by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual reviewed 31 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for bachelor's degree seekers in the field of drama & theater arts. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,591 bachelor's degrees in drama & theater arts during the 2022-2023 academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
Your choice of drama & theater arts for getting your bachelor's degree school matters. Important measures of a quality theater program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their bachelor's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their bachelor's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for drama & theater arts students working on their bachelor's degree.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Drama & Theater Arts Bachelor's Degree Schools in California ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a bachelor's degree in drama & theater arts.
Every student pursuing a degree in a bachelor's degree in drama & theater arts has to look into University of Southern California. USC is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Los Angeles.
Soon after graduating, theater bachelor's recipients typically earn an average of $21,473 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from University of Southern California
Every student who is interested in a bachelor's degree in drama & theater arts needs to look into Chapman University. Chapman is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the medium-sized city of Orange.
Those drama & theater arts students who get their bachelor's degree from Chapman University make $3,243 more than the average theater grad.
More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from Chapman University
University of California - Los Angeles is one of the best schools in the country for getting a bachelor's degree in drama & theater arts. Located in the city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the theater program report average early career earnings of $19,673.
More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from University of California - Los Angeles
Loyola Marymount University is a good decision for students pursuing a bachelor's degree in drama & theater arts. Loyola Marymount is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Los Angeles.
Bachelor's graduates who receive their degree from the theater program earn about $21,869 for their early career.
More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from Loyola Marymount University
UCSD is a fairly large public university located in the large city of La Jolla.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the theater program state that they receive average early career income of $18,026.
More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from University of California - San Diego
UC Irvine is a fairly large public university located in the city of Irvine.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the theater program state that they receive average early career income of $20,461.
More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from University of California - Irvine
Located in the large suburb of Malibu, Pepperdine is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from Pepperdine University
UC Berkeley is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Berkeley.
Soon after graduating, theater bachelor's recipients typically earn about $22,610 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from University of California - Berkeley
Located in the suburb of Valencia, CalArts is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the theater program state that they receive average early career income of $22,673.
More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from California Institute of the Arts
Located in the suburb of Fullerton, Cal State Fullerton is a public university with a very large student population.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the theater program state that they receive average early career income of $18,182.
More information about a bachelor’s in drama & theater arts from California State University - FullertonExplore all the Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 226 | 210 |
| Oregon | 185 | 152 |
| Nevada | 129 | 64 |
| Hawaii | 112 | 7 |
| Alaska | 75 | 13 |
Drama & Theater Arts is one of 10 different types of Visual & Performing Arts programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Theater Arts | 1,122 |
| Playwriting & Screenwriting | 209 |
| Acting | 183 |
| Musical Theater | 36 |
| Theater Design & Technology | 26 |
| Other Dramatic/Theatre Arts & Stagecraft | 11 |
| Directing & Theatrical Production | 2 |
| Costume Design | 2 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Fine & Studio Arts | 3,997 |
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 2,722 |
| Design & Applied Arts | 2,456 |
| Music | 1,666 |
| General Visual & Performing Arts | 416 |
| Dance | 300 |
| Arts & Media Management | 257 |
| Other Visual Art | 28 |
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