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2023 Best Value Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts (Income $30-$48k)

441 Ranked Colleges
17,341 Degrees Awarded
$5,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Drama & Theater Arts is the 59th most popular major in the country with 17,341 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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.

This year’s “Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 441 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the drama and theater arts program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts (Income $30-$48k)

1
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Duke University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. Durham, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Duke, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Duke is $-927 for Theater students whose families make $30-$48k. The negative number means the student will receive more financial aid on average than it costs to attend the school.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Duke

2
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Out of the 441 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #2 spot on the list. Northwestern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 124 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our theater students whose families make $30-$48k list, Northwestern has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” ranking. It costs about $917 for Theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Northwestern University.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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.

Full Northwestern University Drama & Theater Arts Report

3
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Yale University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. Yale University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in New Haven, Connecticut. It awarded 17 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our theater students whose families make $30-$48k list, Yale has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Yale University is $3,083 for Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 Yale University

4

Out of the 441 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k 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 took the #16 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,699 for Theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Columbia University in the City of New York.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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%.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Columbia

5
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Dartmouth College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. This medium-sized school is located in Hanover, New Hampshire, and it awarded 8 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dartmouth, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dartmouth College is $8,718 for Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Dartmouth Drama & Theater Arts Report

6

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 72 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $5,670 for theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at U-M

7
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. University of Florida is a public institution located in Gainesville, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 68 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, UF is in the top on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for University of Florida is $2,857 for theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

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

8
Williams crest
Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts

Williams College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Williams College is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Williams also did well on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Williams is $5,480 for Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 more about Drama & Theater Arts at Williams College

9

With a ranking of #9, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school awarded 26 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison also took the #19 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $4,788 for Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at University of Wisconsin - Madison

10
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Brown is a fairly large school located in Providence, Rhode Island that handed out 22 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Brown also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list, coming in at #20. The yearly cost to attend Brown University is $2,842 for theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Brown University

11

Washington University in St Louis did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. WUSTL is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 13 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

WUSTL also claimed a top spot on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for WUSTL is $2,446 for theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full WUSTL Drama & Theater Arts Report

12
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school awarded 30 diplomas to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

Purdue excels when it comes to theater quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $5,853 for theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Purdue University - Main Campus

13
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Florida State is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 121 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Florida State also did well on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Florida State is $7,349 for Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Florida State University

14

University of California - Berkeley ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 41 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Berkeley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $9,999 for Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at University of California - Berkeley

15
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #15, University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Pennsylvania is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on this list, UPenn is in the top on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend University of Pennsylvania is $1,938 for theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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 more about Drama & Theater Arts at University of Pennsylvania

16

University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school awarded 57 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

UW Seattle also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list, coming in at #24. The yearly cost to attend UW Seattle is $6,399 for theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, 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 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

17

Indiana University - Bloomington ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Indiana University - Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 60 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

IU Bloomington excels when it comes to theater quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend IU Bloomington is $7,061 for Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full IU Bloomington Drama & Theater Arts Report

18

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #18. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public institution located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 26 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UNC Chapel Hill excels when it comes to theater quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $5,729 for theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at UNC Chapel Hill

19
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

Vanderbilt University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Vanderbilt is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 6 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, Vanderbilt is in the top on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Vanderbilt is $4,652 for theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Vanderbilt

20

University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s theater degrees to 87 students in 2020-2021.

UCLA also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list, coming in at #12. It costs about $9,891 for Theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UCLA.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at University of California - Los Angeles

21
Hunter crest
Hunter College
New York, New York

With a ranking of #21, Hunter College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Hunter College is a public institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 40 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Hunter is $2,135 for theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Full Hunter Drama & Theater Arts Report

22
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Emory is a fairly large school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 9 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Emory did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Emory is $8,976 for Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Emory University Drama & Theater Arts Report

23
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Tufts is a fairly large school located in Medford, Massachusetts that handed out 12 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Tufts also did well on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Tufts University is $7,987 for theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Tufts University

24
Vassar crest
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, New York

Vassar College landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Vassar College is a small school located in Poughkeepsie, New York that handed out 20 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Vassar also did well on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Vassar is $13,193 for Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 Vassar

25

California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. Cal State Fullerton is a large public school situated in Fullerton, California. It awarded 122 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Cal State Fullerton also did well on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Cal State Fullerton is $5,821 for Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at California State University - Fullerton

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
28
29
30
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
31
32
Brooklyn College crest
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, New York
33
34
35
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts
36
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana
37
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
38
39
39
Lafayette crest
Lafayette College
Easton, Pennsylvania
41
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
42
43
44
45
46
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Queens College
Queens, New York
47
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University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California
48
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50
Valencia College crest
Valencia College
Orlando, Florida

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51University of South Florida - Main CampusTampa, FL
52University of Nevada - Las VegasLas Vegas, NV
53California State University - NorthridgeNorthridge, CA
54The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyEdinburg, TX
55University of Central FloridaOrlando, FL
56California State University - San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CA
57The University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX
58Oakland UniversityRochester Hills, MI
59The University of West FloridaPensacola, FL
60University of North TexasDenton, TX
61University of Virginia - Main CampusCharlottesville, VA
62University of California - Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA
63Sinclair Community CollegeDayton, OH
64Austin Community College DistrictAustin, TX
65University of Minnesota - DuluthDuluth, MN
RankCollegeLocation
66California State University - Dominguez HillsCarson, CA
67University of ArizonaTucson, AZ

Notes and References

References

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