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2024 Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools

442 Colleges in the United States
17,341 Theater Degrees Awarded
$23,190 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you plan on majoring in drama & theater arts, you won't be alone since the degree program is ranked #59 in the country in terms of popularity. This means you won't have too much trouble finding schools that offer the degree.

College Factual reviewed 442 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of drama & theater arts. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 17,341 degrees in drama & theater arts during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Drama & Theater Arts School

Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools The theater program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Drama & Theater Arts rankings. We derive our Best Overall Drama & Theater Arts School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Pick Your Drama & Theater Arts Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Theater
Bachelor's Degrees in Theater
Master's Degrees in Theater
Doctor's Degrees in Theater

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools list, to help you choose the best school for you. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.

In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.

Best Schools for Drama & Theater Arts in the United States

The schools below may not offer all types of theater degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Schools in Theater

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
124 Theater Degrees Awarded
4.8% Growth in Graduates

Every student pursuing a degree in drama & theater arts has to take a look at Northwestern University. Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Evanston. A Best Colleges rank of #5 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Northwestern is a great university overall.

There were approximately 124 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the theater program make an average of $23,935 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from Northwestern University

2
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
175 Theater Degrees Awarded
$29,827 Median Starting Salary

It's hard to beat University of Southern California if you want to pursue a degree in drama & theater arts. USC is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #11 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means USC is a great university overall.

There were approximately 175 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year. Those drama & theater arts students who get their degree from University of Southern California make $6,637 more than the typical theater student.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from University of Southern California

3
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
58 Theater Degrees Awarded
$41,882 Median Starting Salary

University of Notre Dame is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in drama & theater arts. Located in the large suburb of Notre Dame, Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #20 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Notre Dame is a great university overall.

There were approximately 58 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Notre Dame in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the drama & theater arts program at University of Notre Dame get $18,692 above the standard college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from University of Notre Dame

4
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, CT
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
$33,280 Median Starting Salary

Yale University is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in drama & theater arts. Located in the midsize city of New Haven, Yale is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #8 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Yale is a great university overall.

There were about 17 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Yale in the most recent data year. Drama & Theater Arts degree recipients from Yale University get an earnings boost of around $10,090 over the average income of drama & theater arts majors.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from Yale University

5
NYU crest
New York University
New York, NY
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
453 Theater Degrees Awarded
$35,744 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of New York, NYU is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. This university ranks 4th out of 142 schools for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were roughly 452.99999999999994 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at NYU in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the drama & theater arts degree program at New York University get $12,553 above the standard college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from New York University

6
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
74 Theater Degrees Awarded
10.8% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #9 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Carnegie Mellon is a great university overall.

There were roughly 74 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Carnegie Mellon in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the drama & theater arts degree program at Carnegie Mellon University get $3,804 above the average college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from Carnegie Mellon University

7
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
12th Most Popular In GA

Located in the city of Atlanta, Emory is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 68 schools for overall quality in the state of Georgia.

There were roughly 9 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Emory in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from Emory University

8
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
42 Theater Degrees Awarded
$31,068 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Columbia is a great university overall.

There were approximately 42 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Columbia in the most recent data year. Those drama & theater arts students who get their degree from Columbia University in the City of New York receive $7,878 more than the typical theater student.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from Columbia University in the City of New York

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
41 Theater Degrees Awarded
$31,067 Median Starting Salary

UC Berkeley is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley. A Best Colleges rank of #18 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.

There were approximately 41 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the drama & theater arts degree program at University of California - Berkeley earn $7,877 more than the average graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from University of California - Berkeley

10
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
102 Theater Degrees Awarded
46.1% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Austin, UT Austin is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 115 colleges for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were roughly 102 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at UT Austin in the most recent data year. Those drama & theater arts students who get their degree from The University of Texas at Austin earn $6,393 more than the typical theater student.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from The University of Texas at Austin

11
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, MA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
86 Theater Degrees Awarded
11.6% Growth in Graduates

Boston U is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Boston. This university ranks 6th out of 63 schools for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.

There were roughly 86 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Boston U in the most recent year we have data available. Drama & Theater Arts degree recipients from Boston University get an earnings boost of approximately $2,669 above the average earnings of drama & theater arts majors.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from Boston University

12
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
72 Theater Degrees Awarded
13.9% Growth in Graduates

U-M is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Ann Arbor. This university ranks 1st out of 57 schools for overall quality in the state of Michigan.

There were about 72 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at U-M in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the theater program report average early career income of $24,105.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

13
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
87 Theater Degrees Awarded
13.8% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #26 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UCLA is a great university overall.

There were roughly 87 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the theater program state that they receive average early career wages of $25,166.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from University of California - Los Angeles

14
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
37 Theater Degrees Awarded
$31,019 Median Starting Salary

Located in the suburb of Storrs, UCONN is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 28 colleges for overall quality in the state of Connecticut.

There were about 37 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at UCONN in the most recent data year. Those drama & theater arts students who get their degree from University of Connecticut earn $7,829 more than the typical theater student.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from University of Connecticut

15
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
481 Theater Degrees Awarded
$18,417 Median Starting Salary

American Musical and Dramatic Academy is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York.

There were about 481 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at American Musical and Dramatic Academy in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the theater program state that they receive average early career wages of $18,417.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from American Musical and Dramatic Academy

16
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
112 Theater Degrees Awarded
$23,556 Median Starting Salary

Loyola Marymount is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Los Angeles. This university ranks 20th out of 168 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were approximately 112 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Loyola Marymount in the most recent data year. Soon after graduating, theater degree recipients typically earn around $23,556 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from Loyola Marymount University

17
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
129 Theater Degrees Awarded
18.6% Growth in Graduates

UC Irvine is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Irvine. This university ranks 15th out of 168 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were about 129 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at UC Irvine in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the theater program state that they receive average early career income of $25,083.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from University of California - Irvine

18
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
4th Most Popular In NH

Dartmouth is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit college located in the town of Hanover. A Best Colleges rank of #25 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Dartmouth is a great college overall.

There were approximately 8 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Dartmouth in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from Dartmouth College

18
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
105 Theater Degrees Awarded
1.9% Growth in Graduates

Chapman is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the medium-sized city of Orange. This university ranks 32nd out of 168 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were about 105 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Chapman in the most recent year we have data available. Those drama & theater arts students who get their degree from Chapman University earn $3,188 more than the average theater graduate.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from Chapman University

19
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
68 Theater Degrees Awarded
20.6% Growth in Graduates

Located in the medium-sized city of Gainesville, UF is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 77 schools for overall quality in the state of Florida.

There were about 68 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at UF in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduating, theater degree recipients generally earn around $24,814 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from University of Florida

20
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
61 Theater Degrees Awarded
$29,120 Median Starting Salary

UCSD is a fairly large public university located in the city of La Jolla. This university ranks 8th out of 168 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were approximately 61 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at UCSD in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the drama & theater arts program at University of California - San Diego get $5,930 more than the standard college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from University of California - San Diego

21
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In WI
15.4% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 46 colleges for overall quality in the state of Wisconsin.

There were approximately 26 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at UW - Madison in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from University of Wisconsin - Madison

22
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
43 Theater Degrees Awarded
$25,923 Median Starting Salary

Iowa is a very large public university located in the small city of Iowa City. This university ranks 2nd out of 40 colleges for overall quality in the state of Iowa.

There were roughly 43 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Iowa in the most recent year we have data available. Those drama & theater arts students who get their degree from University of Iowa earn $2,733 more than the average theater graduate.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from University of Iowa

22
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, NC
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
19th Most Popular In NC

Located in the large city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #7 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Duke is a great university overall.

There were approximately 5 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Duke in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from Duke University

23
Juilliard crest
The Juilliard School
New York, NY

Located in the city of New York, Juilliard is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly small student population.

There were about 22 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Juilliard in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the drama & theater arts major at The Juilliard School make $26,045 more than the typical college grad in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in drama & theater arts from The Juilliard School

Rest of the Top Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools

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27
28
29
Emerson crest
Emerson College
Boston, MA
30
31
Lafayette crest
Lafayette College
Easton, PA
32

32
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA

33
34
35
36
37
38
39
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, IL
40

41
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN

42
Temple crest
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA
43
44
45
46
47
Syracuse crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY
48
49
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI

Remaining Award Winners

This section represents the remainder of the schools awarded a Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools badge. Showing in this list means the school was ranked in the top 15% of the 442 different United States drama & theater arts schools we analyzed.

Rank College Location
50 Florida State University Tallahassee, FL
51 Pepperdine University Malibu, CA
52 The University of the Arts Philadelphia, PA
53 University of Arizona Tucson, AZ
54 Webster University Saint Louis, MO
55 Texas State University San Marcos, TX
56 Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL
57 Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, GA
58 Purchase College Purchase, NY
59 University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA
60 Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
61 Tufts University Medford, MA
62 University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst, MA
63 Muhlenberg College Allentown, PA
64 Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, IN
65 The New School New York, NY
66 California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CA

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great schools for Drama & Theater Arts students that almost earned our Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools award.

Rank College Location
67 American Academy of Dramatic Arts - New York New York, NY
68 Drake University Des Moines, IA
69 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC
70 Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY
71 University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Norman, OK
72 University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT
73 Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH
74 University of Evansville Evansville, IN
75 Millikin University Decatur, IL
76 James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA
77 Baylor University Waco, TX
78 Brigham Young University - Provo Provo, UT
79 Lindenwood University Saint Charles, MO
80 San Jose State University San Jose, CA
81 University of Miami Coral Gables, FL
82 Point Park University Pittsburgh, PA
83 George Washington University Washington, DC
84 University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO
85 Illinois State University Normal, IL
86 Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX
87 Arizona State University - Tempe Tempe, AZ
88 Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH

Drama & Theater Arts by Region

View the Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

View All Rankings >

Drama & Theater Arts is one of 10 different types of Visual & Performing Arts programs to choose from.

Theater Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Theater Arts 11,385
Acting 1,793
Theater Design & Technology 1,164
Musical Theater 995
Other Dramatic/Theatre Arts & Stagecraft 862
Playwriting & Screenwriting 683
Directing & Theatrical Production 219
Theatre and Dance 94
Costume Design 52
Theatre Literature, History & Criticism 51

View All Theater Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Fine & Studio Arts 37,413
Design & Applied Arts 36,301
Music 25,910
Film, Video & Photographic Arts 16,778
General Visual & Performing Arts 6,355
Arts & Media Management 4,788
Dance 3,288
Other Visual Art 912
Crafts, Folk Art & Artisanry 119
Community/Environmental/Socially-Engaged Art 10

View All Theater Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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