2027 Best Value Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Iowa

[Drama & Theater Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 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 Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in drama & theater arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Drama & Theater Arts Schools
Des Moines Area Community College tops our 2027 list of the best value drama & theater arts schools in Iowa. Located in the suburb of Ankeny, Des Moines Area Community College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,790, with out-of-state students paying around $6,690. Typical student debt for drama & theater arts graduates is $14,956. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from Des Moines Area Community College generally make around $43,121. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of Northern Iowa is a great value for students pursuing a degree in drama & theater arts, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,936 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $21,712. Typical student debt for drama & theater arts graduates is $24,875. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from University Of Northern Iowa generally make around $22,289. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in drama & theater arts will find it at Maharishi University Of Management, which ranked #3. Located in the town of Fairfield, Maharishi University Of Management is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,530. Early-career drama & theater arts graduates make about $32,294. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Iowa earned it the #4 place for drama & theater arts. University Of Iowa is a very large public school located in the city of Iowa City. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,283, compared with $33,371 for out-of-state students. Drama & Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $26,622 in student loans. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $22,225 early in their careers. Set against $26,622 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 84%.
Drake University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in drama & theater arts, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $51,960. Drama & Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $22,273 in student loans. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from Drake University generally make around $19,613. That is a strong return on a $22,273 median debt. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.