Best universities for music

University of Surrey comes top for music, with a median salary of £29.5k 15 months after graduating and 73% of graduates in professional jobs. Oxford University, University of Cambridge and Royal Academy of Music complete the top four.

109 unis ranked£25k typical early salary55% in graduate jobs

#1 for music100

University of Surrey

Satisfaction90%better than 83% of music unis
Stay on course98%better than 93% of music unis
Graduate jobs73%better than 80% of music unis
Early salary£29.5kbetter than 95% of music unis

Half of students who started had more than 149 UCAS points, counting all their qualifications

Ranked 2 to 5

2Oxford University8982% satisfied, £28k salary
3University of Cambridge8687% satisfied
4Royal Academy of Music8384% satisfied
5University of Glasgow8280% satisfied, £30.5k salary

Scores are out of 100 and relative to other unis offering music. Data: Discover Uni, September 2026.

Will my grades get me in?

Enter your predicted grades to see which music courses you’d meet the offer for, where you’re a good match and which are a stretch.

We use each university’s typical offer from its course pages. Where we couldn’t get it, we show an estimated offer (marked ~) worked out from courses whose students had similar grades, so always check the course page. Your grades stay on this device. Jump to the table

Best for…

Happiest studentsLondon Metropolitan University97%positive about their course
Highest early salaryUniversity of Glasgow£30.5kmedian, 15 months after graduating
Best for graduate jobsRoyal Academy of Music90%of working graduates in professional jobs
Best if you’re aiming below ABBUniversity of Gloucestershire66/100half of starters had under 102 UCAS points

Full music ranking

Tap a column to sort. Bars show where each uni sits between the lowest and highest for music. ^* Ranked on fewer than five measures because some data isn’t published. ~ estimate = we couldn’t get the university’s own offer, so it’s estimated from similar courses. Check the course page.

Find a university

Region Fits my grades Placement year Year abroad Foundation year

	University
1	University of Surrey7 courses	BBB+ others	100	90%	98%	73%	£29.5k	149
2	Oxford University1 course	AAA	89	82%	100%	80%	£28k	181
3	University of Cambridge^*1 course	A*AA	86	87%	98%	80%	–	217
4	Royal Academy of Music^*3 courses	~AAA–AABestimate	83	84%	95%	90%	–	158
5	University of Glasgow34 courses	ABB–BBB+ others	82	80%	93%	77%	£30.5k	222
6	University of Southampton4 courses	ABB–BBB	81	86%	98%	75%	£27k	158
7	University of Bristol3 courses	AAB	77	87%	95%	60%	£30k	165
8	Guildhall School of Music & Drama1 course	~AAA–AABestimate	75	80%	93%	90%	£26k	151
9	Durham University1 course	AAB	74	91%	95%	60%	£25k	184
10	Royal Conservatoire of Scotland^*6 courses	–	72	83%	93%	85%	–	168
11	University of Liverpool6 courses	ABB	72	92%	93%	66%	£23k	156
12	Royal Holloway, University of London16 courses	ABB–BBB+ others	71	92%	95%	53%	£25k	154
13	Performance Preparation Academy Limited^*1 course	64 UCAS points	70	92%	100%	–	–	144
14	Arts Educational Schools^*1 course	~AAA–AABestimate	69	91%	98%	–	–	157
15	University of Leeds8 courses	AAB+ others	67	82%	91%	63%	£29k	154
16	University of Gloucestershire5 courses	BBB–CCC	66	84%	88%	78%	£27k	102
17	University of Sheffield^*5 courses	AAB+ others	65	87%	100%	60%	–	161
18	University of Edinburgh2 courses	AAB–ABB	64	86%	90%	73%	£24k	194
19	City St George's, University of London^*3 courses	BBC+ others	64	89%	87%	75%	–	131
20	University of Manchester1 course	AAB	63	83%	81%	70%	£25.5k	190
21	Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance^*3 courses	~ABB–BBCestimate	60	79%	96%	90%	–	118
22	University of Birmingham^*2 courses	AAB	60	84%	95%	80%	–	147
23	Royal Northern College of Music2 courses	~ABB–BBCestimate	58	81%	94%	72%	£25k	112
24	Bath Spa University7 courses	BBB–BCC	58	87%	89%	58%	£26.5k	124
25	Queen's University Belfast5 courses	BBB	57	84%	92%	60%	£25k	154
26	University of York2 courses	AAB	56	87%	91%	47%	£27k	152
27	University of Hull^*6 courses	BBC	56	93%	95%	–	–	112
28	Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance1 course	64 UCAS points	56	83%	100%	65%	£24k	152
29	Bangor University12 courses	104–128 UCAS points	56	86%	79%	80%	£26.5k	116
30	University of Hertfordshire5 courses	BBB–BBC	56	86%	90%	65%	£25.5k	122
31	Liverpool Hope University19 courses	BBC	55	92%	82%	50%	£27k	116
32	Wilkes Academy Ltd^*1 course	96 UCAS points	55	83%	90%	–	–	161
33	University of Derby4 courses	CCC+ others	55	85%	80%	65%	£25.5k	144
34	University of Sussex^*2 courses	BBB	54	91%	100%	45%	–	134
35	University of Chichester^*6 courses	BCC	54	85%	90%	–	–	142
36	Royal College of Music^*1 course	~AAB–BBBestimate	53	85%	93%	–	–	128
37	UWE, Bristol2 courses	112 UCAS points	52	91%	91%	54%	£25.5k	118
38	Momentum Performing Arts Academy Ltd^*1 course	~AAA–AABestimate	52	83%	90%	–	–	155
39	Birmingham City University6 courses	BBC	51	87%	90%	55%	£25k	129
40	University of Chester4 courses	104 UCAS points	50	77%	94%	80%	£24k	126
41	Newcastle University^*2 courses	BBB	50	81%	87%	65%	–	146
42	Dancebox Studios & Theatre Works^*1 course	~AAA–AABestimate	49	86%	75%	–	–	155
43	Millennium Performing Arts Ltd.^*1 course	80 UCAS points	49	83%	85%	–	–	152
44	Nottingham Trent University7 courses	~ABB–BBCestimate	49	85%	72%	70%	£27k	121
45	Norwich University of the Arts1 course	BCC	48	90%	100%	45%	£25k	114
46	London Metropolitan University^*2 courses	BBC+ others	48	97%	55%	65%	–	123
47	Edinburgh Napier University^*1 course	BBC	48	84%	87%	–	–	181
48	Cardiff University6 courses	AAB–BBB+ others	47	81%	84%	60%	£25k	150
49	Futureworks1 course	104–120 UCAS points	46	93%	75%	50%	£25k	117
50	University of West London19 courses	112–128 UCAS points	45	84%	81%	56%	£27k	123
51	LIPA10 courses	96 UCAS points	44	74%	95%	70%	£25k	148
52	Middlesex University1 course	BBC	44	78%	85%	90%	£24k	107
53	University of Winchester3 courses	BBC–CCC+ others	43	86%	95%	55%	£22k	125
54	University of Huddersfield9 courses	BBB–BCC+ others	43	79%	92%	59%	£26k	120
55	Spirit Studios^*7 courses	~BBB–BBCestimate	43	91%	69%	–	–	107
56	Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts Ltd.^*1 course	64 UCAS points	42	77%	93%	–	–	152
57	Tec Partnership^*2 courses	64 UCAS points	42	86%	70%	60%	–	–
58	Leeds Arts University^*4 courses	~AAB–BBBestimate	41	90%	85%	35%	–	129
59	University of the Arts, London^*3 courses	104 UCAS points	41	76%	92%	–	–	146
60	Glasgow School of Art.1 course	–	41	87%	95%	51%	£25k	164
61	Ulster University^*6 courses	AAA+ others	41	79%	88%	75%	–	114
62	King's College London^*1 course	AAB	40	72%	85%	80%	–	144
63	University of Portsmouth4 courses	BBB–BCC+ others	40	88%	95%	45%	£22.5k	99
64	University of Plymouth2 courses	104 UCAS points	39	80%	90%	65%	£21k	136
65	Keele University^*7 courses	BBC+ others	38	88%	65%	–	–	127
66	Deep Blue Sound^*10 courses	96–112 UCAS points	38	82%	83%	–	–	119
67	Buckinghamshire New University9 courses	88–112 UCAS points	38	79%	90%	50%	£26k	108
68	University of the West of Scotland^*2 courses	CCD+ others	37	86%	81%	50%	–	154
69	Bournemouth University1 course	BBB–BCC	37	74%	95%	51%	£27k	125
70	Kingston University1 course	112–128 UCAS points	37	85%	80%	50%	£27k	96
71	University of Brighton^*1 course	ABB–BCC	36	85%	75%	45%	–	119
71	University of Aberdeen^*14 courses	BBC	36	82%	80%	50%	–	170
73	De Montfort University2 courses	BBC+ others	36	91%	65%	50%	£24k	109
74	Point Blank Music School^*21 courses	BBC	35	85%	73%	–	–	112
75	Southampton Solent University4 courses	104–120 UCAS points	34	91%	83%	37%	£24k	122
76	University of Westminster^*2 courses	CCC	34	77%	90%	–	–	119
77	York St John University3 courses	104 UCAS points	34	88%	82%	60%	£20k	116
78	University of East London2 courses	96 UCAS points	33	77%	65%	55%	£25k	160
79	Manchester Metropolitan University2 courses	BCC	32	93%	70%	53%	£23k	113
80	University of Salford5 courses	120 UCAS points	32	87%	83%	47%	£23k	128
81	SOAS University of London^*20 courses	BBB+ others	32	71%	85%	–	–	128
82	Liverpool John Moores University1 course	BBC	32	88%	75%	40%	£25k	109
83	South East London Teaching Partnership^*3 courses	CCC	32	78%	77%	70%	–	120
84	University of Lancashire3 courses	96 UCAS points	31	84%	90%	46%	£24k	130
85	International College of Musical Theatre - The ICMT^*1 course	–	30	80%	90%	–	–	61
86	Coventry University2 courses	BBB+ others	30	77%	77%	55%	£25k	119
87	Hereford College of Arts^*1 course	112 UCAS points	29	84%	100%	40%	£20k	–
88	WaterBear - The College of Music^*11 courses	104 UCAS points	29	75%	88%	–	–	127
89	University of South Wales/Prifysgol De Cymru^*3 courses	CCC	28	79%	–	55%	£22.5k	127
90	University of Sunderland1 course	96–112 UCAS points	28	95%	75%	35%	£24k	93
91	Falmouth University10 courses	64 UCAS points	27	89%	89%	40%	£20k	116
92	Canterbury Christ Church University4 courses	BBC	27	82%	78%	55%	£23k	116
93	University of Lincoln3 courses	BBC–BCC	25	80%	82%	49%	£24.5k	115
94	Chichester College Group^*3 courses	48 UCAS points	24	80%	80%	35%	–	–
95	Sheffield Hallam University1 course	BCC	24	61%	90%	55%	£25.5k	123
96	Leeds Beckett University^*3 courses	112 UCAS points	24	75%	82%	50%	–	122
97	Screen & Film School^*8 courses	80 UCAS points	23	78%	81%	–	–	103
98	University of the Highlands and Islands4 courses	–	22	91%	71%	65%	£18k	142
99	Edge Hill University2 courses	BBC–BCC+ others	22	84%	71%	50%	£22k	120
100	Leeds Conservatoire19 courses	96 UCAS points	22	79%	86%	53%	£23k	128
101	University of Staffordshire6 courses	CCC	21	85%	71%	53%	£24k	88
102	University for the Creative Arts2 courses	BBC	20	78%	85%	55%	£20k	123
103	Anglia Ruskin University3 courses	96–112 UCAS points	20	76%	80%	50%	£23k	91
104	University of Wales: Trinity Saint David1 course	88–104 UCAS points	19	84%	75%	25%	£24k	88
105	Institute of Contemporary Music Performance16 courses	80 UCAS points	19	78%	80%	48%	£28k	95
106	Brunel University of London4 courses	BBB–BCC	16	77%	58%	30%	£26k	108
107	University of Northampton4 courses	BBC	15	73%	77%	50%	£23k	80
108	ACM^*3 courses	~BBB–BBCestimate	2	72%	70%	–	–	105
109	London College of Contemporary Music (LCCM)^*7 courses	96 UCAS points	0	73%	61%	–	–	106

What music graduates earn

Typical (median) earnings for music graduates, across the universities we rank.

£25kAfter 15 months
£19.5kAfter 3 years
£24.5kAfter 5 years

Highest earnings five years after graduating

The 15-month figure comes from the Graduate Outcomes survey and covers graduates in full-time work. The 3 and 5-year figures come from tax records and include everyone in work, including part-time, so they can be lower than the 15-month figure. Pay also depends on where people live. Compare earnings across all subjects or see what you’d repay on your student loan.

What the measures mean

Student satisfaction: Average share of final-year students answering positively across the seven themes of the National Student Survey: teaching, learning opportunities, assessment, support, organisation, resources and student voice.
Stay on course: Share of students still studying or having qualified a year after starting. Lower numbers mean more people drop out.
Graduate-level jobs: Of graduates in work 15 months after finishing, the share in professional or managerial roles.
Salary after 15 months: Median salary of graduates in full-time work in the UK, 15 months after finishing.
Entry points (median): The middle UCAS tariff score of students who started: half had more, half had less. It counts all their qualifications (a fourth A-level, EPQ, AS levels, music grades and so on), so it usually sits above the published offer, especially at selective universities. It shows how competitive entry is. Always check the real offer on the university’s course page.

See exactly how the overall score is calculated

Not ranked yet

These offer music but don’t yet have enough published data to rank fairly, often because the course is new or small.

Bradford College, Calderdale College, Laine Theatre Arts Limited, London School of Theology, Morley College, West Lancashire College, West Suffolk College, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Limited, SAE Institute Ltd, Bridgend College, Novus, Christ the Redeemer College, LMA, Manchester Conservatoire of Creative and Performing Arts Limited