2026 Best Value Drama & Theater Arts Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Drama & Theater Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong drama & theater arts education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 130 schools to find the best return on investment for drama & theater arts students.
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2026 Best Value Drama & Theater Arts Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in drama & theater arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Drama & Theater Arts Schools
Leading the list is University Of Missouri Kansas City, our #1 best value for drama & theater arts in the The Plains States Region. Located in the city of Kansas City, University Of Missouri Kansas City is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,371, with out-of-state students paying around $32,271. Students borrow a median of $23,741 to complete the drama & theater arts program here. Early-career drama & theater arts graduates make about $24,273. Set against $23,741 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Northern Iowa earned it the #2 place for drama & theater arts. Set in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,936, with out-of-state students paying around $21,712. Typical student debt for drama & theater arts graduates is $24,875. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of University Of Northern Iowa earn a median of $22,289 early in their careers. Set against $24,875 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Northern Iowa admits about 93% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Minnesota Twin Cities earned it the #3 place for drama & theater arts. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public school located in the city of Minneapolis. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,214, compared with $38,362 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the drama & theater arts program here. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from University Of Minnesota Twin Cities generally make around $19,982. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities admits about 80% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Nebraska Lincoln earned it the #4 place for drama & theater arts. Set in the city of Lincoln, University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,434 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,584. Typical student debt for drama & theater arts graduates is $23,250. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from University Of Nebraska Lincoln generally make around $21,627. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Students looking for strong value in drama & theater arts will find it at Missouri State University Springfield, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,502, compared with $18,770 for out-of-state students. Drama & Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $25,250 in student loans. Early-career drama & theater arts graduates make about $22,369. That is a strong return on a $25,250 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
University Of Kansas came in at #6 for value in drama & theater arts this year. Located in the city of Lawrence, University Of Kansas is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,102, while out-of-state students pay about $30,432. Students borrow a median of $23,608 to complete the drama & theater arts program here. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from University Of Kansas generally make around $56,289. Set against $23,608 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
Kansas State University came in at #7 for value in drama & theater arts this year. Set in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,221, while out-of-state students pay about $28,568. Typical student debt for drama & theater arts graduates is $23,546. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of Kansas State University earn a median of $51,543 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,546 median debt. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Minnesota Duluth came in at #8 for value in drama & theater arts this year. University Of Minnesota Duluth is a large public school located in the city of Duluth. In-state tuition and fees average $14,608, with out-of-state students paying around $20,134. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the drama & theater arts program here. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from University Of Minnesota Duluth generally make around $26,751. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Minnesota Duluth admits about 89% of applicants.
Lindenwood University came in at #9 for value in drama & theater arts this year. Located in the city of Saint Charles, Lindenwood University is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $21,600. Typical student debt for drama & theater arts graduates is $27,000. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of Lindenwood University earn a median of $25,083 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Lindenwood University admits about 57% of applicants.
University Of Missouri Columbia came in at #10 for value in drama & theater arts this year. Located in the city of Columbia, University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,837, compared with $36,056 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,818 to complete the drama & theater arts program here. Early-career drama & theater arts graduates make about $53,134. Set against $21,818 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Minnesota State University Mankato ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value drama & theater arts schools. Minnesota State University Mankato is a large public school located in the city of Mankato. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,572, compared with $18,942 for out-of-state students. Drama & Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $24,853 in student loans. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of Minnesota State University Mankato earn a median of $24,671 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Maharishi University Of Management earned the #12 position for value in drama & theater arts this year. Located in the town of Fairfield, Maharishi University Of Management is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $16,530 in tuition and fees. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from Maharishi University Of Management generally make around $32,294. The acceptance rate is 96%.
University Of Iowa ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best value drama & theater arts schools. Set in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,283, while out-of-state students pay about $33,371. Drama & Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $26,622 in student loans. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $22,225 early in their careers. Set against $26,622 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Iowa admits about 84% of applicants.
Nebraska Wesleyan University landed the #14 spot for drama & theater arts value this year. Nebraska Wesleyan University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lincoln. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $43,572. Drama & Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from Nebraska Wesleyan University generally make around $23,649. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Stephens College came in at #15 for value in drama & theater arts this year. Located in the city of Columbia, Stephens College is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $28,300. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the drama & theater arts program here. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of Stephens College earn a median of $16,476 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Stephens College admits about 77% of applicants.
Northwestern College Minnesota came in at #16 for value in drama & theater arts this year. Northwestern College Minnesota is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Saint Paul. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $37,920. Drama & Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $23,505 in student loans. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from Northwestern College Minnesota generally make around $19,541. That is a strong return on a $23,505 median debt. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
Webster University earned the #17 position for value in drama & theater arts this year. Set in the suburb of Saint Louis, Webster University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $31,750. Typical student debt for drama & theater arts graduates is $26,000. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of Webster University earn a median of $13,182 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Drake University placed #18 among the best values for drama & theater arts. Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Des Moines. In-state tuition and fees average $51,960. Drama & Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $22,273 in student loans. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of Drake University earn a median of $19,613 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,273 median debt. The acceptance rate is 64%.
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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 · 130 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 18 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.
