According to Billboard

     Billboard’s selection process, which refrains from ranking the institutions, is based on a comprehensive evaluation that includes executive recommendations, alum feedback, information furnished by each school, and a decade’s worth of reporting on music business programs. Publishers said the decision not to rank the schools stems from Billboard’s acknowledgment of widespread criticism surrounding conventional college ranking practices. American University, also located in Northwest, D.C., secured its place on the list, emphasizing Washington’s significance in music education. […]