2027 Best Value Drama & Theater Arts Schools in North Carolina

[Drama & Theater Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong drama & theater arts education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 10 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value drama & theater arts schools.
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2027 Best Value Drama & Theater Arts Schools in North Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the drama & theater arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Drama & Theater Arts Schools
University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill tops our 2027 list of the best value drama & theater arts schools in North Carolina. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public school located in the city of Chapel Hill. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,994, compared with $41,203 for out-of-state students. Drama & Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $15,613 in student loans. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill earn a median of $32,221 early in their careers. Set against $15,613 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill admits about 15% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in drama & theater arts will find it at University Of North Carolina At Greensboro, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Greensboro, University Of North Carolina At Greensboro is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,661, with out-of-state students paying around $24,012. Students borrow a median of $25,914 to complete the drama & theater arts program here. Early-career drama & theater arts graduates make about $18,154. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts one of the best values for drama & theater arts. University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts is a small public school located in the city of Winston Salem. In-state tuition and fees average $9,477, with out-of-state students paying around $27,211. Typical student debt for drama & theater arts graduates is $24,592. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts generally make around $24,420. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 30%.
A rank of #4 makes North Carolina A And T State University one of the best values for drama & theater arts. Located in the city of Greensboro, North Carolina A And T State University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,813, while out-of-state students pay about $20,673. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the drama & theater arts program here. Early-career drama & theater arts graduates make about $20,996. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. North Carolina A And T State University admits about 50% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Western Carolina University one of the best values for drama & theater arts. Located in the town of Cullowhee, Western Carolina University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,630, while out-of-state students pay about $8,630. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the drama & theater arts program here. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from Western Carolina University generally make around $21,824. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
University Of North Carolina At Charlotte placed #6 among the best values for drama & theater arts. University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public school located in the city of Charlotte. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,239, compared with $22,492 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the drama & theater arts program here. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Charlotte generally make around $18,052. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 80%.
East Carolina University ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value drama & theater arts schools. East Carolina University is a very large public school located in the city of Greenville. Students from in state pay about $7,361 in tuition and fees, compared with $23,638 for out-of-state students. Drama & Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of East Carolina University earn a median of $21,295 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Appalachian State University ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value drama & theater arts schools. Located in the town of Boone, Appalachian State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,579, compared with $25,212 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for drama & theater arts graduates is $24,755. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from Appalachian State University generally make around $20,256. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Appalachian State University admits about 90% of applicants.
University Of North Carolina At Wilmington earned the #9 position for value in drama & theater arts this year. University Of North Carolina At Wilmington is a very large public school located in the city of Wilmington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,277, with out-of-state students paying around $24,152. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the drama & theater arts program here. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of University Of North Carolina At Wilmington earn a median of $20,450 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. University Of North Carolina At Wilmington admits about 64% of applicants.
Elon University placed #10 among the best values for drama & theater arts. Set in the suburb of Elon, Elon University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $46,958 in tuition and fees. Drama & Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $21,619 in student loans. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from Elon University generally make around $24,345. Set against $21,619 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 66%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.