by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools in the Middle Atlantic Region to determine which ones were the best for drama & theater arts students pursuing a associate degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 347 associate degrees in drama & theater arts during the 2021-2022 academic year.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The theater associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To take this into account we include a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a host of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their associate degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for drama & theater arts students working on their associate degree.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Drama & Theater Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region list, to help you choose the best school for you.
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing an associate degree in drama & theater arts.
American Musical and Dramatic Academy is one of the best schools in the country for getting an associate degree in drama & theater arts. Located in the city of New York, American Musical and Dramatic Academy is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
Students who graduate with their associate from the theater program report average early career earnings of $15,909.
More information about a associate in drama & theater arts from American Musical and Dramatic Academy
Any student pursuing a degree in an associate degree in drama & theater arts needs to take a look at American Academy of Dramatic Arts - New York. Located in the city of New York, American Academy of Dramatic Arts - New York is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
Soon after graduating, theater associate recipients usually make around $12,445 in their early careers.
More information about a associate in drama & theater arts from American Academy of Dramatic Arts - New York
It is difficult to beat LaGuardia Community College if you wish to pursue an associate degree in drama & theater arts. LaGuardia is a fairly large public college located in the city of Long Island City.
After graduation, theater associate recipients usually earn around $15,314 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a associate in drama & theater arts from LaGuardia Community College
Every student pursuing a degree in an associate degree in drama & theater arts has to check out Hudson Valley Community College. Located in the small city of Troy, HVCC is a public college with a medium-sized student population.More information about a associate in drama & theater arts from Hudson Valley Community College
Located in the large city of New York, New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
After graduating, theater associate recipients generally earn about $15,997 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a associate in drama & theater arts from New York Conservatory for Dramatic ArtsExplore the best drama & theater arts schools for a specific state in the Middle Atlantic Region .
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 196 | 349 |
| Pennsylvania | 179 | 48 |
| Maryland | 126 | 3 |
One of 10 majors within the Visual & Performing Arts area of study, Drama & Theater Arts has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Acting | 180 |
| Theater Arts | 94 |
| Musical Theater | 57 |
| Other Dramatic/Theatre Arts & Stagecraft | 12 |
| Theater Design & Technology | 4 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Design & Applied Arts | 1,847 |
| Fine & Studio Arts | 766 |
| General Visual & Performing Arts | 465 |
| Music | 192 |
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 155 |
| Arts & Media Management | 8 |
| Other Visual Art | 6 |
| Dance | 5 |
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