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2023 Most Popular Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts

1,097 Ranked Colleges
17,341 Degrees Awarded
$38,500 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Theater Major

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended Theater Major” 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.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended Theater Major” ranking, we looked at 1,097 colleges that offer a degree in drama and theater arts. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular drama and theater arts programs in the United States.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Drama & Theater Arts Schools

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Theater Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Most Well Attended Theater Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for theater students.

1
NYU crest
New York University
New York, New York

Out of the 1,097 schools in the Most Well Attended Theater Major that were part of this year’s ranking, New York University landed the #1 spot on the list. New York University is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 453 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 New York University Drama & Theater Arts Report

2

Out of the 1,097 schools in the Most Well Attended Theater Major that were part of this year’s ranking, American Musical and Dramatic Academy landed the #2 spot on the list. American Musical and Dramatic Academy is a small school located in New York, New York that handed out 481 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

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. 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%.

Full American Musical and Dramatic Academy Drama & Theater Arts Report

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Savannah College of Art and Design. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Theater Major list. This fairly large school is located in Savannah, Georgia, and it awarded 187 ’s theater degrees 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 full report on Drama & Theater Arts at SCAD

4
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Southern California. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Theater Major list. USC is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 175 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, 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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full USC Drama & Theater Arts Report

5
New York Film Academy crest
New York Film Academy
Burbank, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend New York Film Academy. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Theater Major list. Located in Burbank, California, this small private for-profit school awarded 228 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

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 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 more about Drama & Theater Arts at New York Film Academy

6
Columbia crest
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Columbia College Chicago landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Theater Major ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 155 students in 2020-2021.

Full Columbia Drama & Theater Arts Report

7
Purchase College crest
Purchase College
Purchase, New York

Purchase College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Theater Major ranking. Purchase, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s theater degrees to 151 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Purchase College

8

American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Theater Major ranking. American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 159 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

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

9
Texas State crest
Texas State University
San Marcos, Texas

Texas State University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Theater Major ranking. Texas State is a public institution located in San Marcos, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 145 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Texas State Drama & Theater Arts Report

10
Emerson crest
Emerson College
Boston, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #10, Emerson College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Theater Major list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 143 diplomas to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Emerson

10

New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Theater Major ranking. 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

12

With a ranking of #12, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Theater Major list. UC Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 129 ’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 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - Irvine Drama & Theater Arts Report

13
Pace University crest
Pace University - New York
New York, New York

Pace University - New York came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Theater Major ranking. Pace University is located in New York, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 126 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

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%.

Full Pace University - New York Drama & Theater Arts Report

14
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Theater Major ranking, coming in at #14. Northwestern is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 124 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Northwestern

15

California State University - Fullerton ranked #15 on this year’s Most Well Attended Theater Major list. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school awarded 122 diplomas to qualified ’s theater 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full California State University - Fullerton Drama & Theater Arts Report

16
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Theater Major ranking. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this large public school awarded 121 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Florida State Drama & Theater Arts Report

16
MMC crest
Marymount Manhattan College
New York, New York

Marymount Manhattan College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Theater Major ranking. MMC is a small school located in New York, New York that handed out 121 ’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.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at MMC

18
Loyola Marymount crest
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #18, Loyola Marymount University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Theater Major list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 112 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Loyola Marymount University Drama & Theater Arts Report

19
Chapman crest
Chapman University
Orange, California

Chapman University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Theater Major ranking, coming in at #19. Orange, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 105 students 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%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Chapman University

20

The University of Texas at Austin ranked #20 on this year’s Most Well Attended Theater Major list. This large school is located in Austin, Texas, and it awarded 102 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%.

Full UT Austin Drama & Theater Arts Report

21
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Theater Major ranking. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 94 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at DePaul

22

University of Central Florida ranked #22 on this year’s Most Well Attended Theater Major list. UCF is a large public school situated in Orlando, Florida. It awarded 93 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at University of Central Florida

23

With a ranking of #23, University of North Carolina School of the Arts did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Theater Major list. UNCSA is a public institution located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 91 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at University of North Carolina School of the Arts

23

With a ranking of #23, University of Northern Colorado did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Theater Major list. This fairly large school is located in Greeley, Colorado, and it awarded 91 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at University of Northern Colorado

25
Temple crest
Temple University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Temple University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Theater Major ranking. Temple University is a public institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a large population, and it awarded 94 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Temple University

Rest of the Best 50 in Most Well Attended 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
27
28
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts
29
New School University crest
The New School
New York, New York
30
30
UArts crest
The University of the Arts
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
32
32
34
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
35
35
37
38
Muhlenberg crest
Muhlenberg College
Allentown, Pennsylvania
39
39
41
Ithaca crest
Ithaca College
Ithaca, New York
41
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia
41
44
45
Point Park crest
Point Park University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
45
Berklee College of Music crest
Berklee College of Music
Boston, Massachusetts
47
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California
47
Academy of Art University crest
Academy of Art University
San Francisco, California
47
NKU crest
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, Kentucky
47
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Well Attended Theater Major

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

RankCollegeLocation
51Montclair State UniversityMontclair, NJ
52University of California - San DiegoLa Jolla, CA
53Indiana University - BloomingtonBloomington, IN
53University of Nevada - Las VegasLas Vegas, NV
55Syracuse UniversitySyracuse, NY
55University of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, NC
55University of Notre DameNotre Dame, IN
58Oklahoma City UniversityOklahoma City, OK
58University of Washington - Seattle CampusSeattle, WA
58Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, VA
61San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, CA
62Millikin UniversityDecatur, IL
62University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusDenver, CO
62Full Sail UniversityWinter Park, FL
65University of HoustonHouston, TX
RankCollegeLocation
66Roosevelt UniversityChicago, IL
67Ohio University - Athens CampusAthens, OH
68Citrus CollegeGlendora, CA
68University of New OrleansNew Orleans, LA
68SUNY FredoniaFredonia, NY
68Kent State University at KentKent, OH
68Elon UniversityElon, NC
73Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN
73Webster UniversitySaint Louis, MO
75University of ArizonaTucson, AZ
76University of Maryland - College ParkCollege Park, MD
77Wayne State UniversityDetroit, MI
77Western Michigan UniversityKalamazoo, MI
79Wagner CollegeStaten Island, NY
79Cornish College of the ArtsSeattle, WA
81Rutgers University - New BrunswickNew Brunswick, NJ
81The University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL
81Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, TX
81SUNY New PaltzNew Paltz, NY
85University of IowaIowa City, IA
85Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb, IL
85University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, IL
85University of Oklahoma Norman CampusNorman, OK
89University of GeorgiaAthens, GA
89The City College of New YorkNew York, NY
RankCollegeLocation
89LIU PostBrookville, NY
89The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, TX
89Kennesaw State UniversityKennesaw, GA
89Brooklyn CollegeBrooklyn, NY
95Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing, MI
95Ohio State University - Main CampusColumbus, OH
95University of California - BerkeleyBerkeley, CA
95Missouri State University - SpringfieldSpringfield, MO
95Western Washington UniversityBellingham, WA
100Western Connecticut State UniversityDanbury, CT
100Hunter CollegeNew York, NY
100Shenandoah UniversityWinchester, VA
100Regent UniversityVirginia Beach, VA
100Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York, NY
100University of UtahSalt Lake City, UT
106University of Wisconsin - MilwaukeeMilwaukee, WI
106North Central CollegeNaperville, IL
106Baldwin Wallace UniversityBerea, OH
109University of Puerto Rico - Rio PiedrasSan Juan, PR
109West Virginia UniversityMorgantown, WV
109Hofstra UniversityHempstead, NY
112Sam Houston State UniversityHuntsville, TX
112California State University - Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA
114Towson UniversityTowson, MD
114George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA
RankCollegeLocation
114Eastern Michigan UniversityYpsilanti, MI
114University of California - Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA
114University of California - Santa CruzSanta Cruz, CA
114University of Wisconsin - Stevens PointStevens Point, WI
114Wright State University - Main CampusDayton, OH
114Florida International UniversityMiami, FL
122University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, CO
122University of Nebraska - LincolnLincoln, NE
122Baylor UniversityWaco, TX
122Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeBaton Rouge, LA
126California State Polytechnic University - PomonaPomona, CA
127Winthrop UniversityRock Hill, SC
127The University of MontanaMissoula, MT
129Stephens CollegeColumbia, MO
129Texas Christian UniversityFort Worth, TX
129University of ArkansasFayetteville, AR
129University of ConnecticutStorrs, CT
129Salem State UniversitySalem, MA
129New York City College of TechnologyBrooklyn, NY
129University of Southern MississippiHattiesburg, MS
136Queens CollegeQueens, NY
136Coastal Carolina UniversityConway, SC
136Virginia TechBlacksburg, VA
136Fordham UniversityBronx, NY
136KD Conservatory College of Film and Dramatic ArtsDallas, TX
RankCollegeLocation
136Northwestern State University of LouisianaNatchitoches, LA
136University of EvansvilleEvansville, IN
143Western Kentucky UniversityBowling Green, KY
143Moorpark CollegeMoorpark, CA
143Mary Baldwin UniversityStaunton, VA
143University of Missouri - Kansas CityKansas City, MO
147University of Maryland - Baltimore CountyBaltimore, MD
147Nebraska Wesleyan UniversityLincoln, NE
147Appalachian State UniversityBoone, NC
147Molloy CollegeRockville Centre, NY
147University of OregonEugene, OR
152University of South Florida - Main CampusTampa, FL
152Texas A&M University - CommerceCommerce, TX
152Drake UniversityDes Moines, IA
152University of KansasLawrence, KS
152Santa Monica CollegeSanta Monica, CA
152University at BuffaloBuffalo, NY
152California State University - SacramentoSacramento, CA
159George Washington UniversityWashington, DC
159University of MemphisMemphis, TN
159University of IdahoMoscow, ID
159University of North Carolina at WilmingtonWilmington, NC
159Stephen F Austin State UniversityNacogdoches, TX
159University of Illinois at ChicagoChicago, IL
159Florida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton, FL
RankCollegeLocation
159University of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotte, NC
159Kansas State UniversityManhattan, KS

Notes and References

References

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