2026 Best Theater Design & Technology Schools in California
Theater Design & Technology degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their theater design & technology programs.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 54 schools to find the best for theater design & technology students.
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Best Schools for Theater Design & Technology in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall theater design & technology education in California.
Top Schools in Theater Design & Technology
University Of Southern California is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in theater design & technology. University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. University Of Southern California graduates 92% of students within six years. About 14 theater design & technology degrees were awarded at University Of Southern California in the most recent year. Graduates of the theater design & technology program make about $21,619 in their early career. University Of Southern California graduates carry a median of $12,000 in student loans.
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Students looking for a strong theater design & technology program will find one at Santa Monica College, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Santa Monica, Santa Monica College is a very large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 81%. There were roughly 11 theater design & technology students who graduated with this degree at Santa Monica College in the most recent data year.
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California Institute Of The Arts came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best theater design & technology schools. Set in the suburb of Valencia, California Institute Of The Arts is a small private not-for-profit institution. About 67% of students finish within six years. About 30 theater design & technology degrees were awarded at California Institute Of The Arts in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, theater design & technology degree recipients from California Institute Of The Arts generally make around $28,915. California Institute Of The Arts graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
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East Los Angeles College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best theater design & technology schools. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Monterey Park. About 30 theater design & technology degrees were awarded at East Los Angeles College in the most recent year. Theater Design & Technology graduates of East Los Angeles College earn a median of $33,595 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $8,180.
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More Theater Design & Technology Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 54 schools evaluated.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
