2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Theater Arts (With Aid)
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.
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 bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 9,538 theater arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 511 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
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 a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid”.
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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Theater Arts (With Aid)
Out of the 511 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #1 spot on the list. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 36 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.
UNC Chapel Hill excels when it comes to theater quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend UNC Chapel Hill is $12,352 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students with aid.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, 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 95%.
Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Theater Arts Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid. Located in Edinburg, Texas, this large public school handed out 26 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for UT Rio Grande Valley is $4,514 for bachelor’s degree theater students with aid.
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 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Los Angeles. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school awarded 28 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Los Angeles is $2,768 for bachelor’s degree theater students with aid.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 511 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school handed out 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, UW Seattle is in the top on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for UW Seattle is $13,297 for bachelor’s degree theater students with aid.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read more about Theater Arts at University of Washington - Seattle Campus
Out of the 511 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina School of the Arts landed the #5 spot on the list. University of North Carolina School of the Arts is a public institution located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, UNCSA also did well on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina School of the Arts is $13,885 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students with aid.
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 student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.
Read full report on Theater Arts at University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Queens College landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Queens College is located in Queens, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend QC is $3,067 for bachelor’s degree theater students with aid.
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%.
University of Florida ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. UF is a public institution located in Gainesville, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 43 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UF also claimed a top spot on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. It costs about $6,302 for bachelor’s degree theater students with aid per year to attend UF.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Berea College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. Berea College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Berea, Kentucky. It awarded 9 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Berea is $5,184 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Stanford University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Stanford University is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 13 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
Stanford also took the #2 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford University is $11,496 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students with aid.
The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 0.5% 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%.
With a ranking of #10, Hunter College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s theater degrees to 26 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Hunter College is $2,490 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students with aid.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Lehman College landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Bronx, New York, this fairly large public school awarded 8 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Lehman is $1,814 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students with aid.
California State University - Fullerton ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. California State University - Fullerton is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 107 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fullerton is $7,991 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.
University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school awarded 14 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.
UW - Madison excels when it comes to theater quality. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $17,708 for bachelor’s degree theater students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
With a ranking of #14, The City College of New York did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. The City College of New York is a fairly large school located in New York, New York that handed out 45 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for CCNY is $2,385 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students with aid.
Brooklyn College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. Brooklyn College is located in Brooklyn, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $2,683 for bachelor’s degree theater students with aid per year to attend Brooklyn College.
The low student loan default rate of 5.0% 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%.
The University of Texas at Austin came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. The University of Texas at Austin is a public institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UT Austin also made our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at Austin is $18,023 for bachelor’s degree theater students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Theater Arts at The University of Texas at Austin
Florida State University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Florida State University is located in Tallahassee, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 69 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.
Florida State excels when it comes to theater quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $9,789 for bachelor’s degree theater students with aid per year to attend Florida State University.
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 student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%.
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. Located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school handed out 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, UW - La Crosse also did well on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $14,580 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #19. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 62 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $14,279 for bachelor’s degree theater students with aid per year to attend UCLA.
The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
With a ranking of #20, California State University - Northridge did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid list. CSUN is located in Northridge, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 53 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend CSUN is $8,414 for bachelor’s degree theater students with aid.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full California State University - Northridge Theater Arts Report
Purdue University - Main Campus came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 4 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Purdue also did well on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Purdue University - Main Campus is $13,986 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
California State University - Fresno did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #22. California State University - Fresno is located in Fresno, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 27 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend Fresno State is $5,464 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Full California State University - Fresno Theater Arts Report
University of California - Irvine came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. UC Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 76 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UC Irvine excels when it comes to theater quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Irvine is $14,783 for bachelor’s degree theater students with aid.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Florida International University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. FIU is located in Miami, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 37 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend FIU is $7,296 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
Read full report on Theater Arts at Florida International University
California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Carson, California, this fairly large public school handed out 25 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for CSUDH is $4,215 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students with aid.
The low student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%.
Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Getting Aid
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | California State University - San Bernardino | San Bernardino, CA |
| 52 | Northern Kentucky University | Highland Heights, KY |
| 53 | Appalachian State University | Boone, NC |
| 54 | University of North Texas | Denton, TX |
| 55 | Ball State University | Muncie, IN |
| 55 | University of Wisconsin - Green Bay | Green Bay, WI |
| 57 | University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire | Eau Claire, WI |
| 58 | Florida Gulf Coast University | Fort Myers, FL |
| 59 | University of Virginia - Main Campus | Charlottesville, VA |
| 60 | SUNY Oneonta | Oneonta, NY |
| 61 | The University of Texas at El Paso | El Paso, TX |
| 62 | Towson University | Towson, MD |
| 63 | California State University - Sacramento | Sacramento, CA |
| 64 | Virginia Tech | Blacksburg, VA |
| 65 | University of Minnesota - Morris | Morris, MN |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | Edwardsville, IL |
| 67 | University of California - Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA |
| 68 | University of Houston | Houston, TX |
| 69 | California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo, CA |
| 70 | Rhode Island College | Providence, RI |
| 71 | Michigan State University | East Lansing, MI |
| 72 | University of Maryland - College Park | College Park, MD |
| 73 | University of Utah | Salt Lake City, UT |
| 74 | Sam Houston State University | Huntsville, TX |
| 75 | Montclair State University | Montclair, NJ |
| 76 | University of Georgia | Athens, GA |
| 77 | Texas Tech University | Lubbock, TX |
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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
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Donald Judge.
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