by our College Data Analytics Team
[Drama And Theater Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find where drama and theater arts graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send drama and theater arts graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked Northern Arizona University the top school for drama and theater arts graduate earnings in Arizona. Northern Arizona University is a public school located in the city of Flagstaff. Students who complete the drama and theater arts program here go on to a median salary of roughly $49,036.
Students chasing top earnings in drama and theater arts will find them at Arizona State University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a public institution. Early-career drama and theater arts graduates from Arizona State University make a median of around $33,590 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of Arizona earned it the #3 place for drama and theater arts. University Of Arizona is a public school located in the city of Tucson. Early-career drama and theater arts graduates from University Of Arizona make a median of around $29,220 per year.
A rank of #4 makes Grand Canyon University one of the highest-paying schools for drama and theater arts. Set in the city of Phoenix, Grand Canyon University is a private for-profit institution. After graduating, drama and theater arts degree recipients from Grand Canyon University typically earn about $30,913 annually.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries drama and theater arts graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 4 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.