by our College Data Analytics TeamWe've gathered data and other essential information about the program, such as the average salary of graduates, ethnicity of students, how many students graduated in recent times, and more. We've also included details on how NIU ranks compared to other colleges offering a major in theater.
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The bachelor's program at NIU was ranked #172 on College Factual's Best Schools for theater list. It is also ranked #12 in Illinois.
| Ranking Type | Rank |
|---|---|
| Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools | 166 |
| Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools | 172 |
During the 2021-2022 academic year, Northern Illinois University handed out 34 bachelor's degrees in drama & theater arts. This is a decrease of 8% over the previous year when 37 degrees were handed out.
In 2022, 6 students received their master’s degree in theater from NIU. This makes it the #80 most popular school for theater master’s degree candidates in the country.
Theater majors who earn their bachelor's degree from NIU go on to jobs where they make a median salary of $23,517 a year. This is great news for graduates of the program, since this figure is higher than the national average of $20,701 for all theater bachelor's degree recipients.
During the 2022-2023 academic year, part-time undergraduate students at NIU paid an average of $360 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 | $9,792 | $9,792 |
| Fees | $2,714 | $2,714 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,300 | $1,300 |
| On Campus Room and Board | $12,800 | $12,800 |
| On Campus Other Expenses | $2,836 | $2,836 |
Learn more about NIU tuition and fees.
During the 2021-2022 academic year, 34 theater majors earned their bachelor's degree from NIU. Of these graduates, 44% were men and 56% were women.
The majority of bachelor's degree recipients in this major at NIU are white. In the most recent graduating class for which data is available, 71% of students fell into this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Northern Illinois University with a bachelor's in theater.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 0 |
| Black or African American | 3 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5 |
| White | 24 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 1 |
| Other Races | 1 |
Online degrees for the NIU theater bachelor’s degree program are not available at this time. To see if the school offers distance learning options in other areas, visit the NIU Online Learning page.
Graduates of the master's theater program at NIU make a median salary of $19,278. This is less than what their typical peers from other schools make. Their median salary is $27,533.
For the most recent academic year available, 47% of theater master's degrees went to men and 53% went to women.
The majority of the students with this major are white. About 65% of 2022 graduates were in this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Northern Illinois University with a master's in theater.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 1 |
| Black or African American | 2 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1 |
| White | 11 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 0 |
| Other Races | 2 |
Take a look at the following statistics related to the make-up of the theater majors at Northern Illinois University.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Fine & Studio Arts | 99 |
| Music | 72 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.