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2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k

139 Ranked Colleges
1,684 Degrees Awarded
$32,000 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Theater Schools for a Master's For Those Making $48-$75k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 18,124 people earned their degree in drama and theater arts, making the major the 59th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, drama and theater arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $21,403 and had an average of $26,932 in loans still to pay off.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,684 drama and theater arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,398 and $43,194 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 139 colleges that offered a degree in drama and theater arts. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent drama and theater arts programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

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

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree theater students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts (Income $48-$75k)

#1

Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Yale University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. Yale is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Haven, Connecticut. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 45 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Yale, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Yale University are $44,500.

Full Yale University Drama & Theater Arts Report

#2

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

Out of the 139 schools in the Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #2 spot on the list. Northwestern University is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 21 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree theater students whose families make $48-$75k list, Northwestern has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern are $56,567, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Northwestern University

#3

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
#8 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Cornell University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k. Cornell is a private not-for-profit institution located in Ithaca, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Cornell also took the #8 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Cornell are $30,042.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Cornell University

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Columbia University in the City of New York. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k. Columbia is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 37 masters’s theater degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our master’s degree theater students whose families make $48-$75k list, Columbia has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia University in the City of New York are $51,194.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Columbia University in the City of New York

#5

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#11 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Washington University in St Louis. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 4 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

WUSTL also took the #11 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Washington University in St Louis are $56,562, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Washington University in St Louis

#6

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#20 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 6 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue also took the #20 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue are $28,794.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Purdue

#7

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Florida is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 11 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at UF are $30,130, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full University of Florida Drama & Theater Arts Report

#8

Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Providence, Rhode Island, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 22 diplomas to qualified masters’s theater students in 2019-2020.

Brown did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Brown are $60,363, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at Brown

With a ranking of #9, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 1 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #0 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UW - Madison are $25,523.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Drama & Theater Arts Report

#10

University of Central Florida

Orlando, Florida

University of Central Florida ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. UCF is a large school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 19 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Central Florida are $28,657, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at UCF

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 16 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also took the #23 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Drama & Theater Arts Report

#12

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

University of California - Los Angeles came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s theater degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCLA, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UCLA are $28,131.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at University of California - Los Angeles

#13

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. Florida State University is located in Tallahassee, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 31 masters’s theater degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Florida State, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Florida State are $26,707, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Florida State University

#12 in overall quality

University of California - Irvine ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of California - Irvine is a large school located in Irvine, California that handed out 20 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree theater students whose families make $48-$75k list, UC Irvine has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Irvine are $28,456, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full UC Irvine Drama & Theater Arts Report

#15

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, this large public school awarded 13 degrees to qualified masters’s theater students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are $30,248, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a large school located in Seattle, Washington that handed out 10 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Washington - Seattle Campus are $30,294, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

California State University - Los Angeles came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s theater degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State LA, the school also landed the #0 spot in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Los Angeles are $17,723, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Cal State LA Drama & Theater Arts Report

#18

Brooklyn College

Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn College landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Brooklyn College is a fairly large school located in Brooklyn, New York that handed out 17 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Brooklyn College are $20,952, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Brooklyn College

#19

Hunter College

New York, New York

Hunter College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #19. Hunter College is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 masters’s theater degrees to qualified students.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Hunter College are $20,828, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Hunter College Drama & Theater Arts Report

#20

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia
#21 in overall quality

University of Virginia - Main Campus landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Virginia - Main Campus is a public institution located in Charlottesville, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 6 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Virginia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Virginia - Main Campus are $32,394, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at University of Virginia - Main Campus

The University of Texas at Austin came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UT Austin is a large school located in Austin, Texas that handed out 15 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree theater students whose families make $48-$75k list, UT Austin has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Drama & Theater Arts Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UT Austin are $22,886, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at The University of Texas at Austin

#22

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this large public school handed out 4 diplomas to qualified masters’s theater students in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities are $28,845.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at UMN Twin Cities

University of Nevada - Las Vegas did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #23. Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, this large public school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified masters’s theater students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at UNLV are $21,962, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at UNLV

California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #24. Cal State Fullerton is a large public school situated in Fullerton, California. It awarded 15 masters’s theater degrees in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State Fullerton are $17,892.

Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at California State University - Fullerton

#25

University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

University of North Carolina School of the Arts came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Theater Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UNCSA is a public institution located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of North Carolina School of the Arts are $26,064.

Read more about Drama & Theater Arts at University of North Carolina School of the Arts

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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