2027 Best Acting Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Acting degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best acting schools.
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Best Schools for Acting in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall acting education in the Great Lakes Region.
Top Schools in Acting
No school ranked higher than University Of Cincinnati Main Campus this year for acting. This very large public university is located in the city of Cincinnati. The six-year graduation rate is 74%. About 17 acting degrees were awarded at University Of Cincinnati Main Campus in the most recent year. Graduates of the acting program make about $25,070 in their early career. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus graduates carry a median of $25,980 in student loans.
Read more about the acting program at University Of Cincinnati Main Campus
Depaul University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in acting, landing the #2 spot this year. Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Roughly 68% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 43 acting degrees were awarded at Depaul University in the most recent year. Acting graduates of Depaul University earn a median of $23,592 early in their careers. Depaul University graduates carry a median of $26,348 in student loans.
Get the full acting details for Depaul University
Students looking for a strong acting program will find one at Ohio University Main Campus, which ranked #3. Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the town of Athens. Roughly 65% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 10 acting degrees were awarded at Ohio University Main Campus in the most recent year. Graduates of the acting program make about $19,286 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $22,750 to complete this degree.
Read more about the acting program at Ohio University Main Campus
Western Michigan University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best acting schools. Located in the city of Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University is a large public university. Western Michigan University graduates 58% of students within six years. There were roughly 18 acting students who graduated with this degree at Western Michigan University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, acting degree recipients from Western Michigan University generally make around $21,585. Students borrow a median of $26,950 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in acting from Western Michigan University
Columbia College Chicago is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in acting, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 52%. Columbia College Chicago awarded about 72 acting degrees in the most recent data year. Acting graduates of Columbia College Chicago earn a median of $17,929 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $26,977 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in acting from Columbia College Chicago
Baldwin Wallace College ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best acting schools. Baldwin Wallace College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Berea. Roughly 67% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 14 acting students who graduated with this degree at Baldwin Wallace College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the acting program make about $16,055 in their early career. Baldwin Wallace College graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
More information about a degree in acting from Baldwin Wallace College
Roosevelt University came in at #7 for acting this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Roosevelt University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 46% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 17 acting students who graduated with this degree at Roosevelt University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, acting degree recipients from Roosevelt University generally make around $21,001. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete this degree.
See the full acting program report for Roosevelt University
Wright State University Main Campus ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best acting schools. Set in the suburb of Dayton, Wright State University Main Campus is a large public institution. Roughly 42% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 24 acting students who graduated with this degree at Wright State University Main Campus in the most recent data year. Graduates of the acting program make about $18,666 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in acting from Wright State University Main Campus
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 8 schools evaluated.
- 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.
