Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

21 Ranked Colleges
479 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

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 in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Theater Arts is the 69th most popular major in the country with 11,561 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across Illinois, there were 479 theater arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 21 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Theater Arts Schools

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 Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

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

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

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Northwestern is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 104 ’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also took the #1 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $6,452 for illinois 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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.

Read more about Theater Arts at Northwestern

Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 48 ’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also made our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $13,351 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on Theater Arts at UIUC

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 in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. SIUE is a fairly large public school situated in Edwardsville, Illinois. It awarded 14 ’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUE did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $13,705 for illinois theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Theater Arts at SIUE

#4

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

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 in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. EIU is a public institution located in Charleston, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 5 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

EIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Eastern Illinois University is $13,560 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Theater Arts at Eastern Illinois University

#5

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northern Illinois University landed the #5 spot on the list. Northern Illinois University is located in Dekalb, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 24 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

NIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $18,346 for illinois theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend NIU.

Read full report on Theater Arts at NIU

#6

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Normal, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s theater degrees to 78 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois theater students whose families make $48-$75k list, Illinois State has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State is $19,080 for illinois theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theater Arts at Illinois State

University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #7. UIC is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 13 ’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

UIC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $13,683 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Illinois at Chicago.

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%.

Read more about Theater Arts at University of Illinois at Chicago

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #8. Carbondale, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s theater degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.

SIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend SIUC is $14,985 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Southern Illinois University Carbondale Theater Arts Report

#9

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois

Millikin University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #9. Decatur, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.

Millikin also took the #12 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $20,390 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Millikin University.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Theater Arts at Millikin University

#10

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois

Augustana College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Rock Island, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.

Augustana also took the #8 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Augustana is $21,453 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Theater Arts at Augustana

#11

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. Western Illinois University is a medium-sized school located in Macomb, Illinois that handed out 14 ’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois theater students whose families make $48-$75k list, WIU has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend WIU is $15,912 for illinois theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Theater Arts at WIU

#12

North Park University

Chicago, Illinois

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

North Park not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $18,813 for illinois theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend North Park University.

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

Lake Forest College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Lake Forest is a small school located in Lake Forest, Illinois that handed out 5 ’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois theater students whose families make $48-$75k list, Lake Forest has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $24,683 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Lake Forest.

The low 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%.

Full Lake Forest College Theater Arts Report

#14

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois

Elmhurst University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Elmhurst University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Elmhurst, Illinois. It awarded 2 ’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Elmhurst did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Elmhurst University is $19,703 for illinois theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

Bradley University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Peoria, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 5 diplomas to qualified ’s theater students in 2019-2020.

Bradley also took the #5 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $22,865 for illinois theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Bradley.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Bradley Theater Arts Report

#16

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois

Knox College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #16. Knox College is located in Galesburg, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

Knox not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Knox is $19,653 for Illinois Theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.8% 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%. 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.

Full Knox Theater Arts Report

#17

North Central College

Naperville, Illinois

North Central College landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Naperville, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

North Central also took the #13 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $23,353 for illinois theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend North Central College.

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%.

Read full report on Theater Arts at North Central

#18

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #18, Columbia College Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Columbia College Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

Columbia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $31,071 for illinois theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Columbia College Chicago.

Read full report on Theater Arts at Columbia College Chicago

#19

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 15 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois theater students whose families make $48-$75k list, DePaul has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend DePaul is $28,075 for illinois theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

Illinois Wesleyan University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Bloomington, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois theater students whose families make $48-$75k list, Illinois Wesleyan has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois Wesleyan University is $23,309 for Illinois 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%.

Full Illinois Wesleyan Theater Arts Report

#21

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Loyola University Chicago ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Loyola University Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 27 ’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Loyola Chicago also made our “Best Theater Arts Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $32,259 for illinois theater students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Loyola Chicago.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Theater Arts at Loyola Chicago

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.

Credits

Featured Theater Schools

Find Schools Near You