2026 Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools in New York

Playwriting & Screenwriting 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 9 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best playwriting & screenwriting schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools in New York

Best Schools for Playwriting & Screenwriting in New York

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 playwriting & screenwriting degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Playwriting & Screenwriting

1

New York University
New York, NY

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

109 Playwriting & Screenwriting Degrees Awarded

$32,829 Median Starting Salary

Our analysis ranked New York University the best school in the country for a degree in playwriting & screenwriting. Set in the city of New York, New York University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 88% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 109 playwriting & screenwriting degrees were awarded at New York University in the most recent year. Graduates of the playwriting & screenwriting program make about $32,829 in their early career. New York University graduates carry a median of $21,762 in student loans. Read more about the playwriting & screenwriting program at New York University

2

Suny At Purchase College
Purchase, NY

Associate's Degree Highest Degree Type

35 Playwriting & Screenwriting Degrees Awarded

$18,090 Median Starting Salary

Suny At Purchase College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best playwriting & screenwriting schools. Suny At Purchase College is a mid-sized public school located in the suburb of Purchase. Suny At Purchase College graduates 63% of students within six years. About 35 playwriting & screenwriting degrees were awarded at Suny At Purchase College in the most recent year. Students who receive their playwriting & screenwriting degree from Suny At Purchase College earn around $18,090 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $26,000. Get the full playwriting & screenwriting details for Suny At Purchase College

Notes and References

The ranking above is published 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 · 9 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.