2027 Best Value Musical Theater Schools in Texas
[Musical Theater](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/musical-theater/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for musical theater students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Musical Theater Schools in Texas
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in musical theater, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Musical Theater Schools
Austin Community College District earned the #1 spot for value among musical theater schools in Texas. Set in the city of Austin, Austin Community College District is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,550, with out-of-state students paying around $10,590. Students borrow a median of $14,519 to complete the musical theater program here. Early-career musical theater graduates make about $44,895. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Sam Houston State University earned it the #2 place for musical theater. Sam Houston State University is a very large public school located in the town of Huntsville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,228, compared with $19,068 for out-of-state students. Musical Theater graduates carry a median of $22,250 in student loans. Early-career musical theater graduates make about $21,858. That is a strong return on a $22,250 median debt. Sam Houston State University admits about 90% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in musical theater will find it at Texas State University San Marcos, which ranked #3. Set in the city of San Marcos, Texas State University San Marcos is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,450 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $22,930. Typical student debt for musical theater graduates is $21,500. Musical Theater graduates of Texas State University San Marcos earn a median of $26,045 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.
West Texas A And M University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in musical theater, landing the #4 spot this year. West Texas A And M University is a large public school located in the town of Canyon. Students from in state pay about $9,101 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $10,996. Musical Theater graduates carry a median of $22,328 in student loans. Early-career musical theater graduates make about $25,036. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 99%.
Students looking for strong value in musical theater will find it at Kd College Conservatory Of Film And Dramatic Arts, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Dallas, Kd College Conservatory Of Film And Dramatic Arts is a small private for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $20,521. Students borrow a median of $17,316 to complete the musical theater program here. Musical Theater graduates of Kd College Conservatory Of Film And Dramatic Arts earn a median of $22,845 early in their careers. Set against $17,316 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Kd College Conservatory Of Film And Dramatic Arts admits about 68% of applicants.
Texas Christian University earned the #6 position for value in musical theater this year. Set in the city of Fort Worth, Texas Christian University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,740. Musical Theater graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Musical Theater graduates of Texas Christian University earn a median of $21,221 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 44% of applicants are accepted.
More Musical Theater Rankings
View All Musical Theater Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
