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2024 Best Drama & Theater Arts Associate Degree Schools in California

5 Colleges in California
868 Associate Degrees
$17,678 Avg Early-Career Salary
an associate degree in drama & theater arts is more popular than many other degrees. In fact, it ranks #65 out of 328 on popularity of all such degrees in the nation. This means you won't have too much trouble finding schools that offer the degree.

College Factual reviewed 5 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for associate degree seekers in the field of drama & theater arts. Combined, these schools handed out 868 associate degrees in drama & theater arts to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Drama & Theater Arts School for Your Associate Degree

Best Drama & Theater Arts Associate Degree Schools in California The theater associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:

Quality Overall Is Important

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To take this into account we consider a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a collection of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Average Earnings

One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of associate graduates during the early years of their career. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their associate degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for drama & theater arts students working on their associate degree.

More Ways to Rank Drama & Theater Arts Schools

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Theater Rankings Other Ranking Categories

When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best Drama & Theater Arts Associate Degree Schools in California list to help you make the college decision.

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Drama & Theater Arts in California

Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for drama & theater arts students seeking a an associate degree.

Top California Schools for an Associate in Theater

1
150 Annual Graduates
$17,578 Median Starting Salary
$12,000 Median Student Debt

It's hard to beat American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles if you want to pursue an associate degree in drama & theater arts. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

Associate students who receive their degree from the theater program earn about $17,578 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a associate in drama & theater arts from American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles

2
18 Annual Graduates

Every student pursuing a degree in an associate degree in drama & theater arts needs to take a look at FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, FIDM Los Angeles is a private for-profit school with a small student population.More information about a associate in drama & theater arts from FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles

3
TOA crest
Theatre of Arts
Hollywood, CA
1 Annual Graduates
$19,275 Median Starting Salary
$19,385 Median Student Debt

Theatre of Arts is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting an associate degree in drama & theater arts. Located in the large city of Hollywood, TOA is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.

Students who graduate with their associate from the theater program state that they receive average early career income of $19,275.

More information about a associate in drama & theater arts from Theatre of Arts

3
Academy of Art University crest
Academy of Art University
San Francisco, CA
7 Annual Graduates

Academy of Art University is a good option for individuals pursuing an associate degree in drama & theater arts. Academy of Art University is a moderately-sized private for-profit university located in the large city of San Francisco.More information about a associate in drama & theater arts from Academy of Art University

4
2 Annual Graduates

It is hard to beat San Diego Mesa College if you want to pursue an associate degree in drama & theater arts. San Diego Mesa College is a fairly large public college located in the large city of San Diego.More information about a associate in drama & theater arts from San Diego Mesa College

5
13 Annual Graduates
$16,180 Median Starting Salary
$15,000 Median Student Debt

Located in the city of Burbank, New York Film Academy is a private for-profit school with a small student population.

Students who graduate with their associate from the theater program state that they receive average early career earnings of $16,180.

More information about a associate in drama & theater arts from New York Film Academy

Best Drama & Theater Arts Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best Drama & Theater Arts Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Oregon 147 5
Nevada 112 9

View All Rankings >

One of 10 majors within the Visual & Performing Arts area of study, Drama & Theater Arts has other similar majors worth exploring.

Theater Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Theater Arts 638
Acting 169
Theater Design & Technology 41
Costume Design 18
Playwriting & Screenwriting 2

Related Major Annual Graduates
Fine & Studio Arts 2,087
Music 1,149
Design & Applied Arts 1,133
General Visual & Performing Arts 642
Film, Video & Photographic Arts 476
Dance 110
Arts & Media Management 13
Other Visual Art 3

Notes and References

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