2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Theater Arts in Illinois

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 Master’s in Illinois” 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 master’s degree level specifically, there were 41 theater arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,267 and $46,814 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s in Illinois” ranking looked at 5 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in theater arts. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent theater arts programs, but they also cost less that 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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 Master’s in Illinois”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s in Illinois

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois master’s degree theater students.

Top 5 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Theater Arts in Illinois

#1

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

#3 in overall quality

$11,069 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Illinois State University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s in Illinois. Located in Normal, Illinois, this large public school handed out 7 diplomas to qualified masters’s theater students in 2019-2020.

Illinois State also made our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #3. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Illinois State are $11,069.

Read more about Theater Arts at Illinois State

#2

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, Illinois

#2 in overall quality

$30,083 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s in Illinois list. UIUC is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 16 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also made our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #2. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are $30,083, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Theater Arts at UIUC

#3

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

#5 in overall quality

$11,996 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Western Illinois University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s in Illinois list. Western Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 6 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at WIU are $11,996, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full WIU Theater Arts Report

#4

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Carbondale, Illinois

#4 in overall quality

$32,928 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #4 spot on the list. Carbondale, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s theater degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SIUC, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at SIUC are $32,928.

Read more about Theater Arts at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

#5

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

#1 in overall quality

$56,567 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s in Illinois list. Northwestern University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also took the #1 spot in our “Best Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern University are $56,567, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Northwestern Theater Arts Report

• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Theater Arts in the Great Lakes Region
• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Theater Arts

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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