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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Acting in California

7 Ranked Colleges
48 Degrees Awarded
$43,400 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Acting Major in California

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Acting Major in California” ranking.

In 2021-2022, 1,686 people earned their degree in acting, making the major the 323rd most popular in the United States.

Across California, there were 381 acting graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 48 acting graduates with average earnings and debt of $63,735 and $51,649 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Acting Major in California” ranking, we looked at 7 colleges that offer a degree in acting. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in acting.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Acting Major in California” list, to help you choose the best school for 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.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Acting Major in California

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Acting Major in California”.

Top 7 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Acting in California

1
2
New York Film Academy crest
New York Film Academy
Burbank, California

Out of the 7 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Acting Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, New York Film Academy landed the #2 spot on the list. This small school is located in Burbank, California, and it awarded 11 masters’s acting degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full New York Film Academy Acting Report

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Institute of the Arts. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Acting Major in California list. California Institute of the Arts is a small school located in Valencia, California that handed out 12 masters’s acting degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Acting at CalArts

4
Academy of Art University crest
Academy of Art University
San Francisco, California

Out of the 7 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Acting Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Academy of Art University landed the #4 spot on the list. Academy of Art University is a private for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 3 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Acting at Academy of Art University

5
USD crest
University of San Diego
San Diego, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of San Diego. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Acting Major in California. San Diego, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s acting degrees to 7 students in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Acting at USD

6

With a ranking of #6, University of California - San Diego did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Acting Major in California list. University of California - San Diego is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 8 masters’s acting degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Acting at UCSD

7
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Acting Major in California ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 7 diplomas to qualified masters’s acting students in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Acting at USC

Notes and References

References

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