2026 Best Value Drama & Dance Education Schools in New York

[Drama & Dance Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/drama-and-dance-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for drama & dance education students.
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2026 Best Value Drama & Dance Education Schools in New York
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the drama & dance education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Drama & Dance Education Schools
Our analysis ranked Cuny Hunter College the best value for a degree in drama & dance education in New York. Cuny Hunter College is a very large public school located in the city of New York. Students from in state pay about $7,382 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $15,332. Typical student debt for drama & dance education graduates is $12,000. Soon after graduation, drama & dance education degree recipients from Cuny Hunter College generally make around $61,604. That is a strong return on a $12,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 54%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Cuny City College earned it the #2 place for drama & dance education. Cuny City College is a large public school located in the city of New York. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,340, compared with $15,290 for out-of-state students. Drama & Dance Education graduates carry a median of $13,389 in student loans. Early-career drama & dance education graduates make about $73,336. That is a strong return on a $13,389 median debt. Cuny City College admits about 60% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Suny College At Brockport earned it the #3 place for drama & dance education. Located in the town of Brockport, Suny College At Brockport is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,752, while out-of-state students pay about $15,822. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the drama & dance education program here. Soon after graduation, drama & dance education degree recipients from Suny College At Brockport generally make around $39,724. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Niagara University one of the best values for drama & dance education. Located in the suburb of Niagara University, Niagara University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $39,345. Drama & Dance Education graduates carry a median of $26,208 in student loans. Early-career drama & dance education graduates make about $45,836. Set against $26,208 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Niagara University admits about 87% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Adelphi University earned it the #5 place for drama & dance education. Located in the suburb of Garden City, Adelphi University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $48,775. Drama & Dance Education graduates carry a median of $25,972 in student loans. Early-career drama & dance education graduates make about $48,402. That is a strong return on a $25,972 median debt. Roughly 66% of applicants are accepted.
Hofstra University earned the #6 position for value in drama & dance education this year. Hofstra University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Hempstead. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $57,660. Typical student debt for drama & dance education graduates is $23,517. Early-career drama & dance education graduates make about $52,451. Set against $23,517 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
More Drama & Dance Education Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.