Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Drama & Theater Arts

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts in California (With Aid)

5 Ranked Colleges
712 Degrees Awarded
$25,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Theater Schools for an Associate in California For Those Getting Aid

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Theater Schools for an Associate in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this 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 California, there were 3,227 drama and theater arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $20,531 and $31,651 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 712 drama and theater arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,451 and $19,634 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Theater Schools for an Associate in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 5 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.

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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Drama & Theater Arts Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Theater Schools for an Associate in California For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our 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 an Associate in California For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for california associate degree theater students with aid.

Top 5 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts in California (With Aid)

#1

Santa Rosa Junior College

Santa Rosa, California
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools for an Associate in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Santa Rosa Junior College landed the #1 spot on the list. SRJC is located in Santa Rosa, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 associates’s theater degrees to qualified students.

SRJC also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend Santa Rosa Junior College is $5,782 for california associate degree theater students with aid.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Santa Rosa Junior College

#2

Mt. San Antonio College

Walnut, California
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Mt. San Antonio College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Theater Schools for an Associate in California For Those Getting Aid. Mt. San Antonio College is a large school located in Walnut, California that handed out 6 associates’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Mt. SAC also took the #3 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Mt. San Antonio College is $1,729 for california associate degree theater students with aid.

Full Mt. San Antonio College Drama & Theater Arts Report

#3

Academy of Art University

San Francisco, California
#4 in overall quality

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools for an Associate in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Academy of Art University landed the #3 spot on the list. Academy of Art University is a private for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 7 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Academy of Art University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Academy of Art University is $34,145 for california associate degree theater students with aid.

Full Academy of Art University Drama & Theater Arts Report

#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Theater Schools for an Associate in California For Those Getting Aid. FIDM Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 associates’s theater degrees to qualified students.

FIDM Los Angeles also took the #1 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles is $41,505 for California Associate Degree Theater students with aid.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at FIDM Los Angeles

#5

New York Film Academy

Burbank, California
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools for an Associate in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, New York Film Academy landed the #5 spot on the list. New York Film Academy is a small private for-profit school situated in Burbank, California. It awarded 23 associates’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at New York Film Academy, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for New York Film Academy is $45,280 for california associate degree theater students with aid.

The low 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%. 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 full report on Drama & Theater Arts at New York Film Academy

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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.

Credits

Featured Theater Schools

Find Schools Near You