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2025 Best Drama & Theater Arts Associate Degree Schools in New York

5 Colleges in New York
335 Associate Degrees
$14,916 Avg Early-Career Salary
an associate degree in drama & theater arts is more popular than many other degrees. In fact, it ranks #65 out of 328 on popularity of all such degrees in the nation. This means you won't have too much trouble finding schools that offer the degree.

In 2025, College Factual analyzed 5 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Drama & Theater Arts Associate Degree Schools in New York ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 335 associate degrees in drama & theater arts during the 2022-2023 academic year.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Drama & Theater Arts School for Your Associate Degree

Best Drama & Theater Arts Associate Degree Schools in New York The theater associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:

Quality Overall Is Important

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To take this into account we consider a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a combination of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Average Earnings

One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of associate graduates during the early years of their career. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their associate degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for drama & theater arts students working on their associate degree.

More Ways to Rank Drama & Theater Arts Schools

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Drama & Theater Arts Associate Degree Schools in New York ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Drama & Theater Arts in New York

Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for drama & theater arts students seeking a an associate degree.

Top New York Schools for an Associate in Theater

1
61 Annual Graduates
$15,909 Median Starting Salary
$70,000 Median Student Debt

Every student who is interested in an associate degree in drama & theater arts has to check out American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Located in the large city of New York, American Musical and Dramatic Academy is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

After graduating, theater associate recipients typically earn about $15,909 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a associate in drama & theater arts from American Musical and Dramatic Academy

2
80 Annual Graduates
$12,445 Median Starting Salary
$42,130 Median Student Debt

American Academy of Dramatic Arts - New York is one of the best schools in the country for getting an associate degree in drama & theater arts. Located in the city of New York, American Academy of Dramatic Arts - New York is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

Associate graduates who receive their degree from the theater program earn around $12,445 for their early career.

More information about a associate in drama & theater arts from American Academy of Dramatic Arts - New York

3
LaGuardia crest
LaGuardia Community College
Long Island City, NY

LaGuardia Community College is a great option for students pursuing an associate degree in drama & theater arts. LaGuardia is a large public college located in the large city of Long Island City.

Associate graduates who receive their degree from the theater program make about $15,314 for their early career.

More information about a associate in drama & theater arts from LaGuardia Community College

4
13 Annual Graduates

Hudson Valley Community College is one of the best schools in the country for getting an associate degree in drama & theater arts. Located in the small city of Troy, HVCC is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a associate in drama & theater arts from Hudson Valley Community College

5
125 Annual Graduates
$15,997 Median Starting Salary
$48,995 Median Student Debt

Located in the city of New York, New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts is a private for-profit school with a small student population.

Associate students who receive their degree from the theater program earn around $15,997 in their early career salary.

More information about a associate in drama & theater arts from New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts

Best Drama & Theater Arts Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region

Explore all the Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Pennsylvania 179 48
Maryland 126 3

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One of 10 majors within the Visual & Performing Arts area of study, Drama & Theater Arts has other similar majors worth exploring.

Theater Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Acting 210
Theater Arts 52
Musical Theater 52
Theater Design & Technology 12
Other Dramatic/Theatre Arts & Stagecraft 9

Related Major Annual Graduates
Design & Applied Arts 1,336
Fine & Studio Arts 401
General Visual & Performing Arts 259
Music 125
Film, Video & Photographic Arts 95
Dance 7
Arts & Media Management 6

Notes and References

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