2027 Best Value Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Arizona

[Drama & Theater Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong drama & theater arts education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for drama & theater arts students.
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2027 Best Value Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Arizona
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in drama & theater arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Drama & Theater Arts Schools
For return on investment in drama & theater arts, no school beat Mesa Community College this year. Mesa Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Mesa. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,358, while out-of-state students pay about $8,959. Students borrow a median of $13,750 to complete the drama & theater arts program here. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from Mesa Community College generally make around $54,730. Set against $13,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in drama & theater arts will find it at Scottsdale Community College, which ranked #2. Scottsdale Community College is a large public school located in the rural area of Scottsdale. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,358, compared with $8,959 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for drama & theater arts graduates is $13,084. Early-career drama & theater arts graduates make about $48,039. That is a strong return on a $13,084 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in drama & theater arts will find it at Northern Arizona University, which ranked #3. Northern Arizona University is a very large public school located in the city of Flagstaff. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,619, while out-of-state students pay about $20,044. Students borrow a median of $21,966 to complete the drama & theater arts program here. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from Northern Arizona University generally make around $23,043. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Northern Arizona University admits about 90% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Arizona State University one of the best values for drama & theater arts. Arizona State University is a very large public school located in the city of Tempe. In-state tuition and fees average $12,223, with out-of-state students paying around $33,139. Typical student debt for drama & theater arts graduates is $19,606. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from Arizona State University generally make around $25,301. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Arizona earned it the #5 place for drama & theater arts. Set in the city of Tucson, University Of Arizona is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,573, compared with $39,903 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for drama & theater arts graduates is $23,725. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from University Of Arizona generally make around $26,048. Set against $23,725 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Grand Canyon University earned the #6 position for value in drama & theater arts this year. Located in the city of Phoenix, Grand Canyon University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,508. Drama & Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Early-career drama & theater arts graduates make about $21,760. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Grand Canyon University admits about 79% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.