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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts (Income $30-$48k) in the Middle Atlantic Region

102 Ranked Colleges
3,066 Degrees Awarded
$9,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor's in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 18,124 people earned their degree in drama and theater arts, making the major the 59th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, drama and theater arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $21,403 and had an average of $26,932 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Middle Atlantic region, there were 4,510 drama and theater arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $21,488 and $30,142 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,066 drama and theater arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,278 and $24,587 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 102 colleges that offer a degree in drama and theater arts. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great drama and theater arts programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the drama and theater arts program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The theater school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k”.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts (Income $30-$48k) in the Middle Atlantic Region

#1

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#8 in overall quality

Out of the 102 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pennsylvania landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 3 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.

UPenn also took the #8 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Pennsylvania is $4,833 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 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 UPenn

#2

Colgate University

Hamilton, New York
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Colgate University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Colgate is a small school located in Hamilton, New York that handed out 7 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Colgate did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $8,958 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Colgate.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, 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 94%.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Colgate University

#9 in overall quality

Out of the 102 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #3 spot on the list. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s theater degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Columbia, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $4,287 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Columbia University in the City of New York.

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 student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Columbia

#4

Hamilton College

Clinton, New York
#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Hamilton College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k. This small school is located in Clinton, New York, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Hamilton did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Hamilton College is $11,385 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The 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.

Full Hamilton Drama & Theater Arts Report

#5

Queens College

Queens, New York

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Queens College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Queens, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s theater degrees to 22 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for QC is $3,056 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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

#6

Hunter College

New York, New York

Hunter College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. Hunter College is a public institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $2,394 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Hunter.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Hunter

With a ranking of #7, New York City College of Technology did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. City Tech is a fairly large school located in Brooklyn, New York that handed out 38 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for City Tech is $4,390 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at New York City College of Technology

#8

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s theater degrees to 42 students in 2019-2020.

Carnegie Mellon also took the #1 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $13,782 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Carnegie Mellon University.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, 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.

Full Carnegie Mellon Drama & Theater Arts Report

#9

Brooklyn College

Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Brooklyn, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s theater degrees to 21 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Brooklyn College is $2,898 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 Brooklyn College

#10

The City College of New York

New York, New York

The City College of New York ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. CCNY is a fairly large public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 45 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $2,947 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend The City College of New York.

Full CCNY Drama & Theater Arts Report

#11

Lafayette College

Easton, Pennsylvania
#3 in overall quality

Lafayette College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. Lafayette College is a small school located in Easton, Pennsylvania that handed out 4 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Lafayette not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Lafayette College is $11,360 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, 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 87%. The 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.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Lafayette College

#12

Dickinson College

Carlisle, Pennsylvania
#5 in overall quality

Dickinson College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Carlisle, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s theater degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

Dickinson did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Dickinson College is $12,662 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 Dickinson

#13

Lehman College

Bronx, New York

Lehman College landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Lehman College is a public institution located in Bronx, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $3,289 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Lehman.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Lehman College

#14

University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, Maryland

University of Maryland - College Park did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in College Park, Maryland, this large public school handed out 44 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k list, UMCP has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMCP is $12,128 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at University of Maryland - College Park

#15

Vassar College

Poughkeepsie, New York

Vassar College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Vassar College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Poughkeepsie, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 32 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Vassar, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Vassar College is $6,080 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive 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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Vassar College

#16

Barnard College

New York, New York

Barnard College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Barnard College is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k list, Barnard has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $9,884 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Barnard College.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Barnard College

#17

College of Staten Island CUNY

Staten Island, New York

College of Staten Island CUNY ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. College of Staten Island CUNY is located in Staten Island, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend CSI is $5,436 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at College of Staten Island CUNY

#18

Towson University

Towson, Maryland

Towson University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Towson is a large school located in Towson, Maryland that handed out 40 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Towson also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #18. It costs about $12,632 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Towson University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low student loan default rate of 3.8% 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 more about Drama & Theater Arts at Towson

#19

SUNY Fredonia

Fredonia, New York

With a ranking of #19, SUNY Fredonia did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. SUNY Fredonia is a public institution located in Fredonia, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k list, SUNY Fredonia has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $11,935 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SUNY Fredonia.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at SUNY Fredonia

#20

St Mary's College of Maryland

St. Mary's City, Maryland

St Mary’s College of Maryland landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in St. Mary’s City, Maryland, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $12,323 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SMCM.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 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.

Full SMCM Drama & Theater Arts Report

#21

SUNY Oneonta

Oneonta, New York

SUNY Oneonta came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. SUNY Oneonta is a medium-sized public school situated in Oneonta, New York. It awarded 14 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

SUNY Oneonta also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for SUNY Oneonta is $13,705 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low 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%.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at SUNY Oneonta

#22

Skidmore College

Saratoga Springs, New York
#14 in overall quality

Skidmore College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Saratoga Springs, New York, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Skidmore, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Skidmore is $13,986 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low 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 Skidmore

New Jersey Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #23. New Jersey Institute of Technology is located in Newark, New Jersey and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for New Jersey Institute of Technology is $15,169 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at New Jersey Institute of Technology

#24

Montclair State University

Montclair, New Jersey

Montclair State University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Montclair State University is located in Montclair, New Jersey and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 71 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Montclair State University is $14,913 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.6% 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 Montclair State University

#25

Binghamton University

Vestal, New York
#17 in overall quality

Binghamton University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Vestal, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s theater degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Binghamton University, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Binghamton University is $15,226 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Binghamton University Drama & Theater Arts Report

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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