2027 Best Value Theater Arts Schools in North Carolina

[Theater Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/theater-arts/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong theater arts education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for theater arts students.
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2027 Best Value Theater Arts Schools in North Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the theater arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Theater Arts Schools
For return on investment in theater arts, no school beat University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill this year. Set in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,994, with out-of-state students paying around $41,203. Students borrow a median of $15,613 to complete the theater arts program here. Early-career theater arts graduates make about $32,221. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 15% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of North Carolina At Greensboro earned it the #2 place for theater arts. University Of North Carolina At Greensboro is a very large public school located in the city of Greensboro. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,661, while out-of-state students pay about $24,012. Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $25,914 in student loans. Theater Arts graduates of University Of North Carolina At Greensboro earn a median of $18,154 early in their careers. Set against $25,914 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts one of the best values for theater arts. Located in the city of Winston Salem, University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts is a small public university. Students from in state pay about $9,477 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $27,211. Typical student debt for theater arts graduates is $24,592. Early-career theater arts graduates make about $24,420. That is a strong return on a $24,592 median debt. Roughly 30% of applicants are accepted.
North Carolina A And T State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in theater arts, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Greensboro, North Carolina A And T State University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,813, with out-of-state students paying around $20,673. Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Theater Arts graduates of North Carolina A And T State University earn a median of $20,996 early in their careers. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 50%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Carolina University earned it the #5 place for theater arts. Set in the town of Cullowhee, Western Carolina University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,630, while out-of-state students pay about $8,630. Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Early-career theater arts graduates make about $21,824. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Western Carolina University admits about 82% of applicants.
University Of North Carolina At Charlotte placed #6 among the best values for theater arts. Located in the city of Charlotte, University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,239, with out-of-state students paying around $22,492. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the theater arts program here. Theater Arts graduates of University Of North Carolina At Charlotte earn a median of $18,052 early in their careers. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
East Carolina University came in at #7 for value in theater arts this year. Located in the city of Greenville, East Carolina University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,361, compared with $23,638 for out-of-state students. Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, theater arts degree recipients from East Carolina University generally make around $21,295. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 89%.
Appalachian State University landed the #8 spot for theater arts value this year. Appalachian State University is a very large public school located in the town of Boone. In-state tuition and fees average $7,579, with out-of-state students paying around $25,212. Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $24,755 in student loans. Theater Arts graduates of Appalachian State University earn a median of $20,256 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,755 median debt. Appalachian State University admits about 90% of applicants.
University Of North Carolina At Wilmington ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value theater arts schools. Set in the city of Wilmington, University Of North Carolina At Wilmington is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,277, compared with $24,152 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for theater arts graduates is $25,000. Theater Arts graduates of University Of North Carolina At Wilmington earn a median of $20,450 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 64%.
Elon University ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best value theater arts schools. Elon University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Elon. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $46,958. Typical student debt for theater arts graduates is $21,619. Early-career theater arts graduates make about $50,463. Set against $21,619 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Elon University admits about 66% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.