2026 Best Value Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Maryland
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in drama & theater arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Drama & Theater Arts Schools
University Of Maryland College Park tops our 2026 list of the best value drama & theater arts schools in Maryland. Located in the suburb of College Park, University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,809, with out-of-state students paying around $41,186. Typical student debt for drama & theater arts graduates is $20,681. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from University Of Maryland College Park generally make around $17,985. Set against $20,681 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 45% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in drama & theater arts will find it at Towson University, which ranked #2. Towson University is a very large public school located in the city of Towson. Students from in state pay about $11,728 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $29,820. Typical student debt for drama & theater arts graduates is $17,500. Early-career drama & theater arts graduates make about $19,871. Set against $17,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
University Of Maryland Baltimore County came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value drama & theater arts schools. Located in the suburb of Baltimore, University Of Maryland Baltimore County is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,256, compared with $31,225 for out-of-state students. Drama & Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $18,812 in student loans. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from University Of Maryland Baltimore County generally make around $17,381. Set against $18,812 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 18 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
[Drama & Theater Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
