music Theory
#126	Indiana University--Bloomington	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology
#126	Indiana University--Bloomington	Doctor of Philosophy in Voice
#134	University of Colorado Boulder	Doctor of Music Art
#134	University of Colorado Boulder	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology	72 months
#191	University of Connecticut	Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting	96 months
#191	University of Connecticut	Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance
#201–250	Case Western Reserve University	Doctor of Musice Art in Historical Performance Practice	48 months
#201–250	Case Western Reserve University	Doctor of Philosophy in Historical Musicology	60 months
#201–250	Case Western Reserve University	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology	60 months
#251–300	Stony Brook University--SUNY	Doctor of Music Arts in Performance
#251–300	Stony Brook University--SUNY	Doctor of Philosophy in Composition
#251–300	Stony Brook University--SUNY	Doctor of Philosophy in Ethnomusicology	72 months
#251–300	University of Miami	Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Instrumental Performance
#251–300	University of Miami	Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting
#251–300	University of Miami	Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition	36 months
#251–300	University of Miami	Doctor of Musical Arts in Instrumental Conducting	36 months
#251–300	University of Miami	Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Composition	36 months
#251–300	University of Miami	Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Instrumental Performance
#251–300	University of Miami	Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Vocal Performance
#251–300	University of Miami	Doctor of Musical Arts in Keyboard Performance and Pedagogy
#251–300	University of Miami	Doctor of Musical Arts in Multiple Woodwinds
#301–400	University at Buffalo--SUNY	Doctor of Philosophy in Composition	60 months
#301–400	University at Buffalo--SUNY	Doctor of Philosophy in Historical Musicology and Music Theory
#301–400	University of Iowa	Doctor of Musical Arts in Brass (D.MA)
#301–400	University of Iowa	Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ
#301–400	University of Iowa	Doctor of Musical Arts in Percussion
#301–400	University of Iowa	Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano
#301–400	University of Iowa	Doctor of Musical Arts in Strings
#301–400	University of Iowa	Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice
#301–400	University of Iowa	Doctor of Musical Arts in Woodwinds (D.MA)
#301–400	University of Iowa	Doctor of Musical Arts: Choral Conducting
#301–400	University of Iowa	Doctor of Musical Arts: Orchestral Conducting
#301–400	University of Iowa	Doctor of Musical Arts: Wind Conducting
#301–400	University of Iowa	Doctor of Philosophy in Composition
#301–400	University of Iowa	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology
#301–400	University of Iowa	Doctoral Studies in Music Therapy
#401–500	Florida State University	Doctor of Music in Composition
#401–500	Florida State University	Doctor of Music in Performance
#401–500	Florida State University	Doctor of Philosophy in Music	72 months
#401–500	Florida State University	Doctor of Philosophy in Music Theory
	Baylor University	Doctor of Musical Arts in Church Music
	Baylor University	Doctor of Philosophy in Church Music	48 months
	Brandeis University	Doctor of Philosophy in Music: Composition and Theory	24 months
	Brandeis University	Doctor of Philosophy in Music: Musicology	60 months
	Southern Methodist University	Doctor of Pastoral Music
	Syracuse University	Composition and Cultural Rhetoric Doctoral Program
	Texas Christian University	Doctor of Musical Arts degree
	Texas Christian University	Doctor of Philosophy in Rhetoric and Composition	60 months
	University of New Hampshire	Doctor of Philosophy in English with a specialization in Composition Studies
	University of Oklahoma	Doctor of Musical Arts in Brass
	University of Oklahoma	Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting
	University of Oklahoma	Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition
	University of Oklahoma	Doctor of Musical Arts in Instrumental Conducting - Orchestral
	University of Oklahoma	Doctor of Musical Arts in Instrumental Conducting - Wind Band
	University of Oklahoma	Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ
	University of Oklahoma	Doctor of Musical Arts in Percussion
	University of Oklahoma	Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and Pedagogy
	University of Oklahoma	Doctor of Musical Arts in Strings
	University of Oklahoma	Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice
	University of Oklahoma	Doctor of Musical Arts in Woodwinds
	University of Oregon	Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition
	University of Oregon	Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Performance
	University of Oregon	Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance
	University of Oregon	Doctor of Philosophy in Music Composition
	University of Oregon	Doctor of Philosophy in Music Theory
	University of Oregon	Doctor of Philosophy in Musicology	36 months

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Top Programs

Harvard University

Stanford University

Princeton University

University of California, Berkeley

Yale University

University of Pennsylvania

University of Chicago

Columbia University

Cornell University

Johns Hopkins University

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