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2023 Best Value Colleges for Theater Arts (Income $48-$75k)

401 Ranked Colleges
11,385 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 11,385 people earned their degree in theater arts, making the major the 70th most popular in the United States.

For this year’s “Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 401 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the theater arts program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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The theater school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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 Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Theater Arts (Income $48-$75k)

1
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Out of the 401 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Northwestern is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 106 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $5,849 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Northwestern University Theater Arts Report

2
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

Out of the 401 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Duke University landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Durham, North Carolina, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 5 diplomas to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Duke, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Schools” ranking. It costs about $7,160 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Duke.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Theater Arts at Duke University

3
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Yale University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Yale University is a fairly large school located in New Haven, Connecticut that handed out 7 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Yale also made our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend Yale is $2,815 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Theater Arts at Yale

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Columbia University in the City of New York. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k. Columbia University in the City of New York is a large private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 42 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Columbia, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Schools” ranking. It costs about $8,106 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Columbia University in the City of New York.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%.

Read more about Theater Arts at Columbia

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 43 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

U-M not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list. It costs about $10,481 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend U-M.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Theater Arts at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

6
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire

Dartmouth College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Dartmouth College is a medium-sized school located in Hanover, New Hampshire that handed out 8 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Dartmouth also took the #12 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Schools” ranking. It costs about $12,172 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Dartmouth.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Theater Arts at Dartmouth

7
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Gainesville, Florida, and it awarded 68 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

UF also claimed a top spot on our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $8,394 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UF.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Theater Arts at University of Florida

8

University of Washington - Seattle Campus came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school awarded 12 diplomas to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

UW Seattle also made our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for University of Washington - Seattle Campus is $8,393 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Theater Arts at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

9
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

Vanderbilt University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #9. Vanderbilt University is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

Vanderbilt excels when it comes to theater quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Vanderbilt is $7,694 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Theater Arts at Vanderbilt

10
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Purdue is a large school located in West Lafayette, Indiana that handed out 13 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Purdue also did well on our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $8,450 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Purdue University - Main Campus.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Purdue Theater Arts Report

11
Williams crest
Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts

Williams College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Williams College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It awarded 8 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Williams also claimed a top spot on our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $5,576 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Williams.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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.

Full Williams Theater Arts Report

12
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. Florida State is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 114 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Florida State also claimed a top spot on our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Florida State is $11,506 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Theater Arts at Florida State University

13

University of California - Berkeley came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of California - Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 41 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Berkeley also made our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list, coming in at #9. It costs about $13,423 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UC Berkeley.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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 University of California - Berkeley Theater Arts Report

14
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Brown University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Providence, Rhode Island. It awarded 22 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Brown did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list. It costs about $10,219 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Brown University.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 Brown University Theater Arts Report

15

University of California - Los Angeles ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 87 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCLA, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCLA is $12,644 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 96%.

Full UCLA Theater Arts Report

16

Washington University in St Louis came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 13 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

WUSTL excels when it comes to theater quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend WUSTL is $8,149 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Washington University in St Louis Theater Arts Report

17

California State University - Fullerton ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school awarded 113 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, Cal State Fullerton is in the top on our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $9,017 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California State University - Fullerton.

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 Cal State Fullerton Theater Arts Report

18
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #18. Notre Dame is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Notre Dame, Indiana. It awarded 58 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our theater students whose families make $48-$75k list, Notre Dame has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Theater Arts Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Notre Dame is $14,020 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, 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.

Read more about Theater Arts at University of Notre Dame

19

University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #19. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 26 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Madison is $10,364 for Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UW - Madison Theater Arts Report

20
Hunter crest
Hunter College
New York, New York

With a ranking of #20, Hunter College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in New York, New York, this large public school handed out 35 diplomas to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Hunter College is $6,908 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Theater Arts at Hunter College

21

With a ranking of #21, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a large public school situated in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It awarded 26 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, UNC Chapel Hill is in the top on our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $11,619 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 full report on Theater Arts at UNC Chapel Hill

22

With a ranking of #22, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of California - Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 117 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

UC Irvine also made our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $13,275 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UC Irvine.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Theater Arts at UC Irvine

23
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Carnegie Mellon University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 50 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Carnegie Mellon not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list. It costs about $21,526 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Carnegie Mellon.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full Carnegie Mellon Theater Arts Report

24

Indiana University - Bloomington ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s theater degrees to 31 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, IU Bloomington is in the top on our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend IU Bloomington is $12,369 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theater Arts at IU Bloomington

25

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this large public school awarded 69 diplomas to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities also claimed a top spot on our “Best Theater Arts Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $12,911 for theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

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
29
30
31
32
Brooklyn College crest
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, New York
33
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts
34
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University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California
35
36
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University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
37
38
39
40
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Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs, New York
41
42
Oakland crest
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, Michigan
43
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University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
44
45
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia
46
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48
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50
Texas State crest
Texas State University
San Marcos, Texas

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Theater Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

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

RankCollegeLocation
51Boston UniversityBoston, MA
52Sinclair Community CollegeDayton, OH
53University of California - Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA
54California State University - NorthridgeNorthridge, CA
55Lafayette CollegeEaston, PA
56University of South Florida - Main CampusTampa, FL
57Queens CollegeQueens, NY
58Vassar CollegePoughkeepsie, NY
59Wellesley CollegeWellesley, MA
60The University of West FloridaPensacola, FL
61Arizona State University - TempeTempe, AZ

Notes and References

References

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