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2023 Best Value Colleges for Playwriting & Screenwriting (Income $0-$30k)

30 Ranked Colleges
683 Degrees Awarded
$18,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Playwriting & Screenwriting is the 521st most popular major in the country with 683 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

For this year’s “Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 30 colleges that offer a degree in playwriting and screenwriting. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great playwriting and screenwriting programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the playwriting and screenwriting program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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The playwriting and screenwriting school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Playwriting & Screenwriting (Income $0-$30k)

1
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Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Northwestern is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 11 ’s playwriting and screenwriting degrees in 2020-2021.

Northwestern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $245 for Playwriting and Screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Northwestern University Playwriting & Screenwriting Report

2
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Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Florida State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this large public school awarded 7 degrees to qualified ’s playwriting and screenwriting students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k list, Florida State has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,950 for playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Florida State University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Playwriting & Screenwriting at Florida State

3
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Hunter College
New York, New York

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Hunter College landed the #3 spot on the list. Hunter is a large public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 5 ’s playwriting and screenwriting degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Hunter College is $396 for playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad 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 Playwriting & Screenwriting at Hunter College

4
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Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Carnegie Mellon University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. Carnegie Mellon University is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s playwriting and screenwriting degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k list, Carnegie Mellon has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Carnegie Mellon University is $16,456 for Playwriting and Screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Carnegie Mellon Playwriting & Screenwriting Report

5
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Emory University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 2 degrees to qualified ’s playwriting and screenwriting students in 2020-2021.

Emory also made our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend Emory is $8,538 for playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Playwriting & Screenwriting at Emory University

6
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University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #6, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s playwriting and screenwriting degrees to 43 students in 2020-2021.

USC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Southern California is $17,287 for Playwriting and Screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full USC Playwriting & Screenwriting Report

7

California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. Cal State Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 9 ’s playwriting and screenwriting degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fullerton is $4,590 for Playwriting and Screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Playwriting & Screenwriting at Cal State Fullerton

8
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Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 5 degrees to qualified ’s playwriting and screenwriting students in 2020-2021.

Boston U did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Boston University is $12,982 for Playwriting and Screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Boston University Playwriting & Screenwriting Report

9

California State University - Northridge landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. California State University - Northridge is located in Northridge, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 15 ’s playwriting and screenwriting degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUN, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” ranking. It costs about $6,266 for playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Northridge.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 CSUN Playwriting & Screenwriting Report

10
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University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Iowa City, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s playwriting and screenwriting degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

Iowa also took the #9 spot in our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa is $13,554 for playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Playwriting & Screenwriting at University of Iowa

11
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Purchase College
Purchase, New York

With a ranking of #11, Purchase College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Purchase College is a small school located in Purchase, New York that handed out 38 ’s playwriting and screenwriting degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k list, Purchase College has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Purchase College is $13,899 for playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Playwriting & Screenwriting at Purchase College

12
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Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, New York

With a ranking of #12, Stony Brook University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Stony Brook, New York, this large public school awarded 5 degrees to qualified ’s playwriting and screenwriting students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Stony Brook University is $11,863 for playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Playwriting & Screenwriting at SUNY Stony Brook

13
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New York University
New York, New York

New York University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 98 ’s playwriting and screenwriting degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k list, NYU has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend New York University is $23,582 for playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full New York University Playwriting & Screenwriting Report

14

Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. Athens, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s playwriting and screenwriting degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at OHIO Athens, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ohio University - Athens Campus is $17,614 for Playwriting and Screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full OHIO Athens Playwriting & Screenwriting Report

15
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Stephens College
Columbia, Missouri

Stephens College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 18 degrees to qualified ’s playwriting and screenwriting students in 2020-2021.

Stephens also made our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” list, coming in at #23. It costs about $19,649 for Playwriting and Screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Stephens College.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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 Stephens Playwriting & Screenwriting Report

16
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Point Park University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Point Park University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Point Park is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 ’s playwriting and screenwriting degrees to qualified students.

Point Park did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” list. It costs about $17,036 for Playwriting and Screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Point Park.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% 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%.

Full Point Park Playwriting & Screenwriting Report

17
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Bennington College
Bennington, Vermont

Bennington College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Bennington, Vermont, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 2 diplomas to qualified ’s playwriting and screenwriting students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k list, Bennington has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” ranking. It costs about $23,632 for playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Bennington College.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad 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 Playwriting & Screenwriting at Bennington College

18
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DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 28 ’s playwriting and screenwriting degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k list, DePaul has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” ranking. It costs about $27,123 for Playwriting and Screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend DePaul University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Playwriting & Screenwriting at DePaul

19
Columbia crest
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Columbia College Chicago ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s playwriting and screenwriting degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.

Columbia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” list. It costs about $21,344 for Playwriting and Screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Columbia College Chicago.

Read more about Playwriting & Screenwriting at Columbia College Chicago

20
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Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, California

Azusa Pacific University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Azusa, California, and it awarded 3 ’s playwriting and screenwriting degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $26,548 for playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Azusa Pacific.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Azusa Pacific Playwriting & Screenwriting Report

21
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Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #21, Loyola Marymount University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Loyola Marymount University is a fairly large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 72 ’s playwriting and screenwriting degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Loyola Marymount, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Loyola Marymount University is $32,730 for playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Playwriting & Screenwriting at Loyola Marymount University

22
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Chapman University
Orange, California

Chapman University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Chapman is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Orange, California. It awarded 64 ’s playwriting and screenwriting degrees in 2020-2021.

Chapman not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” list. It costs about $34,946 for playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Chapman University.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Playwriting & Screenwriting at Chapman University

23
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Academy of Art University
San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #23, Academy of Art University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in San Francisco, California, this medium-sized private for-profit school handed out 20 degrees to qualified ’s playwriting and screenwriting students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Academy of Art University, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Academy of Art University is $33,484 for Playwriting and Screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Academy of Art University Playwriting & Screenwriting Report

24
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Emerson College
Boston, Massachusetts

Emerson College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Emerson is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 25 ’s playwriting and screenwriting degrees in 2020-2021.

Emerson also took the #10 spot in our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Emerson is $34,171 for playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Playwriting & Screenwriting at Emerson College

25
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Pepperdine University
Malibu, California

With a ranking of #25, Pepperdine University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Playwriting and Screenwriting Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Pepperdine is located in Malibu, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s playwriting and screenwriting degrees to qualified students.

Pepperdine also took the #19 spot in our “Best Playwriting & Screenwriting Schools” ranking. It costs about $36,264 for playwriting and screenwriting students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Pepperdine University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, 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 85%.

Full Pepperdine Playwriting & Screenwriting Report

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