Match #1
Boston Architectural College
Boston, MA
Profile closeness42/100
Admit rate—
- 280 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Large
- Enrollment 280 students, close to 393
- Same Carnegie classification
The colleges most similar to The New England Conservatory of Music are Boston Architectural College, Longy School of Music of Bard College, and Manhattan School of Music. The New England Conservatory of Music admits 41% of applicants and has an average net price of $50,840 a year; 7 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 6 admit a larger share of applicants, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with The New England Conservatory of Music. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to The New England Conservatory of Music
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
Longy School of Music of Bard College
Cambridge, MA
Profile closeness36/100
Admit rate89%
- 10 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Midsize
- Same Carnegie classification
- Same control type (private nonprofit)
Match #3
Manhattan School of Music
New York, NY
Profile closeness89/100
Admit rate41%
- 539 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 77%, close to 74%
- Enrollment 539 students, close to 393
Match #4
New York School of Interior Design
New York, NY
Profile closeness78/100
Admit rate63%
- 427 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 67%, close to 74%
- Enrollment 427 students, close to 393
Match #5
The Juilliard School
New York, NY
Profile closeness67/100
Admit rate9%
- 468 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Large
- Enrollment 468 students, close to 393
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #6
Pratt Institute-Main
Brooklyn, NY
Profile closeness63/100
Admit rate73%
- 3,910 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 74%, close to 74%
- Average net price $48,876, close to $50,840
Match #7
American Musical and Dramatic Academy
New York, NY
Profile closeness62/100
Admit rate24%
- 1,438 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Large
- Same Carnegie classification
- Same control type (private nonprofit)
Match #8
Maine College of Art & Design
Portland, ME
Profile closeness61/100
Admit rate76%
- 415 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Small
- Enrollment 415 students, close to 393
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #9
Culinary Institute of America-New York
Hyde Park, NY
Profile closeness27/100
Admit rate91%
- 3,011 students
- Private nonprofit
- Suburb: Large
- Same Carnegie classification
- Same control type (private nonprofit)
Match #10
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
San Francisco, CA
Profile closeness76/100
Admit rate55%
- 226 students
- Private nonprofit
- City: Large
- Average net price $48,678, close to $50,840
- Same Carnegie classification
Questions about The New England Conservatory of Music alternatives
What colleges are similar to The New England Conservatory of Music?
The closest matches to The New England Conservatory of Music are Boston Architectural College, Longy School of Music of Bard College, Manhattan School of Music, New York School of Interior Design, and The Juilliard School. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is The New England Conservatory of Music hard to get into?
The New England Conservatory of Music admitted 41% of its 952 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is selective. 6 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which The New England Conservatory of Music alternatives cost less?
7 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than The New England Conservatory of Music ($50,840 a year), including Boston Architectural College ($30,907), Culinary Institute of America-New York ($34,731), and Maine College of Art & Design ($40,801). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
