2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts in Massachusetts
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts” ranking.
Drama & Theater Arts is the 59th most popular major in the country with 18,124 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. 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 Massachusetts, there were 555 drama and theater arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $21,700 and $23,300 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 485 drama and theater arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,887 and $24,387 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts” ranking, we looked at 22 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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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 a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts.
Top 22 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts in Massachusetts
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Westfield State University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. Westfield is located in Westfield, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.
Westfield not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $19,167 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree theater students per year to attend Westfield.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Massachusetts Amherst landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Massachusetts Amherst is located in Amherst, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 28 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.
UMass Amherst also took the #11 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMass Amherst is $22,501 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Theater students.
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 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Bridgewater State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts. Bridgewater State University is a public institution located in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Bridgewater State, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bridgewater State University is $18,457 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree theater students.
Full Bridgewater State University Drama & Theater Arts Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Salem State University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. Salem State University is a medium-sized school located in Salem, Massachusetts that handed out 36 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Salem State, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $18,399 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree theater students per year to attend Salem State University.
Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Salem State University
Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Massachusetts - Boston landed the #5 spot on the list. UMass Boston is a fairly large public school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 12 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
UMass Boston also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $18,340 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Theater students per year to attend UMass Boston.
Full University of Massachusetts - Boston Drama & Theater Arts Report
Gordon College landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. Gordon College is a small school located in Wenham, Massachusetts that handed out 6 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree theater students list, Gordon College has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Gordon College is $25,777 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree theater students.
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 student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Clark University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. Clark is located in Worcester, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.
Clark did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Clark University is $28,805 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Theater students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Suffolk University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree theater students list, Suffolk has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Suffolk University is $30,701 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Theater students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Williams College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. Williams College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It awarded 2 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
Williams not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Williams is $19,480 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree theater students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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.
Dean College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. This small school is located in Franklin, Massachusetts, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dean College, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dean College is $31,337 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree theater students.
Berklee College of Music landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. Berklee College of Music is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 53 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
Berklee College of Music did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $49,514 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Theater students per year to attend Berklee College of Music.
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 more about Drama & Theater Arts at Berklee College of Music
Emerson College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. Emerson College is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 119 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.
Emerson also took the #5 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Emerson is $45,365 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Theater students.
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%.
College of the Holy Cross landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. Worcester, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s theater degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree theater students list, Holy Cross has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for College of the Holy Cross is $37,292 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Theater students.
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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at College of the Holy Cross
With a ranking of #14, Mount Holyoke College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. Mt. Holyoke is a small private not-for-profit school situated in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It awarded 13 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
Mt. Holyoke also took the #10 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Mount Holyoke College is $27,149 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree theater students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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.
Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Mount Holyoke College
Wheaton College Massachusetts came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. This small school is located in Norton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
Wheaton College Massachusetts also took the #12 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Massachusetts is $26,809 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Theater students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Wheaton College Massachusetts Drama & Theater Arts Report
Northeastern University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. Northeastern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 3 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree theater students list, Northeastern has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northeastern University is $31,093 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree theater students.
The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Smith College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. Located in Northampton, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.
Smith also made our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend Smith College is $28,305 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree theater students.
The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 1.1% 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 ranking of #18, Brandeis University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. Brandeis University is a medium-sized school located in Waltham, Massachusetts that handed out 11 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Brandeis, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Brandeis is $31,165 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree theater students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 2.3% 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%.
Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Brandeis University
Boston University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking. This large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 57 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
Boston U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $30,259 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Theater students per year to attend Boston University.
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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. 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%.
Boston College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 11 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.
Boston College also took the #3 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $35,899 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree theater students per year to attend Boston College.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Wellesley College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. Wellesley College is located in Wellesley, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.
Wellesley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Wellesley is $22,087 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Theater students.
The impressive 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 excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%.
Tufts University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts list. Tufts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Medford, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Tufts also took the #2 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tufts is $30,744 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Theater students.
The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Tufts University
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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.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Donald Judge.
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