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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Acting (Income $0-$30k)

72 Ranked Colleges
1,128 Degrees Awarded
$11,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $0-$30k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Acting is the 319th most popular major in the country with 1,944 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,128 acting graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 72 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in acting. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great acting programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the acting program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Acting Schools

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Acting (Income $0-$30k)

#8 in overall quality

Out of the 72 schools in the Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is located in Seattle, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s acting degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW Seattle, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Acting Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $7,850 for bachelor’s degree acting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UW Seattle.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full University of Washington - Seattle Campus Acting Report

#2

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#10 in overall quality

Out of the 72 schools in the Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #2 spot on the list. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 5 bachelors’s acting degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree acting students whose families make $0-$30k list, Purdue has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Acting Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,483 for bachelor’s degree acting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Purdue University - Main Campus.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on Acting at Purdue University - Main Campus

#3

Towson University

Towson, Maryland
#11 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Towson University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Towson is a public institution located in Towson, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Towson not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Acting Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $9,206 for bachelor’s degree acting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Towson University.

The low student loan default rate of 3.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Acting at Towson University

#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas at Austin. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. The University of Texas at Austin is located in Austin, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s acting degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Austin, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Acting Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at Austin is $12,203 for Bachelor’s Degree Acting students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 2.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Acting at The University of Texas at Austin

#19 in overall quality

Out of the 72 schools in the Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Nevada - Las Vegas landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s acting degrees in 2019-2020.

UNLV also took the #19 spot in our “Best Acting Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UNLV is $9,378 for bachelor’s degree acting students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Acting at University of Nevada - Las Vegas

#6

SUNY Fredonia

Fredonia, New York
#12 in overall quality

SUNY Fredonia ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Fredonia, New York, this small public school awarded 7 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s acting students in 2019-2020.

SUNY Fredonia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Acting Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for SUNY Fredonia is $10,770 for bachelor’s degree acting students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Acting at SUNY Fredonia

#21 in overall quality

Brigham Young University - Provo did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. This large school is located in Provo, Utah, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s acting degrees in 2019-2020.

BYU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Acting Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $8,834 for Bachelor’s Degree Acting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Brigham Young University - Provo.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Acting at BYU

#8

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts
#3 in overall quality

Boston University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Boston University is a large school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 20 bachelors’s acting degrees in 2019-2020.

Boston U also made our “Best Acting Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend Boston U is $12,903 for Bachelor’s Degree Acting students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Acting at Boston University

With a ranking of #9, University of Maryland - Baltimore County did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Maryland - Baltimore County is a public institution located in Baltimore, Maryland. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Maryland - Baltimore County is $10,820 for Bachelor’s Degree Acting students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Acting at University of Maryland - Baltimore County

#10

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa
#25 in overall quality

University of Northern Iowa did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. University of Northern Iowa is a public institution located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UNI also made our “Best Acting Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #25. The estimated yearly cost for UNI is $10,757 for Bachelor’s Degree Acting students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UNI Acting Report

#11

Southern Oregon University

Ashland, Oregon

Southern Oregon University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Ashland, Oregon, this medium-sized public school handed out 1 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s acting students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Southern Oregon University is $7,293 for bachelor’s degree acting students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Acting at Southern Oregon University

#12

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Rochester Hills, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s acting degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Oakland University is $7,490 for Bachelor’s Degree Acting students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Oakland University Acting Report

#13

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#2 in overall quality

University of Southern California ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. USC is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 63 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree acting students whose families make $0-$30k list, USC has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Acting Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend USC is $14,668 for bachelor’s degree acting students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full USC Acting Report

#14

University of Connecticut

Storrs, Connecticut
#9 in overall quality

University of Connecticut ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Connecticut is located in Storrs, Connecticut and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s acting degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree acting students whose families make $0-$30k list, UCONN has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Acting Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Connecticut is $12,381 for Bachelor’s Degree Acting students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Acting at University of Connecticut

#15

Purchase College

Purchase, New York
#22 in overall quality

Purchase College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. This small school is located in Purchase, New York, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s acting degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Purchase College, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Acting Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Purchase College is $12,928 for Bachelor’s Degree Acting students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Purchase College Acting Report

With a ranking of #16, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. UIC is a large public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 9 bachelors’s acting degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UIC is $10,648 for Bachelor’s Degree Acting students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Acting at UIC

#13 in overall quality

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UC is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s acting degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree acting students whose families make $0-$30k list, UC has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Acting Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $15,078 for Bachelor’s Degree Acting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Cincinnati - Main Campus.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Acting at UC

#18

Central Washington University

Ellensburg, Washington

Central Washington University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. CWU is a fairly large public school situated in Ellensburg, Washington. It awarded 8 bachelors’s acting degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Central Washington University is $9,875 for bachelor’s degree acting students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Acting at Central Washington University

#19

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, Missouri

Lindenwood University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Lindenwood University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Charles, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Lindenwood University is $14,388 for Bachelor’s Degree Acting students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Acting at Lindenwood University

#20

Syracuse University

Syracuse, New York
#7 in overall quality

Syracuse University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Syracuse, New York, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 25 degrees to qualified bachelors’s acting students in 2019-2020.

Syracuse also took the #7 spot in our “Best Acting Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $17,164 for Bachelor’s Degree Acting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Syracuse University.

The low student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full Syracuse University Acting Report

#21

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Western Michigan University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Western Michigan University is a fairly large public school situated in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It awarded 10 bachelors’s acting degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,021 for bachelor’s degree acting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Western Michigan University.

Read full report on Acting at WMU

#22

Oklahoma City University

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Oklahoma City University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s acting degrees to 34 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Oklahoma City University is $17,214 for bachelor’s degree acting students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Oklahoma City University Acting Report

#23

Lycoming College

Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Lycoming College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 3 degrees to qualified bachelors’s acting students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,906 for Bachelor’s Degree Acting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Lycoming College.

Read full report on Acting at Lycoming College

#24

Salem State University

Salem, Massachusetts

Salem State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Salem State University is a medium-sized school located in Salem, Massachusetts that handed out 14 bachelors’s acting degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,593 for bachelor’s degree acting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Salem State.

Full Salem State Acting Report

Wright State University - Main Campus ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Acting Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Wright State University - Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Dayton, Ohio that handed out 16 bachelors’s acting degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Wright State University - Main Campus is $13,460 for Bachelor’s Degree Acting students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Wright State University - Main Campus Acting Report

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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