2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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” ranking.
Theater Arts is the 69th most popular major in the country with 11,561 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.
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.
This year’s “Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking analyzed 512 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.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the theater arts program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s
The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree theater students.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Theater Arts
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Brigham Young University - Provo. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s. Provo, Utah is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s theater degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for BYU is $13,322 for bachelor’s degree theater students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Out of the 512 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, West Texas A&M University landed the #2 spot on the list. West Texas A&M University is a fairly large public school situated in Canyon, Texas. It awarded 19 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, West Texas A&M University is in the top on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for West Texas A&M University is $12,761 for bachelor’s degree theater students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Brigham Young University - Idaho. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s. BYU - I is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Rexburg, Idaho. It awarded 36 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Brigham Young University - Idaho is $7,167 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of South Dakota. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Vermillion, South Dakota, this medium-sized public school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.
USD also claimed a top spot on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend USD is $18,555 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students.
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%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school handed out 12 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UW - La Crosse is also in the top of our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for UW - La Crosse is $14,580 for bachelor’s degree theater students.
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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
North Dakota State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #6. This fairly large school is located in Fargo, North Dakota, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, North Dakota State University also did well on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $16,584 for bachelor’s degree theater students per year to attend North Dakota State University.
The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #7. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a fairly large public school situated in Edwardsville, Illinois. It awarded 14 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend SIUE is $14,423 for bachelor’s degree theater students.
Read full report on Theater Arts at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Winona State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Winona, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school handed out 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s theater students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, Winona State is in the top on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Winona State University is $17,656 for bachelor’s degree theater students.
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%.
With a ranking of #9, Truman State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Truman State University is a small public school situated in Kirksville, Missouri. It awarded 6 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
Truman State also claimed a top spot on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $12,462 for bachelor’s degree theater students per year to attend Truman State University.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. 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%.
Southwest Minnesota State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Southwest Minnesota State University is a medium-sized school located in Marshall, Minnesota that handed out 6 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Southwest Minnesota State University is $14,397 for bachelor’s degree theater students.
Read more about Theater Arts at Southwest Minnesota State University
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #11. UW - Whitewater is located in Whitewater, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is $15,249 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students.
Read more about Theater Arts at University of Wisconsin - Whitewater
South Dakota State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. South Dakota State is a fairly large public school situated in Brookings, South Dakota. It awarded 8 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend South Dakota State University is $19,252 for bachelor’s degree theater students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This medium-sized school is located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend SRU is $19,926 for bachelor’s degree theater students.
Full Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Theater Arts Report
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $14,465 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students per year to attend UW - Stevens Point.
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. UW - Eau Claire is a public institution located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend UW - Eau Claire is $16,020 for bachelor’s degree theater students.
University of Nebraska at Kearney landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Kearney, Nebraska is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s theater degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $16,017 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students per year to attend University of Nebraska at Kearney.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Theater Arts at University of Nebraska at Kearney
Western Carolina University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #17. WCU is a fairly large public school situated in Cullowhee, North Carolina. It awarded 26 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Western Carolina University is $13,722 for bachelor’s degree theater students.
University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras is located in San Juan, and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 43 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras is $11,714 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students.
Read full report on Theater Arts at University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras
University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #19. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is a medium-sized school located in River Falls, Wisconsin that handed out 12 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $13,748 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students.
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%.
Read more about Theater Arts at University of Wisconsin - River Falls
University of North Dakota landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. UND is a fairly large school located in Grand Forks, North Dakota that handed out 2 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $15,738 for bachelor’s degree theater students per year to attend UND.
The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 University of North Dakota
Eastern Illinois University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This medium-sized school is located in Charleston, Illinois, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend EIU is $14,607 for bachelor’s degree theater students.
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s list. UW - Green Bay is a public institution located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $14,395 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students per year to attend UW - Green Bay.
University of Minnesota - Duluth came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Minnesota - Duluth is located in Duluth, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 29 bachelors’s theater degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $17,067 for bachelor’s degree theater students per year to attend UMN Duluth.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Illinois State University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Normal, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s theater degrees to 71 students in 2019-2020.
Illinois State excels when it comes to theater quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State is $20,895 for bachelor’s degree theater students.
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%.
Florida State University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s theater degrees to 69 students in 2019-2020.
Florida State excels when it comes to theater quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Florida State is $9,789 for Bachelor’s Degree Theater students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, 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 95%.
Rest of the Best 51 in Best Value Theater Schools for a Bachelor’s
Not only did these schools make the top 51 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
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 52 | University of South Florida - Main Campus | Tampa, FL |
| 53 | Hunter College | New York, NY |
| 54 | Florida International University | Miami, FL |
| 55 | California State University - Northridge | Northridge, CA |
| 55 | Texas State University | San Marcos, TX |
| 57 | Westfield State University | Westfield, MA |
| 57 | Kennesaw State University | Kennesaw, GA |
| 59 | Northwest Missouri State University | Maryville, MO |
| 60 | Purchase College | Purchase, NY |
| 61 | Tarleton State University | Stephenville, TX |
| 62 | California State University - Long Beach | Long Beach, CA |
| 63 | University of Central Florida | Orlando, FL |
| 64 | Southern Illinois University Carbondale | Carbondale, IL |
| 65 | University of Southern Indiana | Evansville, IN |
| 66 | University of Central Oklahoma | Edmond, OK |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 67 | Texas Tech University | Lubbock, TX |
| 68 | University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma | Chickasha, OK |
| 69 | Queens College | Queens, NY |
| 70 | Georgia Southern University | Statesboro, GA |
| 71 | California University of Pennsylvania | California, PA |
| 72 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Greensboro, NC |
| 73 | The College at Brockport | Brockport, NY |
| 74 | University of Nevada - Las Vegas | Las Vegas, NV |
| 75 | University of Northern Colorado | Greeley, CO |
| 76 | University of South Alabama | Mobile, AL |
| 77 | SUNY New Paltz | New Paltz, NY |
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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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