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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts

1,097 Ranked Colleges
17,341 Degrees Awarded
$37,500 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Drama & Theater Arts is the 59th most popular major in the country with 17,341 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, drama and theater arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $23,190 and had an average of $23,522 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major” ranking looked at 1,097 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in drama and theater arts. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their drama and theater arts program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major”.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts is located in New York, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 143 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts

1
American Conservatory Theater crest
American Conservatory Theater
San Francisco, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend American Conservatory Theater. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major. American Conservatory Theater is a small school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 12 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full American Conservatory Theater Drama & Theater Arts Report

1
TOA crest
Theatre of Arts
Hollywood, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Theatre of Arts. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. Theatre of Arts is located in Hollywood, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Theatre of Arts

1

Out of the 1,097 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre landed the #1 spot on the list. Blue Lake, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major. Located in Los Angeles, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 159 diplomas to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles

6

American Academy of Dramatic Arts - New York came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking. This small school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 101 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full American Academy of Dramatic Arts - New York Drama & Theater Arts Report

7

KD Conservatory College of Film and Dramatic Arts came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking. Located in Dallas, Texas, this small private for-profit school handed out 31 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate 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.

Full KD Conservatory College of Film and Dramatic Arts Drama & Theater Arts Report

8

American Musical and Dramatic Academy landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking. New York, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 481 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at American Musical and Dramatic Academy

9

University of North Carolina School of the Arts ranked #9 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. UNCSA is a small school located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that handed out 91 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at UNCSA

10
Cornish College of the Arts crest
Cornish College of the Arts
Seattle, Washington

Cornish College of the Arts came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking. Cornish College of the Arts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a small population, and it awarded 45 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Cornish College of the Arts

11
MMC crest
Marymount Manhattan College
New York, New York

Marymount Manhattan College ranked #11 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. MMC is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 121 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate 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 Marymount Manhattan College

12
New York Film Academy crest
New York Film Academy
Burbank, California

New York Film Academy landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking. This small school is located in Burbank, California, and it awarded 228 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at New York Film Academy

13
CalArts crest
California Institute of the Arts
Valencia, California

California Institute of the Arts landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking. California Institute of the Arts is located in Valencia, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 73 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at California Institute of the Arts

14
UArts crest
The University of the Arts
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #14, The University of the Arts did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. UArts is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 81 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

The impressive undergraduate 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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UArts Drama & Theater Arts Report

15
Stephens crest
Stephens College
Columbia, Missouri

Stephens College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 32 diplomas to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Stephens College Drama & Theater Arts Report

16
Purchase College crest
Purchase College
Purchase, New York

Purchase College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking, coming in at #16. Purchase College is located in Purchase, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 151 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Purchase College

17
Columbia crest
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Columbia College Chicago ranked #17 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. Columbia is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 155 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Columbia College Chicago Drama & Theater Arts Report

18
Muhlenberg crest
Muhlenberg College
Allentown, Pennsylvania

Muhlenberg College landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking. Muhlenberg is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 71 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Muhlenberg

19
Millikin crest
Millikin University
Decatur, Illinois

Millikin University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking. Decatur, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 55 students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Millikin

20
Emerson crest
Emerson College
Boston, Massachusetts

Emerson College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 143 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Emerson College

21
Bennington crest
Bennington College
Bennington, Vermont

With a ranking of #21, Bennington College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. Bennington is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bennington, Vermont. The school has a small population, and it awarded 24 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Bennington College

22
Five Towns College crest
Five Towns College
Dix Hills, New York

Five Towns College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking, coming in at #22. Five Towns College is a small school located in Dix Hills, New York that handed out 11 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Five Towns College

23
Dean College crest
Dean College
Franklin, Massachusetts

Dean College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking. Dean College is a small school located in Franklin, Massachusetts that handed out 24 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Dean College

24
Manhattan School of Music crest
Manhattan School of Music
New York, New York

With a ranking of #24, Manhattan School of Music did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. New York, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Manhattan School of Music

25
Greensboro College crest
Greensboro College
Greensboro, North Carolina

With a ranking of #25, Greensboro College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. Greensboro College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Greensboro, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 18 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 Greensboro College

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
Catawba crest
Catawba College
Salisbury, North Carolina
27
Juilliard crest
The Juilliard School
New York, New York
28
Mary Baldwin crest
Mary Baldwin University
Staunton, Virginia
29
30
OCU crest
Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
31
Wagner crest
Wagner College
Staten Island, New York
32
Point Park crest
Point Park University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
33
34
35
36
UE crest
University of Evansville
Evansville, Indiana
37
WPU crest
William Peace University
Raleigh, North Carolina
38
Principia crest
Principia College
Elsah, Illinois
39
SUNY Fredonia crest
SUNY Fredonia
Fredonia, New York
40
North Central crest
North Central College
Naperville, Illinois
41
Hollins crest
Hollins University
Roanoke, Virginia
42
Ithaca crest
Ithaca College
Ithaca, New York
43
Visible Music College crest
Visible Music College
Memphis, Tennessee
44
Dillard University crest
Dillard University
New Orleans, Louisiana
45
Illinois Wesleyan crest
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, Illinois
46
Berklee College of Music crest
Berklee College of Music
Boston, Massachusetts
47
Loyola Marymount crest
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California
48
Academy of Art University crest
Academy of Art University
San Francisco, California
49
50
Chapman crest
Chapman University
Orange, California

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 University of Montevallo Montevallo, AL
52 Drew University Madison, NJ
53 LaGrange College Lagrange, GA
54 Lawrence University Appleton, WI
55 Calvary University Kansas City, MO
56 Western Connecticut State University Danbury, CT
57 Ouachita Baptist University Arkadelphia, AR
58 Pomona College Claremont, CA
59 Roosevelt University Chicago, IL
60 University of the Ozarks Clarksville, AR
61 Centenary College of Louisiana Shreveport, LA
61 Cornell College Mount Vernon, IA
63 Shenandoah University Winchester, VA
64 Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY
65 University of New Orleans New Orleans, LA
Rank College Location
66 Pace University - New York New York, NY
67 Hampshire College Amherst, MA
68 The New School New York, NY
69 University of Northern Colorado Greeley, CO
70 Sterling College Sterling, KS
71 Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
72 Young Harris College Young Harris, GA
73 Brevard College Brevard, NC
74 Southern Virginia University Buena Vista, VA
75 Florida Southern College Lakeland, FL
76 Berea College Berea, KY
77 DeSales University Center Valley, PA
78 Northern Oklahoma College Tonkawa, OK
79 Texas Lutheran University Seguin, TX
80 Elon University Elon, NC
81 Allegheny College Meadville, PA
82 The College of Idaho Caldwell, ID
83 New York University New York, NY
84 Westmont College Santa Barbara, CA
85 Sarah Lawrence College Bronxville, NY
85 Andrew College Cuthbert, GA
87 Birmingham Southern College Birmingham, AL
88 Knox College Galesburg, IL
89 Maharishi International University Fairfield, IA
90 Southwestern University Georgetown, TX
Rank College Location
91 Emory and Henry College Emory, VA
92 Winthrop University Rock Hill, SC
93 Ohio Wesleyan University Delaware, OH
94 Nazareth College Rochester, NY
95 Otterbein University Westerville, OH
96 Vanguard University of Southern California Costa Mesa, CA
97 FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
98 Morehouse College Atlanta, GA
99 Molloy College Rockville Centre, NY
100 Maryville College Maryville, TN
101 Mars Hill University Mars Hill, NC
101 Linfield University - McMinnville Campus McMinnville, OR
103 Rollins College Winter Park, FL
104 Eureka College Eureka, IL
105 Albright College Reading, PA
106 Kenyon College Gambier, OH
107 Spelman College Atlanta, GA
107 Saint Edward’s University Austin, TX
109 Western Texas College Snyder, TX
110 Whittier College Whittier, CA
111 Norfolk State University Norfolk, VA
112 Alabama State University Montgomery, AL
113 Reinhardt University Waleska, GA
114 University of Minnesota - Morris Morris, MN
115 Earlham College Richmond, IN
Rank College Location
116 Blackburn College Carlinville, IL
116 Lancaster Bible College Lancaster, PA
118 Brenau University Gainesville, GA
118 Oglethorpe University Atlanta, GA
120 Susquehanna University Selinsgrove, PA
121 Fairleigh Dickinson University - Florham Campus Madison, NJ
122 Converse College Spartanburg, SC
123 Asbury University Wilmore, KY
124 Drake University Des Moines, IA
125 SUNY New Paltz New Paltz, NY
126 Hamilton College Clinton, NY
127 Loyola University New Orleans New Orleans, LA
128 Kalamazoo College Kalamazoo, MI
129 Wesleyan University Middletown, CT
130 Eastern Connecticut State University Willimantic, CT
131 Bob Jones University Greenville, SC
132 Clark Atlanta University Atlanta, GA
132 Luther College Decorah, IA
134 Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY
135 Heidelberg University Tiffin, OH
136 St Mary’s College of Maryland St. Mary’s City, MD
137 Western Wyoming Community College Rock Springs, WY
138 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI
139 Regent University Virginia Beach, VA
140 Washington College Chestertown, MD
Rank College Location
141 Ohio Northern University Ada, OH
142 University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras San Juan, PR
143 Westminster College Utah Salt Lake City, UT
144 Barnard College New York, NY
145 Bethany Lutheran College Mankato, MN
146 Wofford College Spartanburg, SC
146 Salem State University Salem, MA
148 Flagler College - St Augustine Saint Augustine, FL
149 Grinnell College Grinnell, IA
150 Coker University Hartsville, SC
151 Bates College Lewiston, ME
152 St Olaf College Northfield, MN
153 Carthage College Kenosha, WI
154 Texas State University San Marcos, TX
155 Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma, WA
156 Anderson University Indiana Anderson, IN
157 Kansas Wesleyan University Salina, KS
158 Wesleyan College Macon, GA
159 Guilford College Greensboro, NC
160 Seton Hill University Greensburg, PA
161 Ripon College Ripon, WI
162 Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI
163 Northwestern State University of Louisiana Natchitoches, LA
164 Central College Pella, IA
164 Bard College at Simon’s Rock Great Barrington, MA
Rank College Location

Notes and References

References

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