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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Theater Arts (Income $48-$75k) in Illinois

21 Ranked Colleges
434 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking.

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

Across Illinois, there were 479 theater arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 434 theater arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 21 colleges that offered a degree in theater arts. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality theater arts programs that also have a lower cost than 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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 Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 21 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Theater Arts (Income $48-$75k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Northwestern University is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 93 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also took the #1 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $6,452 for illinois bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northwestern.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 97%.

Full Northwestern University Theater Arts Report

#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school handed out 32 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.

UIUC also took the #3 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $13,351 for illinois bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theater Arts at UIUC

#7 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. This fairly large school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SIUE, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $13,705 for illinois bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Full SIUE Theater Arts Report

#4

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#9 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Eastern Illinois University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. Charleston, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s theater degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

EIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $13,560 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend EIU.

Read more about Theater Arts at Eastern Illinois University

#5

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northern Illinois University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. NIU is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

NIU also made our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $18,346 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend NIU.

Read full report on Theater Arts at Northern Illinois University

#6

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

Illinois State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Normal, Illinois, this large public school handed out 71 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.

Illinois State also made our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend Illinois State University is $19,080 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 Illinois State University

#18 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Illinois at Chicago is a large public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 13 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $48-$75k list, UIC has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Chicago is $13,683 for illinois bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The 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 full report on Theater Arts at UIC

#19 in overall quality

Southern Illinois University Carbondale ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. SIUC is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 7 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $14,985 for illinois bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend SIUC.

Read more about Theater Arts at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

#9

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

Millikin University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Millikin University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Decatur, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Millikin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Millikin is $20,390 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 Millikin

#10

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois
#8 in overall quality

Augustana College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Rock Island, Illinois, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Augustana not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Augustana is $21,453 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Theater Arts at Augustana College

#11

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#20 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Western Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Macomb, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 8 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.

WIU also made our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $15,912 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Western Illinois University.

Full WIU Theater Arts Report

#12

North Park University

Chicago, Illinois
#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, North Park University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

North Park also took the #16 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Park is $18,813 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Theater Arts at North Park University

#13

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

Lake Forest College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Lake Forest, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s theater degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

Lake Forest did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Lake Forest is $24,683 for illinois bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Lake Forest Theater Arts Report

#14

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois
#17 in overall quality

Elmhurst University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Elmhurst, Illinois, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Elmhurst did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $19,703 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Elmhurst.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theater Arts at Elmhurst

#15

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

Bradley University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #15. Bradley University is a medium-sized school located in Peoria, Illinois that handed out 5 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Bradley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Bradley University is $22,865 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Bradley Theater Arts Report

#16

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois
#21 in overall quality

Knox College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Knox is a private not-for-profit institution located in Galesburg, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Knox also made our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $19,653 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Knox.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theater Arts at Knox

#17

North Central College

Naperville, Illinois
#13 in overall quality

North Central College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. North Central College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Naperville, Illinois. It awarded 7 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

North Central not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend North Central College is $23,353 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full North Central College Theater Arts Report

#18

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#14 in overall quality

Columbia College Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #18. Columbia is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 9 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $31,071 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Columbia.

Full Columbia Theater Arts Report

#19

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois
#10 in overall quality

DePaul University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. DePaul is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 15 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

DePaul not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $28,075 for illinois bachelor’s degree theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend DePaul.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theater Arts at DePaul University

#20

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

Illinois Wesleyan University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Illinois Wesleyan is located in Bloomington, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.

Illinois Wesleyan also took the #6 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois Wesleyan is $23,309 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read full report on Theater Arts at Illinois Wesleyan

#21

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

Loyola University Chicago came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Loyola University Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Loyola Chicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Loyola University Chicago is $32,259 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.

Full Loyola Chicago 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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