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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Theater Arts

995 Ranked Colleges
11,385 Degrees Awarded
$30,700 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Theater Arts is the 70th most popular major in the country with 11,385 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major” ranking, we looked at 995 colleges that offer a degree in theater arts. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in theater arts.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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

Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for theater students.

Top 26 Most Focused Colleges for Theater Arts

1

Out of the 995 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre landed the #1 spot on the list. Dell’Arte International is a private not-for-profit institution located in Blue Lake, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Theater Arts at Dell’Arte International

2
Cornish College of the Arts crest
Cornish College of the Arts
Seattle, Washington

Out of the 995 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Cornish College of the Arts landed the #2 spot on the list. Cornish College of the Arts is a small school located in Seattle, Washington that handed out 35 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%.

Full Cornish College of the Arts Theater Arts Report

3
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Muhlenberg College
Allentown, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Muhlenberg College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. Muhlenberg College is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 71 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full Muhlenberg College Theater Arts Report

4
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Five Towns College
Dix Hills, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Five Towns College. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major. Five Towns College is a private for-profit institution located in Dix Hills, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate 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 Five Towns College

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Carolina School of the Arts. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major. UNCSA is a public institution located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 19 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Theater Arts at UNCSA

6
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Dean College
Franklin, Massachusetts

Dean College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking, coming in at #6. This small school is located in Franklin, Massachusetts, and it awarded 24 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Dean College Theater Arts Report

7
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Bennington College
Bennington, Vermont

Bennington College ranked #7 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. This small school is located in Bennington, Vermont, and it awarded 20 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Theater Arts at Bennington College

8
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Catawba College
Salisbury, North Carolina

Catawba College ranked #8 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. Catawba is a private not-for-profit institution located in Salisbury, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 20 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Catawba Theater Arts Report

9

University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking. This small school is located in Chickasha, Oklahoma, and it awarded 10 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Full University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Theater Arts Report

10
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Wagner College
Staten Island, New York

Wagner College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking. Wagner College is located in Staten Island, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 45 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theater Arts at Wagner

11
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Millikin University
Decatur, Illinois

Millikin University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking. Millikin University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Decatur, Illinois. It awarded 35 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate 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

12

Southern Oregon University ranked #12 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Ashland, Oregon, and it awarded 72 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Theater Arts at Southern Oregon University

13
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Purchase College
Purchase, New York

Purchase College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking. This small school is located in Purchase, New York, and it awarded 48 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Theater Arts at Purchase College

14
Principia crest
Principia College
Elsah, Illinois

With a ranking of #14, Principia College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. Principia College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Elsah, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Theater Arts at Principia

15
Dillard University crest
Dillard University
New Orleans, Louisiana

With a ranking of #15, Dillard University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. Dillard University is located in New Orleans, Louisiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

Read more about Theater Arts at Dillard University

16
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Mary Baldwin University
Staunton, Virginia

Mary Baldwin University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. Located in Staunton, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 15 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

Full Mary Baldwin University Theater Arts Report

17
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University of Montevallo
Montevallo, Alabama

University of Montevallo ranked #17 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. University of Montevallo is located in Montevallo, Alabama and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Theater Arts at University of Montevallo

18
Drew crest
Drew University
Madison, New Jersey

Drew University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking. Madison, New Jersey is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 more about Theater Arts at Drew

19
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The University of the Arts
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The University of the Arts did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking, coming in at #19. This small school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 15 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Theater Arts at UArts

20
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Lawrence University
Appleton, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #20, Lawrence University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. Lawrence U is a small school located in Appleton, Wisconsin that handed out 12 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Lawrence University Theater Arts Report

21
Calvary crest
Calvary University
Kansas City, Missouri

With a ranking of #21, Calvary University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. Calvary University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Kansas City, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate 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.

Full Calvary Theater Arts Report

22
Emerson crest
Emerson College
Boston, Massachusetts

Emerson College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 49 degrees to qualified ’s theater students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theater Arts at Emerson

23
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Pomona College
Claremont, California

Pomona College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking. Pomona is located in Claremont, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 ’s theater degrees to qualified students.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Theater Arts at Pomona

24
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University of the Ozarks
Clarksville, Arkansas

University of the Ozarks came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking. University of the Ozarks is a small school located in Clarksville, Arkansas that handed out 6 ’s theater degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Theater Arts at University of the Ozarks

25
Cornell College crest
Cornell College
Mount Vernon, Iowa

Cornell College ranked #25 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major list. Mount Vernon, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Theater Arts at Cornell College

25
Centenary Louisiana crest
Centenary College of Louisiana
Shreveport, Louisiana

Centenary College of Louisiana landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major ranking. Shreveport, Louisiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s theater degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Centenary Louisiana Theater Arts Report

Rest of the Best 49 in Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major

Not only did these schools make the top 49 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

27
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Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs, New York
28
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University of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
29
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Hampshire College
Amherst, Massachusetts
29
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Hollins University
Roanoke, Virginia
31
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Sterling College
Sterling, Kansas
32
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Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, New York
33
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Brevard College
Brevard, North Carolina
34
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Berea College
Berea, Kentucky
35
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DeSales University
Center Valley, Pennsylvania
36
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Northern Oklahoma College
Tonkawa, Oklahoma
37
38
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Allegheny College
Meadville, Pennsylvania
39
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The College of Idaho
Caldwell, Idaho
40
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Westmont College
Santa Barbara, California
41
Sarah Lawrence crest
Sarah Lawrence College
Bronxville, New York
41
Andrew College crest
Andrew College
Cuthbert, Georgia
43
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Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois
44
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Southwestern University
Georgetown, Texas
45
46
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Winthrop University
Rock Hill, South Carolina
47
48
SUNY Fredonia crest
SUNY Fredonia
Fredonia, New York
49
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Morehouse College
Atlanta, Georgia
50
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Molloy College
Rockville Centre, New York

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools Highly Focused on Theater Major

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 Maryville College Maryville, TN
52 Linfield University - McMinnville Campus McMinnville, OR
53 Rollins College Winter Park, FL
54 Point Park University Pittsburgh, PA
55 Eureka College Eureka, IL
56 Albright College Reading, PA
57 Kenyon College Gambier, OH
58 Western Connecticut State University Danbury, CT
59 Spelman College Atlanta, GA
60 North Central College Naperville, IL
61 Western Texas College Snyder, TX
62 Whittier College Whittier, CA
63 Norfolk State University Norfolk, VA
64 Nebraska Wesleyan University Lincoln, NE
65 Alabama State University Montgomery, AL
Rank College Location
66 University of Minnesota - Morris Morris, MN
67 Earlham College Richmond, IN
68 Oglethorpe University Atlanta, GA
69 New York University New York, NY
70 Susquehanna University Selinsgrove, PA
71 Emory and Henry College Emory, VA
72 Fairleigh Dickinson University - Florham Campus Madison, NJ
73 Nazareth College Rochester, NY
74 SUNY New Paltz New Paltz, NY
75 Hamilton College Clinton, NY
76 Kalamazoo College Kalamazoo, MI
77 Wesleyan University Middletown, CT
78 Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, GA
79 Eastern Connecticut State University Willimantic, CT
80 Bob Jones University Greenville, SC
81 Luther College Decorah, IA
82 Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY
83 Heidelberg University Tiffin, OH
84 St Mary’s College of Maryland St. Mary’s City, MD
85 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI
86 Regent University Virginia Beach, VA
87 Washington College Chestertown, MD
88 Ohio Northern University Ada, OH
89 University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras San Juan, PR
90 Westminster College Utah Salt Lake City, UT
Rank College Location
91 Barnard College New York, NY
92 Bethany Lutheran College Mankato, MN
93 Wofford College Spartanburg, SC
94 Flagler College - St Augustine Saint Augustine, FL
95 The New School New York, NY
96 Grinnell College Grinnell, IA
97 Bates College Lewiston, ME
98 St Olaf College Northfield, MN
99 Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma, WA
100 Wesleyan College Macon, GA
101 Guilford College Greensboro, NC
102 Ripon College Ripon, WI
103 Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI
104 Northwestern State University of Louisiana Natchitoches, LA
105 Central College Pella, IA
105 Bard College at Simon’s Rock Great Barrington, MA
107 University of Wisconsin - Parkside Kenosha, WI
108 Loyola University New Orleans New Orleans, LA
109 Occidental College Los Angeles, CA
110 Lincoln College Lincoln, IL
111 Asbury University Wilmore, KY
112 Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach, FL
113 Texas State University San Marcos, TX
114 Drury University Springfield, MO
115 College of the Holy Cross Worcester, MA
Rank College Location
116 Gordon College Wenham, MA
117 Coastal Carolina University Conway, SC
118 Ithaca College Ithaca, NY
119 Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA
120 Converse College Spartanburg, SC
121 Randolph College Lynchburg, VA
122 SUNY Potsdam Potsdam, NY
123 Castleton University Castleton, VT
124 University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN
125 Rhode Island College Providence, RI
126 Pitzer College Claremont, CA
126 University of Northwestern - St Paul Saint Paul, MN
128 Oberlin College Oberlin, OH
128 East Texas Baptist University Marshall, TX
130 Sewanee - The University of the South Sewanee, TN
131 Texas Wesleyan University Fort Worth, TX
132 University of Mount Union Alliance, OH
133 Bethany College Kansas Lindsborg, KS
134 Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA
135 Beloit College Beloit, WI
136 Niagara University Niagara University, NY
137 Louisiana College Pineville, LA
137 Goshen College Goshen, IN
139 James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA
140 College of the Siskiyous Weed, CA
Rank College Location
141 College of Marin Kentfield, CA
142 Columbus State University Columbus, GA
143 University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC
144 Whitman College Walla Walla, WA
145 Williams College Williamstown, MA
146 Snow College Ephraim, UT
147 Illinois State University Normal, IL
148 LaGrange College Lagrange, GA
149 Kentucky Wesleyan College Owensboro, KY
149 Western Wyoming Community College Rock Springs, WY

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

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