by our College Data Analytics TeamWe've pulled together some essential information you should know about the program, including how many students graduate each year, the ethnic diversity of these students, average starting salaries, and more. We've also included details on how Columbia ranks compared to other colleges offering a major in theater.
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Columbia was ranked #56 on College Factual's most recent list of the best schools for theater majors. This puts the bachelor's program at the school solidly in the top 15% of all colleges and universities in the country. It is also ranked #4 in Illinois.
During the 2020-2021 academic year, Columbia College Chicago handed out 148 bachelor's degrees in drama & theater arts. This is a decrease of 6% over the previous year when 157 degrees were handed out.
In 2021, 7 students received their master’s degree in theater from Columbia. This makes it the #73 most popular school for theater master’s degree candidates in the country.
Theater majors who earn their bachelor's degree from Columbia go on to jobs where they make a median salary of $20,854 a year. This is less than $21,886, which is the national median of all theater majors in the nation who earn bachelor's degrees.
While getting their bachelor's degree at Columbia, theater students borrow a median amount of $26,977 in student loans. This is higher than the the typical median of $25,000 for all theater majors across the country.
The typical student loan payment of a bachelor's degree student from the theater program at Columbia is $695 per month.
Take a look at the following statistics related to the make-up of the theater majors at Columbia College Chicago.
Of the 148 students who graduated with a Bachelor’s in theater from Columbia in 2021, 31% were men and 69% were women.
The majority of the students with this major are white. About 64% of 2021 graduates were in this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a bachelor's in theater.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 3 |
| Black or African American | 18 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 15 |
| White | 95 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 0 |
| Other Races | 17 |
Of the 7 theater students who graduated with a master's degree in 2020-2021 from Columbia, about 29% were men and 71% were women.
The majority of the students with this major are white. About 86% of 2021 graduates were in this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a master's in theater.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 0 |
| Black or African American | 0 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1 |
| White | 6 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 0 |
| Other Races | 0 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Design & Applied Arts | 271 |
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 234 |
| Arts & Media Management | 102 |
| Music | 71 |
| Fine & Studio Arts | 32 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
