2026 Best Acting Schools in the The Plains States Region

Acting programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.

College Factual analyzed 12 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best acting schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Acting Schools in the The Plains States Region

Best Schools for Acting in the The Plains States Region

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

Top Schools in Acting

1

University Of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA

11 Acting Degrees Awarded

$22,289 Median Starting Salary

University Of Northern Iowa is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in acting. This large public university is located in the city of Cedar Falls. University Of Northern Iowa graduates 68% of students within six years. About 11 acting degrees were awarded at University Of Northern Iowa in the most recent year. Acting graduates of University Of Northern Iowa earn a median of $22,289 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $24,875. Get the full acting details for University Of Northern Iowa

2

Webster University
Saint Louis, MO

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

13 Acting Degrees Awarded

$13,182 Median Starting Salary

Webster University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in acting, ranking #2. Located in the suburb of Saint Louis, Webster University is a large private not-for-profit university. About 64% of students finish within six years. Webster University awarded about 13 acting degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the acting program make about $13,182 in their early career. Webster University graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. See the full acting program report for Webster University

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 12 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.