College Rankings
Best Theatre Arts Schools
The top 25 of 267 U.S. colleges offering an undergraduate Theatre Arts degree, ranked by early-career earnings and return on investment — using each school's real, aid-adjusted net price rather than sticker tuition.
Is Theatre Arts worth it?
Financially, a theatre degree is notoriously risky, but it can absolutely pay off if you are strategic about where you study. Because starting salaries in the performing arts are modest and work is heavily gig-based, the math only works if you avoid crushing student debt. The clear winners in this field are ultra-low-cost public universities located right next to major entertainment hubs, allowing students to hustle for internships and auditions without taking out massive loans. If you aren't attending a wealthy private school with an elite alumni network, your best bet is a cheap state school in New York, California, or a regional theater hotspot where you can graduate with a clean slate.
| # | School | State | Median earnings | Net price / yr | 10-yr net ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Notre Dame | IN | $37,531 | $26,780 | +$268K |
| 2 | CUNY Hunter College | NY | $25,059 | $2,984† | +$239K |
| 3 | Southern Utah University | UT | $27,335 | $10,462† | +$232K |
| 4 | Utah Valley University | UT | $23,896 | $6,376† | +$213K |
| 5 | CUNY Queens College | NY | $11,604 | $4,195† | +$99K |
| 6 | CUNY Brooklyn College | NY | $20,645 | $3,103† | +$194K |
| 7 | Portland State University | OR | $25,352 | $9,552† | +$215K |
| 8 | Saint Mary's College of California | CA | $38,160 | $30,378 | +$260K |
| 9 | Stephen F Austin State University | TX | $29,945 | $14,260† | +$242K |
| 10 | California State University-Dominguez Hills | CA | $25,920 | $8,615† | +$225K |
| 11 | Northern Arizona University | AZ | $23,043 | $14,158† | +$174K |
| 12 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | CO | $19,966 | $11,900† | +$152K |
| 13 | California State University-Los Angeles | CA | $16,645 | $3,967† | +$151K |
| 14 | Ohio University-Eastern Campus | OH | $15,602 | $3,925† | +$140K |
| 15 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | $33,261 | $19,857† | +$253K |
| 16 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | PA | $33,169 | $19,608† | +$253K |
| 17 | Rhode Island College | RI | $24,526 | $9,478† | +$207K |
| 18 | Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus | OH | $15,602 | $5,755† | +$133K |
| 19 | Ohio University-Lancaster Campus | OH | $15,602 | $5,650† | +$133K |
| 20 | Ohio University-Zanesville Campus | OH | $15,602 | $5,746† | +$133K |
| 21 | University of South Florida | FL | $24,732 | $9,812† | +$208K |
| 22 | California State University-Fullerton | CA | $18,182 | $6,555† | +$156K |
| 23 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | TX | $16,706 | $4,831† | +$148K |
| 24 | University of Florida | FL | $16,318 | $6,541† | +$137K |
| 25 | Ohio University-Southern Campus | OH | $15,602 | $5,993† | +$132K |
Top 10 programs by 10-year net ROI
Why these schools rank where they do
The University of Notre Dame takes the #1 spot not just because of the stage, but because of the boardroom. Its Film, Television, and Theatre (FTT) program is backed by an incredibly wealthy, fiercely loyal alumni network that pipelines graduates into elite talent agencies, major Hollywood studios, and Broadway production offices. Furthermore, many Notre Dame theatre grads leverage the university's overall prestige to land high-paying corporate roles in communications, marketing, and consulting, driving up the program's average earnings.
The most fascinating story on this list, however, is the absolute dominance of regional public schools with built-in industry pipelines. Southern Utah University ranks #3 because it is the home of the Tony Award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival. Students work directly alongside Actors' Equity professionals and veteran stage managers before they even graduate, giving them a massive resume advantage. Similarly, the CUNY system dominates the top tier—with Hunter, Queens, and Brooklyn colleges all landing in the top six. These schools offer an unbeatable combination: dirt-cheap tuition and a MetroCard ride to Broadway, allowing students to intern at major theater companies and audition in the world's biggest market without drowning in debt.
What is Theatre Arts?
Theatre Arts is the study of live performance, encompassing everything from acting and directing to stage management, lighting design, and dramatic writing. Graduates don't just memorize lines; they build careers running backstage crews, producing regional theater, designing sets for film and television, or applying their high-level presentation and project management skills to arts administration and casting.
Frequently asked questions
Does location matter for a theatre degree?
More than almost any other major. Attending school in New York, Los Angeles, or a city with a major League of Resident Theatres (LORT) presence means you can audition, intern, and network year-round. If you study in an isolated town without a professional theater scene, you are largely limited to summer stock programs to build your industry connections.
Should I get a BA or a BFA?
A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a highly structured, conservatory-style degree focused almost entirely on performance or design, while a Bachelor of Arts (BA) includes a broader liberal arts education. If you are dead-set on being a working actor or specialized designer, a BFA offers rigorous, hours-intensive training. However, a BA makes it much easier to double-major in a field like business, marketing, or education, which can provide a highly valuable financial safety net.
What if I don't want to be an actor?
You are actually in a stronger position, because the most reliable money in the entertainment industry is usually backstage. Graduates who focus on stage management, technical direction, sound and lighting design, and arts administration tend to find consistent, salaried employment much faster than those relying on casting calls and contract work.