by our College Data Analytics Team
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2020-2021, 17,341 people earned their degree in drama and theater arts, making the major the 59th most popular in the United States. 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.
Across California, there were 3,040 drama and theater arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $24,344 and $18,964 respectively.
This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California” ranking analyzed 149 colleges that offered a degree 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.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in 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 in California list. Hollywood, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend American Conservatory Theater. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California list. San Francisco, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 12 students 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 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at American Conservatory Theater
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California. This small school is located in Blue Lake, California, and it awarded 5 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Dell’Arte International
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 159 students 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.
Full American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles Drama & Theater Arts Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend New York Film Academy. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California list. New York Film Academy is located in Burbank, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 228 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.
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. 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%.
Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at New York Film Academy
California Institute of the Arts ranked #6 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California list. Valencia, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 73 students in 2020-2021.
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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% 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%.
Full California Institute of the Arts Drama & Theater Arts Report
With a ranking of #7, Loyola Marymount University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California list. Loyola Marymount is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 112 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Loyola Marymount University
Academy of Art University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California ranking. This medium-sized school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 64 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% 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%.
Chapman University ranked #9 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California list. Chapman University is a medium-sized school located in Orange, California that handed out 105 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%.
Pomona College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 13 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Westmont College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California ranking. This small school is located in Santa Barbara, California, and it awarded 9 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%.
Vanguard University of Southern California ranked #12 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California list. Located in Costa Mesa, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 14 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% 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%.
FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this small private for-profit school handed out 21 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.
Whittier College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California ranking. Located in Whittier, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Occidental College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California ranking. Oxy is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 ’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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Pitzer College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California ranking, coming in at #16. Pitzer College is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 3 ’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 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
College of the Siskiyous came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California ranking. College of the Siskiyous is located in Weed, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.
Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at College of the Siskiyous
College of Marin landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California ranking. College of Marin is located in Kentfield, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.
With a ranking of #19, Mills College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California list. Mills College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Oakland, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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.
Citrus College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California ranking, coming in at #20. Citrus College is a medium-sized public school situated in Glendora, California. It awarded 58 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.
California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California ranking, coming in at #21. Fullerton, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s theater degrees to 122 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at California State University - Fullerton
University of California - Irvine landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California ranking. UC Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 129 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at University of California - Irvine
West Valley College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California list. Located in Saratoga, California, this medium-sized public school awarded 18 diplomas to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at West Valley College
University of Southern California landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California ranking. USC is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 175 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
Sonoma State University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major in California ranking. Rohnert Park, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s theater degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
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