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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Theater Arts (Income $0-$30k)

101 Ranked Colleges
819 Degrees Awarded
$32,300 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Theater Schools for a Master's For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 11,561 people earned their degree in theater arts, making the major the 69th most popular in the United States.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 819 theater arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,398 and $43,194 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 101 colleges that offer a degree in theater arts. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great theater arts programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the theater arts program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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 by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Theater Arts (Income $0-$30k)

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northwestern is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 7 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also took the #2 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern University are $56,567, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Theater Arts at Northwestern

#2

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Cornell University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Ithaca, New York, and it awarded 2 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Cornell not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Cornell are $30,042, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Theater Arts at Cornell University

#3

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Washington University in St Louis. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Washington University in St Louis is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

WUSTL also took the #6 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at WUSTL are $56,562, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Theater Arts at Washington University in St Louis

#4

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida
#23 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. UF is a large public school situated in Gainesville, Florida. It awarded 11 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

UF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UF are $30,130, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Theater Arts at UF

#5

Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 101 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Brown University landed the #5 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Providence, Rhode Island, and it awarded 4 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Brown also made our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #5. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Brown University are $60,363.

Full Brown Theater Arts Report

#14 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW - Madison are $25,523, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Theater Arts at University of Wisconsin - Madison

#7

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina
#24 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 13 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNC Chapel Hill, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are $30,248, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Theater Arts Report

#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 16 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also took the #16 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Theater Arts at UIUC

#9

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida
#11 in overall quality

Florida State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s theater degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

Florida State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Florida State are $26,707.

Full Florida State University Theater Arts Report

#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. UC Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 20 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Irvine, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Irvine are $28,456, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Theater Arts at University of California - Irvine

#11

Hunter College

New York, New York

Hunter College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s theater degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Hunter College are $20,828, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Hunter Theater Arts Report

#12

University of Central Florida

Orlando, Florida

With a ranking of #12, University of Central Florida did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Central Florida is a large school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 19 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Central Florida are $28,657, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full UCF Theater Arts Report

#13

Brooklyn College

Brooklyn, New York

With a ranking of #13, Brooklyn College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Brooklyn, New York, this fairly large public school awarded 17 degrees to qualified masters’s theater students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Brooklyn College are $20,952, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Theater Arts at Brooklyn College

#14

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts
#12 in overall quality

Tufts University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Medford, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 1 degrees to qualified masters’s theater students in 2019-2020.

Tufts did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Tufts University are $55,168, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Theater Arts at Tufts

California State University - Los Angeles came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. California State University - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 1 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Los Angeles are $17,723, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Theater Arts at Cal State LA

#3 in overall quality

Columbia University in the City of New York ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Columbia University in the City of New York is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 37 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia also took the #3 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia are $51,194, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Theater Arts at Columbia

#17

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#9 in overall quality

University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 11 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

UCLA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCLA are $28,131, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full UCLA Theater Arts Report

#18

San Diego State University

San Diego, California

With a ranking of #18, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in San Diego, California, this large public school awarded 13 degrees to qualified masters’s theater students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at San Diego State University are $18,658, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Theater Arts at SDSU

#19

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#25 in overall quality

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UMN Twin Cities is a public institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree theater students whose families make $0-$30k list, UMN Twin Cities has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UMN Twin Cities are $28,845, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Theater Arts at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

#20

Towson University

Towson, Maryland

Towson University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Towson University is a large school located in Towson, Maryland that handed out 7 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Towson University are $18,972.

Read full report on Theater Arts at Towson

California State University - Fullerton ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - Fullerton is a large public school situated in Fullerton, California. It awarded 5 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State Fullerton are $17,892, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full California State University - Fullerton Theater Arts Report

#22

University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley, California

University of California - Berkeley landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UC Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 1 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UC Berkeley are $29,347.

Full UC Berkeley Theater Arts Report

#23

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #23. This large school is located in Athens, Georgia, and it awarded 3 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Georgia are $27,476, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full University of Georgia Theater Arts Report

#24

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia
#20 in overall quality

Virginia Tech came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Virginia Tech is a large public school situated in Blacksburg, Virginia. It awarded 5 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Virginia Tech, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Virginia Tech are $30,547, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Theater Arts at Virginia Tech

Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school handed out 3 degrees to qualified masters’s theater students in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Ohio State are $37,141.

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Theater Arts Report

Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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