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2024 Best Theater Arts Schools

404 Colleges in the United States
11,385 Theater Degrees Awarded
Ranked #70 in popularity, theater arts is one of the most sought-after degree programs in the nation. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

College Factual looked at 404 colleges and universities when compiling its 2024 Best Theater Arts Schools ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 11,385 degrees in theater arts to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Theater Arts School

Best Theater Arts Schools Your choice of theater arts school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for theater arts schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Pick Your Theater Arts Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Theater
Bachelor's Degrees in Theater
Master's Degrees in Theater
Doctor's Degrees in Theater

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Theater Arts Schools list, to help you choose the best school for you. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to 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.

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.

Best Schools for Theater Arts in the United States

The schools below may not offer all types of theater degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Schools in Theater

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In IL
106 Theater Degrees Awarded

It's hard to beat Northwestern University if you wish to pursue a degree in theater arts. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #5 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Northwestern is a great university overall.

There were approximately 106 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in theater arts from Northwestern University

2
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
9th Most Popular In CA
48 Theater Degrees Awarded

University of Southern California is a good choice for students interested in a degree in theater arts. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #11 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means USC is a great university overall.

There were approximately 48 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in theater arts from University of Southern California

3
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In IN
58 Theater Degrees Awarded

University of Notre Dame is a great choice for students interested in a degree in theater arts. Notre Dame is a large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Notre Dame. A Best Colleges rank of #20 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Notre Dame is a great university overall.

There were approximately 58 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Notre Dame in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in theater arts from University of Notre Dame

4
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
2nd Most Popular In PA
50 Theater Degrees Awarded

Carnegie Mellon University is a wonderful decision for students interested in a degree in theater arts. Carnegie Mellon is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Pittsburgh. A Best Colleges rank of #9 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Carnegie Mellon is a great university overall.

There were approximately 50 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Carnegie Mellon in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in theater arts from Carnegie Mellon University

5
NYU crest
New York University
New York, NY
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In NY
337 Theater Degrees Awarded

NYU is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of New York. A Best Colleges rank of #27 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means NYU is a great university overall.

There were approximately 337 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at NYU in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in theater arts from New York University

6
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
10th Most Popular In GA

Emory is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Atlanta. This university ranks 2nd out of 68 colleges for overall quality in the state of Georgia.

There were about 7 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Emory in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in theater arts from Emory University

7
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
8th Most Popular In NY
42 Theater Degrees Awarded

Columbia is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of New York. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Columbia is a great university overall.

There were about 42 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Columbia in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in theater arts from Columbia University in the City of New York

8
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, CT
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
6th Most Popular In CT

Yale is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of New Haven. A Best Colleges rank of #8 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Yale is a great university overall.

There were roughly 7 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Yale in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in theater arts from Yale University

9
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, MA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
4th Most Popular In MA
9.5% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Boston, Boston U is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 6th out of 63 colleges for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.

There were roughly 21 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Boston U in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in theater arts from Boston University

10
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
11th Most Popular In CA
41 Theater Degrees Awarded

Located in the midsize city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #18 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.

There were approximately 41 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in theater arts from University of California - Berkeley

11
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
19th Most Popular In CA

Located in the city of Orange, Chapman is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 32nd out of 168 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were roughly 26 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Chapman in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in theater arts from Chapman University

12
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
12th Most Popular In CA
40 Theater Degrees Awarded

Located in the city of Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. This university ranks 20th out of 168 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were approximately 40 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Loyola Marymount in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in theater arts from Loyola Marymount University

13
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
2nd Most Popular In MI
43 Theater Degrees Awarded

Located in the city of Ann Arbor, U-M is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 57 schools for overall quality in the state of Michigan.

There were roughly 43 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at U-M in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in theater arts from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

14
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In CA
87 Theater Degrees Awarded

UCLA is a very large public university located in the large city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #26 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UCLA is a great university overall.

There were approximately 87 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in theater arts from University of California - Los Angeles

15
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
4th Most Popular In CT

UCONN is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Storrs. This university ranks 2nd out of 28 schools for overall quality in the state of Connecticut.

There were approximately 23 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at UCONN in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in theater arts from University of Connecticut

16
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In CA
117 Theater Degrees Awarded

Located in the large city of Irvine, UC Irvine is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 15th out of 168 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were roughly 117 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at UC Irvine in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in theater arts from University of California - Irvine

17
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
6th Most Popular In TX
38 Theater Degrees Awarded

UT Austin is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Austin. This university ranks 2nd out of 115 schools for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were about 38 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at UT Austin in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in theater arts from The University of Texas at Austin

18
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In FL
68 Theater Degrees Awarded

UF is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Gainesville. This university ranks 1st out of 77 schools for overall quality in the state of Florida.

There were roughly 68 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at UF in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in theater arts from University of Florida

19
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
10th Most Popular In CA
43 Theater Degrees Awarded

Located in the large city of La Jolla, UCSD is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 8th out of 168 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were about 43 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at UCSD in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in theater arts from University of California - San Diego

20
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In IA
37 Theater Degrees Awarded

Located in the small city of Iowa City, Iowa is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 40 colleges for overall quality in the state of Iowa.

There were approximately 37 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Iowa in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in theater arts from University of Iowa

21
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In WI
15.4% Growth in Graduates

UW - Madison is a very large public university located in the large city of Madison. This university ranks 1st out of 46 schools for overall quality in the state of Wisconsin.

There were about 26 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at UW - Madison in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in theater arts from University of Wisconsin - Madison

22
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In NH

Located in the remote town of Hanover, Dartmouth is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #25 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Dartmouth is a great college overall.

There were approximately 8 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Dartmouth in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in theater arts from Dartmouth College

23
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, NC
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
15th Most Popular In NC

Duke is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Durham. A Best Colleges rank of #7 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Duke is a great university overall.

There were roughly 5 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Duke in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in theater arts from Duke University

24
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
5th Most Popular In OH

Located in the large city of Cincinnati, UC is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 5th out of 96 schools for overall quality in the state of Ohio.

There were roughly 19 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at UC in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in theater arts from University of Cincinnati - Main Campus

25
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In MO
15.4% Growth in Graduates

WUSTL is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Saint Louis. A Best Colleges rank of #17 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means WUSTL is a great university overall.

There were about 13 theater arts students who graduated with this degree at WUSTL in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in theater arts from Washington University in St Louis

Rest of the Top Best Theater Arts Schools

26
27
Emerson crest
Emerson College
Boston, MA
27
28
29
30
31

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33
Lafayette crest
Lafayette College
Easton, PA
34
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, IL
35
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, RI
36
37
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
38
39
40
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN

41

42
43
44
45
46
Syracuse crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY
47
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL
48
49
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI

Additional Award Winners

This section shows the remainder of the schools awarded a Best Theater Arts Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 15% of the 404 different United States theater arts schools we analyzed.

Rank College Location
50 California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CA
51 Webster University Saint Louis, MO
52 Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL
53 Texas State University San Marcos, TX
54 Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, GA
55 Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, IN
56 Purchase College Purchase, NY
57 University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA
58 Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
59 Tufts University Medford, MA
60 University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst, MA

Honorable Mentions

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Theater Arts Schools award.

Rank College Location
61 The New School New York, NY
62 Muhlenberg College Allentown, PA
63 University of Arizona Tucson, AZ
64 Drake University Des Moines, IA
65 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC
66 Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY
67 University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Norman, OK
68 University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT
69 Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH
70 Baylor University Waco, TX
71 Millikin University Decatur, IL
72 James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA
73 Brigham Young University - Provo Provo, UT
74 Point Park University Pittsburgh, PA
75 Lindenwood University Saint Charles, MO
76 San Jose State University San Jose, CA
77 University of Miami Coral Gables, FL
78 University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO
79 Illinois State University Normal, IL
80 Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX

Theater Arts by Region

View the Best Theater Arts Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

View All Rankings >

Theater Arts is one of 11 different types of Drama & Theater Arts programs to choose from.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Acting 1,793
Theater Design & Technology 1,164
Musical Theater 995
Other Dramatic/Theatre Arts & Stagecraft 862
Playwriting & Screenwriting 683
Directing & Theatrical Production 219
Theatre and Dance 94
Costume Design 52
Theatre Literature, History & Criticism 51
Comedy Writing and Performance 43

View All Theater Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
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Degree Guides by Major
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