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2022 Best Value Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts (Income $75-$110k) in Illinois

23 Ranked Colleges
844 Degrees Awarded
$24,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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 Illinois, there were 844 drama and theater arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $21,300 and $27,875 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking looked at 23 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.

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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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 in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k”.

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. 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 in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

Top 23 Best Value Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts (Income $75-$110k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 118 ’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois theater students whose families make $75-$110k list, Northwestern has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $16,784 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

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

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Northwestern

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k. University of Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Chicago is $17,929 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full University of Chicago Drama & Theater Arts Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is located in Edwardsville, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

SIUE also took the #8 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $18,928 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend SIUE.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at SIUE

#4

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Eastern Illinois University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. EIU is located in Charleston, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

EIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Eastern Illinois University is $19,147 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at EIU

#5

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northern Illinois University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k. Northern Illinois University is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 24 ’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

NIU also took the #16 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend NIU is $21,425 for illinois theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Northern Illinois University

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 48 ’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $21,998 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 UIUC

#7

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois

Millikin University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Millikin University is a small school located in Decatur, Illinois that handed out 30 ’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois theater students whose families make $75-$110k list, Millikin has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Millikin is $23,486 for illinois theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

The impressive 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.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Millikin

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #8. SIUC is a fairly large school located in Carbondale, Illinois that handed out 14 ’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $20,698 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at SIUC

#9

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Normal, Illinois, this large public school awarded 78 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2019-2020.

Illinois State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Illinois State University is $25,379 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Illinois State University

University of Illinois at Chicago came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UIC is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 25 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois theater students whose families make $75-$110k list, UIC has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIC is $20,270 for illinois theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UIC Drama & Theater Arts Report

#11

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

Western Illinois University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Western Illinois University is a public institution located in Macomb, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 14 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Western Illinois University is $20,181 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at WIU

#12

North Park University

Chicago, Illinois

North Park University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #12. North Park University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

North Park also took the #17 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Park is $19,563 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

The impressive 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.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at North Park

#13

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois

Augustana College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #13. Augustana is located in Rock Island, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

Augustana did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $23,730 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Augustana College.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Augustana College

#14

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois

Elmhurst University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Elmhurst, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

Elmhurst not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Elmhurst is $23,604 for illinois theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.0% 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 Elmhurst

#15

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois

With a ranking of #15, Bradley University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Bradley is a private not-for-profit institution located in Peoria, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Bradley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Bradley is $28,169 for illinois theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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%.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Bradley University

#16

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois

Knox College landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Galesburg, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois theater students whose families make $75-$110k list, Knox has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Knox is $23,813 for illinois theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 4.8% 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%.

Full Knox Drama & Theater Arts Report

#17

North Central College

Naperville, Illinois

North Central College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #17. North Central is a small school located in Naperville, Illinois that handed out 15 ’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

North Central also took the #13 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $25,778 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend North Central.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full North Central College Drama & Theater Arts Report

#18

Roosevelt University

Chicago, Illinois

Roosevelt University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 59 ’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Roosevelt, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Roosevelt University is $23,695 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full Roosevelt Drama & Theater Arts Report

#19

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, Illinois

Lake Forest College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #19. Lake Forest, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

Lake Forest also took the #11 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lake Forest College is $30,189 for illinois theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Lake Forest Drama & Theater Arts Report

#20

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Columbia College Chicago landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Columbia is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 169 ’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Columbia is $33,864 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Columbia College Chicago

#21

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois

With a ranking of #21, Illinois Wesleyan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Illinois Wesleyan is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bloomington, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 25 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois Wesleyan, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Illinois Wesleyan University is $27,302 for illinois theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Illinois Wesleyan Drama & Theater Arts Report

#22

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. DePaul is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 90 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at DePaul, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for DePaul is $30,877 for illinois theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at DePaul

#23

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Loyola University Chicago landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Loyola University Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 27 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

Loyola Chicago also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for Loyola Chicago is $36,700 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The 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 Loyola University Chicago Drama & Theater Arts Report

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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