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2024 Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor's Degree Schools in New York

37 Colleges in New York
1,927 Bachelor's Degrees
$22,177 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you plan on getting your bachelor's degree in drama & theater arts, you won't be alone since the degree program is ranked #38 in the country in terms of popularity. As a result, there are many college that offer the degree, making your choice of school a hard one.

College Factual reviewed 37 schools in New York to determine which ones were the best for bachelor's degree seekers in the field of drama & theater arts. Combined, these schools handed out 1,927 bachelor's degrees in drama & theater arts to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Drama & Theater Arts School for Your Bachelor's Degree

Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor's Degree Schools in New York Your choice of drama & theater arts for getting your bachelor's degree school matters. Important measures of a quality theater program can vary widely even among the top schools. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.

A Great Overall School

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Early-Career Earnings

One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of bachelor's graduates during the early years of their career. That is, everyone wants their bachelor's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

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

One Size Does Not Fit All

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

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 Bachelor's Degree Schools in New York list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Schools for Bachelor’s Students to Study Drama & Theater Arts in New York

Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for drama & theater arts students seeking a a bachelor's degree.

10 Top New York Schools for a Bachelor's in Theater

1
NYU crest
New York University
New York, NY
343 Annual Graduates
$25,246 Median Starting Salary
$21,762 Median Student Debt

New York University is a great decision for individuals interested in a bachelor's degree in drama & theater arts. Located in the large city of New York, NYU is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.

Those drama & theater arts students who get their bachelor's degree from New York University make $3,069 more than the average theater grad.

More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from New York University

2
205 Annual Graduates
$19,784 Median Starting Salary
$27,000 Median Student Debt

American Musical and Dramatic Academy is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a bachelor's degree in drama & theater arts. American Musical and Dramatic Academy is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York.

After graduating, theater bachelor's recipients typically make an average of $19,784 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from American Musical and Dramatic Academy

3
7 Annual Graduates

It is difficult to beat Columbia University in the City of New York if you wish to pursue a bachelor's degree in drama & theater arts. Located in the city of New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from Columbia University in the City of New York

4
Juilliard crest
The Juilliard School
New York, NY
8 Annual Graduates

The Juilliard School is a wonderful choice for students interested in a bachelor's degree in drama & theater arts. Located in the large city of New York, Juilliard is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly small student population.More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from The Juilliard School

5
Syracuse crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY
58 Annual Graduates
$21,187 Median Starting Salary
$27,000 Median Student Debt

Syracuse is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the medium-sized city of Syracuse.

After graduation, theater bachelor's recipients usually make around $21,187 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from Syracuse University

6
Purchase College crest
Purchase College
Purchase, NY
151 Annual Graduates
$25,288 Median Starting Salary
$26,000 Median Student Debt

Purchase College is a small public college located in the suburb of Purchase.

Bachelor's recipients from the drama & theater arts program at Purchase College get $3,111 more than the typical graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from Purchase College

7
New School University crest
The New School
New York, NY
68 Annual Graduates
$19,990 Median Starting Salary
$25,000 Median Student Debt

New School University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York.

After graduation, theater bachelor's recipients usually make about $19,990 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from The New School

8
Skidmore crest
Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs, NY
21 Annual Graduates

Skidmore is a small private not-for-profit college located in the suburb of Saratoga Springs.More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from Skidmore College

9
Ithaca crest
Ithaca College
Ithaca, NY
69 Annual Graduates
$22,736 Median Starting Salary
$26,000 Median Student Debt

Located in the small suburb of Ithaca, Ithaca is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.

Bachelor's graduates who receive their degree from the theater program make an average of $22,736 in their early career salary.

More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from Ithaca College

10
Vassar crest
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, NY
20 Annual Graduates
$20,008 Median Starting Salary
$20,000 Median Student Debt

Vassar is a small private not-for-profit college located in the suburb of Poughkeepsie.

Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the theater program state that they receive average early career earnings of $20,008.

More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from Vassar College

Best Drama & Theater Arts Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region

Explore all the Best Drama & Theater Arts Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Pennsylvania 274 615
Maryland 207 167
New Jersey 193 188
District of Columbia 126 44

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 1,076
Other Dramatic/Theatre Arts & Stagecraft 218
Musical Theater 205
Acting 188
Theater Design & Technology 104
Playwriting & Screenwriting 94
Directing & Theatrical Production 37
Theatre Literature, History & Criticism 3
Costume Design 2

Majors Similar to Theater

Related Major Annual Graduates
Design & Applied Arts 2,536
Fine & Studio Arts 2,103
Film, Video & Photographic Arts 1,641
Music 1,120
Arts & Media Management 494
Dance 299
General Visual & Performing Arts 236
Other Visual Art 195

Notes and References

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