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2023 Best Value Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts (Income $0-$30k) in the Middle Atlantic Region

91 Ranked Colleges
4,079 Degrees Awarded
$8,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region 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 Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2020-2021, 17,341 people earned their degree in drama and theater arts, making the major the 59th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, drama and theater arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $23,190 and had an average of $23,522 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Middle Atlantic region, there were 4,079 drama and theater arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $22,615 and $23,493 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 91 colleges that offered a degree in drama and theater arts. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent drama and theater arts programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the drama and theater arts program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts (Income $0-$30k) in the Middle Atlantic Region

1
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Out of the 91 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pennsylvania landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Pennsylvania is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 5 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

UPenn also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for University of Pennsylvania is $580 for middle atlantic region theater students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at University of Pennsylvania

2
Hunter crest
Hunter College
New York, New York

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Hunter College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Hunter College is a large public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 40 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $396 for middle atlantic region theater students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Hunter College.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Hunter Drama & Theater Arts Report

3
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Lafayette College
Easton, Pennsylvania

Out of the 91 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Lafayette College landed the #3 spot on the list. Lafayette College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Easton, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lafayette, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $11,728 for Middle Atlantic Region Theater students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Lafayette College.

The impressive undergraduate 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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Lafayette College

4

Out of the 91 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #4 spot on the list. Columbia University in the City of New York is a large private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 42 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Columbia also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $9,873 for middle atlantic region theater students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Columbia.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, 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 95%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Columbia University in the City of New York

5
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Carnegie Mellon University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 74 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Carnegie Mellon not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $16,456 for middle atlantic region theater students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Carnegie Mellon University.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Carnegie Mellon University

6

University of Maryland - College Park landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Maryland - College Park is a public institution located in College Park, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 48 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UMCP did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $6,067 for middle atlantic region theater students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMCP.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at University of Maryland - College Park

7

The City College of New York did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. This fairly large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 42 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend CCNY is $1,254 for Middle Atlantic Region Theater students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full The City College of New York Drama & Theater Arts Report

8
Brooklyn College crest
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Brooklyn, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s theater degrees to 42 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Brooklyn College is $1,547 for middle atlantic region theater students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 Drama & Theater Arts at Brooklyn College

9

New York City College of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. New York City College of Technology is a fairly large school located in Brooklyn, New York that handed out 32 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend New York City College of Technology is $2,908 for Middle Atlantic Region Theater students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at New York City College of Technology

10
Vassar crest
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, New York

Vassar College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Poughkeepsie, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.

Vassar also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $10,535 for Middle Atlantic Region Theater students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Vassar College.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Vassar

11
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Towson University
Towson, Maryland

With a ranking of #11, Towson University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Towson University is a large school located in Towson, Maryland that handed out 36 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Towson did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Towson University is $7,956 for middle atlantic region theater students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Towson University

12
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Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs, New York

Skidmore College landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Skidmore is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saratoga Springs, New York. It awarded 21 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Skidmore did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $10,780 for middle atlantic region theater students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Skidmore.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Skidmore

13
QC crest
Queens College
Queens, New York

With a ranking of #13, Queens College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Queens College is located in Queens, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 31 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Queens College is $1,344 for middle atlantic region theater students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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 Drama & Theater Arts at Queens College

14
Lehman crest
Lehman College
Bronx, New York

Lehman College landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Lehman College is a fairly large school located in Bronx, New York that handed out 7 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Lehman is $881 for Middle Atlantic Region Theater students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Lehman College

15
SUNY Fredonia crest
SUNY Fredonia
Fredonia, New York

With a ranking of #15, SUNY Fredonia did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. SUNY Fredonia is a small school located in Fredonia, New York that handed out 51 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

SUNY Fredonia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend SUNY Fredonia is $10,026 for Middle Atlantic Region Theater students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

Full SUNY Fredonia Drama & Theater Arts Report

16
LaGuardia crest
LaGuardia Community College
Long Island City, New York

LaGuardia Community College landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Long Island City, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s theater degrees to 26 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $6,878 for middle atlantic region theater students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend LaGuardia.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at LaGuardia

17
Purchase College crest
Purchase College
Purchase, New York

With a ranking of #17, Purchase College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Purchase College is located in Purchase, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 151 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our middle atlantic region theater students whose families make $0-$30k list, Purchase College has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $13,899 for middle atlantic region theater students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Purchase College.

Full Purchase College Drama & Theater Arts Report

18
SMCM crest
St Mary's College of Maryland
St. Mary's City, Maryland

With a ranking of #18, St Mary’s College of Maryland did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. SMCM is a public institution located in St. Mary’s City, Maryland. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend SMCM is $6,401 for middle atlantic region theater students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 Drama & Theater Arts at SMCM

19
Muhlenberg crest
Muhlenberg College
Allentown, Pennsylvania

Muhlenberg College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Muhlenberg College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 71 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Muhlenberg not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $18,000 for middle atlantic region theater students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Muhlenberg College.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Muhlenberg Drama & Theater Arts Report

20
University at Buffalo crest
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York

University at Buffalo did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. University at Buffalo is a public institution located in Buffalo, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 28 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $14,098 for middle atlantic region theater students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University at Buffalo.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University at Buffalo Drama & Theater Arts Report

21
Binghamton University crest
Binghamton University
Vestal, New York

With a ranking of #21, Binghamton University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Binghamton University is a public institution located in Vestal, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 18 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Binghamton University is $13,380 for middle atlantic region theater students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Binghamton University

22
Nassau Community College crest
Nassau Community College
Garden City, New York

Nassau Community College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #22. Nassau Community College is a public institution located in Garden City, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $2,197 for Middle Atlantic Region Theater students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Nassau Community College.

Full Nassau Community College Drama & Theater Arts Report

23
Syracuse crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York

Syracuse University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Syracuse, New York, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 58 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

Syracuse did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Syracuse University is $17,250 for Middle Atlantic Region Theater students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Syracuse

24

With a ranking of #24, University of Maryland - Baltimore County did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Baltimore, Maryland, this fairly large public school handed out 29 diplomas to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of Maryland - Baltimore County is $8,565 for Middle Atlantic Region Theater students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at UMBC

25
Montclair State crest
Montclair State University
Montclair, New Jersey

Montclair State University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Montclair State University is a public institution located in Montclair, New Jersey. The school has a large population, and it awarded 62 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Montclair State University is $12,133 for middle atlantic region theater students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad 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%.

Full Montclair State University Drama & Theater Arts Report

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