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2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k

126 Ranked Colleges
2,761 Degrees Awarded
$8,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southeast 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 Southeast 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 Southeast region, there were 3,374 drama and theater arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $20,841 and $26,422 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,761 drama and theater arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,277 and $25,415 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 126 colleges that offer a degree in drama and theater arts. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality drama and theater arts programs that also have a lower cost than 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. 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 Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k”.

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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

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

The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 26 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region

#1

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina
#1 in overall quality

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 a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Duke University is a fairly large school located in Durham, North Carolina that handed out 5 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Duke not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Duke is $-1,314 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k. When an average net price is negative, it usually means that the student will receive more financial aid than it costs to attend the school.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive 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.

Full Duke University Drama & Theater Arts Report

#2

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, North Carolina
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Wake Forest University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k. This medium-sized school is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Wake Forest University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Wake Forest University is $5,981 for southeast region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low 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%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Wake Forest University

#3

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 126 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Vanderbilt University landed the #3 spot on the list. Nashville, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s theater degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Vanderbilt, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Vanderbilt is $6,017 for Southeast 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. 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 student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Vanderbilt University Drama & Theater Arts Report

#4

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Florida. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Florida is a large public school situated in Gainesville, Florida. It awarded 43 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

UF also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $4,069 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UF.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.0% 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 University of Florida

#5

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 36 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.

UNC Chapel Hill also took the #7 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $6,063 for southeast region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Drama & Theater Arts Report

#6

University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

University of North Carolina School of the Arts did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, this small public school awarded 94 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNCSA has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UNCSA is $8,472 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at University of North Carolina School of the Arts

#7

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia
#3 in overall quality

Emory University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Emory also took the #3 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Emory University is $9,629 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 Emory

#8

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. Florida State University is located in Tallahassee, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 69 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.

Florida State also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #9. It costs about $6,816 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Florida State.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, 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 Florida State

#9

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia
#12 in overall quality

William & Mary did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. Williamsburg, Virginia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s theater degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

William & Mary did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $4,963 for southeast region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend William & Mary.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at William & Mary

#10

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Virginia is a large public school situated in Charlottesville, Virginia. It awarded 11 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Virginia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus is $11,696 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at University of Virginia

Florida International University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. FIU is a public institution located in Miami, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Florida International University is $6,683 for southeast region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at FIU

#12

University of Central Florida

Orlando, Florida

University of Central Florida landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Orlando, Florida, and it awarded 80 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

UCF also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #21. The yearly cost to attend University of Central Florida is $7,847 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at UCF

University of South Florida - Main Campus came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Tampa, Florida. It awarded 35 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus is $5,616 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at University of South Florida - Main Campus

#14

Berea College

Berea, Kentucky

Berea College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Berea, Kentucky, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $5,296 for southeast region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Berea.

The low 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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 Berea

#15

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida

With a ranking of #15, The University of West Florida did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Pensacola, Florida 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.

It costs about $3,912 for southeast region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UWF.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at UWF

#16

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Virginia Tech is a public institution located in Blacksburg, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Virginia Tech also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $14,010 for southeast region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Virginia Tech.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Virginia Tech Drama & Theater Arts Report

#17

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, Kentucky

Northern Kentucky University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Highland Heights, Kentucky is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s theater degrees to 47 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for NKU is $6,295 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Northern Kentucky University Drama & Theater Arts Report

#18

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #18. University of Georgia is located in Athens, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 19 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k list, UGA has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Georgia is $10,241 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 University of Georgia Drama & Theater Arts Report

#19

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, North Carolina

University of North Carolina at Greensboro landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, this fairly large public school handed out 61 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.

UNC Greensboro did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $10,808 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UNC Greensboro.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at UNC Greensboro

#20

Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers, Florida

Florida Gulf Coast University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. FGCU is located in Fort Myers, Florida and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for FGCU is $8,748 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Florida Gulf Coast University

#21

University of North Georgia

Dahlonega, Georgia

University of North Georgia did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #21. University of North Georgia is a fairly large public school situated in Dahlonega, Georgia. It awarded 7 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UNG is $8,707 for southeast region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at University of North Georgia

#22

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, Florida

With a ranking of #22, Florida Atlantic University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Florida Atlantic University is located in Boca Raton, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 31 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for FAU is $7,331 for southeast region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

#23

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina

Appalachian State University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Appalachian State University is a public institution located in Boone, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,884 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Appalachian State.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.

Full Appalachian State University Drama & Theater Arts Report

#24

Tulane University of Louisiana

New Orleans, Louisiana
#18 in overall quality

Tulane University of Louisiana did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #24. Located in New Orleans, Louisiana, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 10 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.

Tulane did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Tulane is $24,632 for southeast region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 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.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Tulane

#25

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia

James Madison University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. JMU is a public institution located in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 55 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at JMU, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend JMU is $15,726 for southeast region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full JMU Drama & Theater Arts Report

#25

Murray State University

Murray, Kentucky

With a ranking of #25, Murray State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Murray State University is a public institution located in Murray, Kentucky. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,185 for southeast region bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Murray State.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Murray State

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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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