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2023 Best Value Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts (Income $48-$75k)

441 Ranked Colleges
17,341 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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.

For this year’s “Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 441 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.

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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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 $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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 Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts (Income $48-$75k)

1
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 124 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our theater students whose families make $48-$75k list, Northwestern has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,849 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northwestern University.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, 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 97%. The undergraduate 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.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Northwestern

2
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 #2 for the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k. Yale is a fairly large school located in New Haven, Connecticut that handed out 17 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Yale not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. It costs about $2,815 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Yale University.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%.

Full Yale University Drama & Theater Arts Report

3
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 #3 for the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k. Duke University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Durham, North Carolina. It awarded 5 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Duke also took the #6 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Duke is $7,160 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.

Full Duke Drama & Theater Arts Report

4

Out of the 441 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 42 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Columbia also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for Columbia University in the City of New York is $8,106 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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 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 Columbia Drama & Theater Arts Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 72 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

U-M also took the #8 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” ranking. It costs about $10,481 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at U-M

6
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire

Dartmouth College landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Dartmouth College is located in Hanover, New Hampshire and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

Dartmouth not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Dartmouth College is $12,172 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Dartmouth College Drama & Theater Arts Report

7
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UF is a public institution located in Gainesville, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 68 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UF 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 estimated yearly cost for UF is $8,394 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at UF

8

University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #8. UW Seattle is a public institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 57 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UW Seattle not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. It costs about $8,393 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

9
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #9, Vanderbilt University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Vanderbilt is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Nashville, Tennessee. It awarded 6 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Vanderbilt also did well 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 University is $7,694 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Vanderbilt University

10
Williams crest
Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts

Williams College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 8 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

Williams also claimed a top spot on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $5,576 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Williams.

The undergraduate 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Williams

11
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 $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. Purdue University - Main Campus is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 30 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on this list, Purdue is in the top 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 Purdue University - Main Campus is $8,450 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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%.

Full Purdue Drama & Theater Arts Report

12

University of California - Berkeley came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. 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 University of California - Berkeley is $13,423 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full University of California - Berkeley Drama & Theater Arts Report

13
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Florida State is a large public school situated in Tallahassee, Florida. It awarded 121 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Florida State excels when it comes to theater quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Florida State University is $11,506 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 Florida State

14
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Providence, Rhode Island is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 22 students in 2020-2021.

Brown also took the #20 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Brown is $10,219 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergraduate 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 Brown University

15

University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school handed out 87 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list. It costs about $12,644 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of California - Los Angeles.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of California - Los Angeles Drama & Theater Arts Report

16

With a ranking of #16, Washington University in St Louis did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 13 diplomas to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, WUSTL is in the top 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. It costs about $8,149 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend WUSTL.

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 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Washington University in St Louis

17

California State University - Fullerton ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Cal State Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 122 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

Cal State Fullerton excels when it comes to theater quality. 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 $9,017 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Cal State Fullerton

18
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

With a ranking of #18, University of Notre Dame did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Notre Dame is a fairly large school located in Notre Dame, Indiana that handed out 58 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Notre Dame also took the #2 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Notre Dame is $14,020 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 Notre Dame

19

University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school handed out 26 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our theater students whose families make $48-$75k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $10,364 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Drama & Theater Arts Report

20

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Chapel Hill, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s theater degrees to 26 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, UNC Chapel Hill 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 estimated yearly cost for UNC Chapel Hill is $11,619 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

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.

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

21
Hunter crest
Hunter College
New York, New York

Hunter College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #21. Hunter 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 yearly cost to attend Hunter is $6,908 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Hunter

22

University of California - Irvine ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. UC Irvine is a large school located in Irvine, California that handed out 129 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Irvine also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $13,275 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UC Irvine.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at UC Irvine

23

Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 60 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

IU Bloomington excels when it comes to theater quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend IU Bloomington is $12,369 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Indiana University - Bloomington

24

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 69 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities also claimed a top spot 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 estimated yearly cost for UMN Twin Cities is $12,911 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UMN Twin Cities Drama & Theater Arts Report

25
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #25. This fairly large school is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 74 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Carnegie Mellon also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend Carnegie Mellon is $21,526 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergraduate 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 undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, 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 full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Carnegie Mellon

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

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
31
Brooklyn College crest
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, New York
32
33
34
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts
35
36
Valencia College crest
Valencia College
Orlando, Florida
36
38
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California
39
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
40
41
42
Skidmore crest
Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs, New York
43
44
Oakland crest
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, Michigan
45
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
46
47
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia
48
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50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

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

RankCollegeLocation
51California State University - San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CA
52Texas State UniversitySan Marcos, TX
53Sinclair Community CollegeDayton, OH
54University of California - Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA
55California State University - NorthridgeNorthridge, CA
56Boston UniversityBoston, MA
57Lafayette CollegeEaston, PA
58University of South Florida - Main CampusTampa, FL
59Queens CollegeQueens, NY
60Vassar CollegePoughkeepsie, NY
61The University of West FloridaPensacola, FL
62Arizona State University - TempeTempe, AZ
63University of Missouri - ColumbiaColumbia, MO
64Emory UniversityAtlanta, GA
65University of ArizonaTucson, AZ
RankCollegeLocation
66St Mary’s College of MarylandSt. Mary’s City, MD
67LaGuardia Community CollegeLong Island City, NY

Notes and References

References

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