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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Musical Theater (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

16 Ranked Colleges
201 Degrees Awarded
$15,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 935 people earned their degree in musical theater, making the major the 489th most popular in the United States.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 201 musical theater graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 201 musical theater graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 16 colleges that offered a degree in musical theater. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality musical theater programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the musical theater program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 16 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Musical Theater (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s musical theatre degrees to 21 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Musical Theater Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $3,166 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree musical theatre students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Musical Theater at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

#2

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#4 in overall quality

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s musical theatre degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Musical Theater Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $4,969 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Musical Theatre students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Indiana University - Bloomington.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Full IU Bloomington Musical Theater Report

#3

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan
#11 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Oakland University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Oakland University is located in Rochester Hills, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s musical theatre degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree musical theatre students whose families make $0-$30k list, Oakland has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Musical Theater Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Oakland University is $7,490 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree musical theatre students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Musical Theater at Oakland University

#4

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan
#14 in overall quality

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Central Michigan University landed the #4 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s musical theatre degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree musical theatre students whose families make $0-$30k list, Central Michigan has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Musical Theater Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Central Michigan University is $11,598 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Musical Theatre students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Central Michigan Musical Theater Report

#5

Viterbo University

La Crosse, Wisconsin
#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Viterbo University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Viterbo is a small school located in La Crosse, Wisconsin that handed out 11 bachelors’s musical theatre degrees in 2019-2020.

Viterbo not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Musical Theater Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Viterbo University is $13,538 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Musical Theatre students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 Musical Theater at Viterbo

#6

Taylor University

Upland, Indiana
#2 in overall quality

Taylor University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Upland, Indiana, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s musical theatre degrees in 2019-2020.

Taylor U also made our “Best Musical Theater Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for Taylor U is $18,399 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Musical Theatre students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Musical Theater at Taylor University

#7

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan
#10 in overall quality

Western Michigan University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Kalamazoo, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s musical theatre degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree musical theatre students whose families make $0-$30k list, WMU has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Musical Theater Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Western Michigan University is $13,021 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Musical Theatre students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Musical Theater at Western Michigan University

#9 in overall quality

Kent State University at Kent landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Kent, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s musical theatre degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Kent State, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Musical Theater Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Kent State is $13,915 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree musical theatre students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Musical Theater at Kent State

#9

Otterbein University

Westerville, Ohio
#3 in overall quality

Otterbein University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Westerville, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s musical theatre students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Otterbein, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Musical Theater Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Otterbein is $17,028 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Musical Theatre students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 Musical Theater at Otterbein

#10

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois
#13 in overall quality

Elmhurst University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Elmhurst University is located in Elmhurst, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s musical theatre degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Elmhurst, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Musical Theater Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $16,903 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Musical Theatre students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Elmhurst University.

The low student loan default rate of 3.0% 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 Elmhurst Musical Theater Report

#11

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

Illinois Wesleyan University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Illinois Wesleyan University is located in Bloomington, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s musical theatre degrees to qualified students.

Illinois Wesleyan also made our “Best Musical Theater Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $18,570 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree musical theatre students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Illinois Wesleyan.

The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read full report on Musical Theater at Illinois Wesleyan

#12

North Central College

Naperville, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

North Central College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. Naperville, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s musical theatre degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree musical theatre students whose families make $0-$30k list, North Central has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Musical Theater Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Central is $18,889 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Musical Theatre students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full North Central College Musical Theater Report

#13

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#8 in overall quality

Columbia College Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Columbia is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia also made our “Best Musical Theater Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $27,120 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Musical Theatre students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Columbia College Chicago.

Full Columbia Musical Theater Report

#14

Carthage College

Kenosha, Wisconsin
#12 in overall quality

Carthage College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. Carthage College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Kenosha, Wisconsin. It awarded 1 bachelors’s musical theatre degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Carthage, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Musical Theater Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $24,480 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Musical Theatre students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Carthage College.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Musical Theater at Carthage College

#15

Roosevelt University

Chicago, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

Roosevelt University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Roosevelt University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 35 bachelors’s musical theatre degrees in 2019-2020.

Roosevelt also took the #15 spot in our “Best Musical Theater Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $20,398 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Musical Theatre students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Roosevelt.

Full Roosevelt Musical Theater Report

#16

Anderson University Indiana

Anderson, Indiana
#16 in overall quality

Anderson University Indiana did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Musical Theatre Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. Anderson University Indiana is located in Anderson, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s musical theatre degrees to qualified students.

Anderson University Indiana also took the #16 spot in our “Best Musical Theater Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $16,528 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Musical Theatre students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Anderson University Indiana.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Musical Theater at Anderson University Indiana

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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