by our College Data Analytics TeamWe've pulled together some essential information you should know about the program, including how many students graduate each year, the ethnic diversity of these students, average starting salaries, and more. We've also included details on how Columbia ranks compared to other colleges offering a major in theater.
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In College Factual's most recent rankings for the best schools for theater majors, Columbia came in at #13. This puts it in the top 5% of the country in this field of study. It is also ranked #2 in Illinois.
| Ranking Type | Rank |
|---|---|
| Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools | 12 |
| Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools | 13 |
During the 2021-2022 academic year, Columbia College Chicago handed out 144 bachelor's degrees in drama & theater arts. This is a decrease of 3% over the previous year when 148 degrees were handed out.
In 2022, 7 students received their master’s degree in theater from Columbia. This makes it the #73 most popular school for theater master’s degree candidates in the country.
Theater majors who earn their bachelor's degree from Columbia go on to jobs where they make a median salary of $17,929 a year. This is less than $20,701, which is the national median of all theater majors in the nation who earn bachelor's degrees.
While getting their bachelor's degree at Columbia, theater students borrow a median amount of $62,777 in student loans. This is higher than the the typical median of $50,400 for all theater majors across the country.
The typical student loan payment of a bachelor's degree student from the theater program at Columbia is $695 per month.
During the 2022-2023 academic year, part-time undergraduate students at Columbia paid an average of $1,011 per credit hour. No discount was available for in-state students. The following table shows the average full-time tuition and fees for undergraduates.
| In State | Out of State | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $30,734 | $30,734 |
| Fees | $1,786 | $1,786 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,800 | $1,800 |
| On Campus Room and Board | $16,838 | $16,838 |
| On Campus Other Expenses | $3,130 | $3,130 |
Learn more about Columbia tuition and fees.
Of the 144 students who earned a bachelor's degree in Drama & Theater Arts from Columbia in 2021-2022, 36% were men and 64% were women.
The majority of bachelor's degree recipients in this major at Columbia are white. In the most recent graduating class for which data is available, 67% of students fell into this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a bachelor's in theater.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 4 |
| Black or African American | 9 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 23 |
| White | 97 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 1 |
| Other Races | 10 |
Columbia does not offer an online option for its theater bachelor’s degree program at this time. To see if the school offers distance learning options in other areas, visit the Columbia Online Learning page.
All of the 1 students who graduated with a Master’s in theater from Columbia in 2022 were women.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a master's in theater.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 0 |
| Black or African American | 0 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0 |
| White | 0 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 1 |
| Other Races | 0 |
Take a look at the following statistics related to the make-up of the theater majors at Columbia College Chicago.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Design & Applied Arts | 239 |
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 198 |
| Arts & Media Management | 118 |
| Music | 59 |
| Fine & Studio Arts | 50 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.