by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 123 U.S. colleges awarded 1,217 degrees and certificates in Musical Theater. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 96% of graduates. College Factual ranks 42 schools in its 2027 Best Musical Theater Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $21,269 one year after completing, rising to $40,353 after four years.
Studying Musical Theater involves the study of Musical Theatre. A Program That Focuses On The Principles And Techniques For Integrating Theatre, Music, And Dance Into A Unified Production. Includes Instruction In Acting, Dance, Voice, Technical Theater, Musical Genres, Piano, And History Of Musical Theater.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., musical theater is a widely-pursued major, with 1,217 degrees awarded annually. 123 colleges award musical theater degrees, an average of 10 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 144.
By level, the 1,217 awards include 8 certificates, 19 associate degrees, 1,166 bachelor’s degrees and 24 master’s degrees.
Women earned 68% of musical theater degrees and certificates in the latest year (821 of 1,217). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (727) and Hispanic or Latino (154), and international students earned 65.
College Factual ranks 42 schools in its 2027 Best Musical Theater Schools ranking, including 42 for bachelor’s degrees. It also ranks musical theater schools within 22 states. In all, 123 colleges offer musical theater programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Musical Theater Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common musical theater credential is the bachelor’s degree: 1,166 of the 1,217 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to musical theater call most for Speaking, Active Listening and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of Fine Arts, English Language and Communications and Media, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension and Written Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a musical theater degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 8 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 19 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,166 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 24 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to musical theater, at 27.9%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 27.9% |
| Master’s degree | 22.9% |
| Doctoral degree | 13.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 12.7% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 5.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 5.5% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 5.3% |
| Some college courses | 3.7% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.0% |
| First professional degree | 0.8% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.7% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
10 occupations are related to Musical Theater, with an average median salary of $75,934; the strongest outlook belongs to Choreographers, at 14.8% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Dance Instructor, Elementary Art Instructor, Instructor and Associate Professor.
The occupation related to musical theater with the most projected jobs is Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,074,154.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,074,154 | 9.1% |
| Choreographers | 365,704 | 14.8% |
| Producers and Directors | 355,369 | -3.9% |
| Dancers | 244,405 | 0.9% |
| Music Directors and Composers | 180,947 | 6.4% |
| Talent Directors | 163,716 | -3.3% |
| Media Technical Directors/Managers | 136,436 | -2.6% |
| Media Programming Directors | 98,123 | 11.2% |
Musical Theater graduates earn a median $21,269 one year after completing their program, $40,353 after four years and $33,075 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $21,269 |
| 4 years | $40,353 |
| 5 years | $33,075 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to musical theater, with a median salary of $109,380.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Choreographers | $109,380 |
| Musicians and Singers | $96,571 |
| Media Programming Directors | $90,799 |
| Producers and Directors | $90,515 |
| Dancers | $74,180 |
| Talent Directors | $73,937 |
| Music Directors and Composers | $66,915 |
| Media Technical Directors/Managers | $65,049 |
Musical Theater has 10 similar majors in the Visual & Performing Arts field, which together award 15,111 degrees a year; the largest are Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General (10,369), Acting (1,721) and Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology (1,247). Browse all Visual & Performing Arts majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 10,369 |
| Acting | 1,721 |
| Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology | 1,247 |
| Playwriting and Screenwriting | 937 |
| Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other | 418 |
| Directing and Theatrical Production | 214 |
| Theatre and Dance | 99 |
| Theatre Literature, History and Criticism | 39 |
| Comedy Writing and Performance | 35 |
| Costume Design | 32 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
