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2024 Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Virginia

11 Colleges in Virginia
455 Theater Degrees Awarded
$26,773 Avg Early-Career Salary
Drama & Theater Arts is above average in terms of popularity with it being the #59 most popular degree program in the country. As a result, there are many college that offer the degree, making your choice of school a hard one.

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 11 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Virginia ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 455 degrees in drama & theater arts to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Drama & Theater Arts School

Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Virginia Your choice of drama & theater arts school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. For our Best Overall Drama & Theater Arts School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Drama & Theater Arts Rankings by Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Theater
Bachelor's Degrees in Theater
Master's Degrees in Theater

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Virginia list, to help you choose the best school for you. If you'd like to restrict your choices to just one part of the country, you can filter this list by location.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

If you want to learn more about how we derive our rankings, see College Factual's Methodology.

Best Schools for Drama & Theater Arts in Virginia

If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the theater degrees they offer, see the list below.

10 Top Virginia Schools in Theater

1
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
12th Most Popular In VA

University of Virginia - Main Campus is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in drama & theater arts. Located in the small suburb of Charlottesville, University of Virginia is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #33 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means University of Virginia is a great university overall.

There were roughly 11 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at University of Virginia in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from University of Virginia - Main Campus

2
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
6th Most Popular In VA
31 Theater Degrees Awarded

It is difficult to beat Virginia Tech if you want to pursue a degree in drama & theater arts. Virginia Tech is a very large public school located in the small city of Blacksburg. A Best Colleges rank of #62 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Virginia Tech is a great school overall.

There were about 31 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Virginia Tech in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from Virginia Tech

3
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
69 Theater Degrees Awarded
20.3% Growth in Graduates

James Madison University is a good decision for students pursuing a degree in drama & theater arts. Located in the small city of Harrisonburg, JMU is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #169 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means JMU is a great university overall.

There were roughly 69 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at JMU in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the theater program state that they receive average early career wages of $22,508.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from James Madison University

4
Regent crest
Regent University
Virginia Beach, VA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
40 Theater Degrees Awarded
10.0% Growth in Graduates

It is hard to beat Regent University if you wish to pursue a degree in drama & theater arts. Located in the large city of Virginia Beach, Regent is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. This university ranks 20th out of 63 schools for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were approximately 40 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Regent in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the drama & theater arts program at Regent University earn $21,205 above the typical graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from Regent University

5
Shenandoah crest
Shenandoah University
Winchester, VA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
40 Theater Degrees Awarded
2.5% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Winchester, Shenandoah is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. This university ranks 9th out of 63 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were about 40 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Shenandoah in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the theater program make about $22,164 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from Shenandoah University

6
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
57 Theater Degrees Awarded
29.8% Growth in Graduates

VCU is a very large public university located in the midsize city of Richmond. A Best Colleges rank of #240 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means VCU is a great university overall.

There were roughly 57 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at VCU in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, theater degree recipients typically make around $22,092 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from Virginia Commonwealth University

7
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
36 Theater Degrees Awarded
22.2% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large suburb of Fairfax, GMU is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #117 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means GMU is a great university overall.

There were roughly 36 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at GMU in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the theater program state that they receive average early career wages of $25,883.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from George Mason University

8

Located in the city of Staunton, Mary Baldwin is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. This university ranks 36th out of 63 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were approximately 30 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Mary Baldwin in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the theater program earn an average of $22,345 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from Mary Baldwin University

9
Radford crest
Radford University
Radford, VA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
11th Most Popular In VA
$21,500 Median Student Debt

Located in the small suburb of Radford, Radford is a public university with a moderately-sized student population. This university ranks 23rd out of 63 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were roughly 13 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Radford in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from Radford University

10

Old Dominion is a very large public university located in the midsize city of Norfolk. This university ranks 14th out of 63 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were roughly 24 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Old Dominion in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the theater program make around $24,443 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from Old Dominion University

Best Drama & Theater Arts Colleges in the Southeast Region

Explore all the Best Drama & Theater Arts Colleges in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Georgia 287 453
Florida 282 656
North Carolina 279 498
Tennessee 269 203
South Carolina 248 175
Kentucky 244 181
Louisiana 242 168
Mississippi 234 64
Arkansas 234 97
Alabama 233 147
West Virginia 207 49

View All Rankings >

One of 10 majors within the Visual & Performing Arts area of study, Drama & Theater Arts has other similar majors worth exploring.

Theater Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Theater Arts 380
Musical Theater 27
Other Dramatic/Theatre Arts & Stagecraft 21
Acting 18
Theater Design & Technology 5
Playwriting & Screenwriting 3
Directing & Theatrical Production 1

View All Theater Concentrations >

Majors Similar to Theater

Related Major Annual Graduates
Design & Applied Arts 988
Fine & Studio Arts 769
Music 632
Film, Video & Photographic Arts 278
General Visual & Performing Arts 267
Other Visual Art 109
Dance 69
Arts & Media Management 37
Crafts, Folk Art & Artisanry 26

View All Theater Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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