Best Drama and Theatre Arts Programs in Florida (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Art & Design Colleges in Florida
This page ranks the 12 Drama and Theatre Arts programs in Florida by the median earnings of Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing. Florida Southern College leads the list at $51,925, followed by University of South Florida at $45,671 and Florida State University at $44,115.
Across the listed schools, the median figure is $35,586, with a spread of $33,610 from $51,925 to $18,315. For 2 of the 12 programs the earnings figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list includes 7 public and 5 private nonprofit institutions. University of Florida posts the lowest average net price on the page at $6,541.
Florida International University ranks 14th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida Southern College · Lakeland, FL | $51,925 | $28,551 | $23,624 | 64.4% |
| Florida Southern College ranks 1st on this list with median earnings of $51,925 for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $28,551. | |||||
| 2 | University of South Florida · Tampa, FL | $45,671 | $9,812 | $4,122 | 43.2% |
| A public university in Tampa, University of South Florida reports median federal debt of $22,342 among Drama and Theatre Arts completers who borrowed and an admission rate of 43%. | |||||
| 3 | Florida State University · Tallahassee, FL | $44,115 | $11,297 | $5,938 | 24.2% |
| Florida State University posts median earnings of $44,115 for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing and sits 65th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 4 | University of Central Florida · Orlando, FL | $42,954 | $10,411 | $5,816 | 40.1% |
| With 94 graduates in the earnings cohort, University of Central Florida reports median earnings of $42,954 four years after completing and an average net price of $10,411. | |||||
| 5 | University of Florida · Gainesville, FL | $41,707 | $6,541 | $1,982 | 24.2% |
| University of Florida carries an average net price of $1,982 for families earning under $30,000 and median federal debt of $13,750 among Drama and Theatre Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 6 | Flagler College · Saint Augustine, FL | $36,506 | $30,525 | $21,733 | 80.8% |
| Flagler College, a private nonprofit institution in Saint Augustine, admits 81% of applicants and shows median federal debt of $24,250 across all of the school's borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 7 | University of Miami · Coral Gables, FL | $34,667 | $37,244 | $15,978 | 18.9% |
| University of Miami ranks 7th on this list and reports median earnings of $34,667 for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 19%. | |||||
| 8 | Florida International University · Miami, FL | $33,896 | $9,288 | $7,003 | 54.7% |
| Florida International University sits 14th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median federal debt of $20,000 among Drama and Theatre Arts completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 9 | The University of Tampa · Tampa, FL | $28,709 | $36,211 | $30,011 | 40.3% |
| The University of Tampa posts an average net price of $30,011 for families earning under $30,000 and median earnings of $28,709 for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | Florida Atlantic University · Boca Raton, FL | $20,673 | $8,752 | $3,022 | 66.1% |
| Florida Atlantic University reports median earnings of $20,673 for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $8,752. | |||||
| 11 | Rollins College · Winter Park, FL | $20,140 | $34,732 | $27,177 | 47.5% |
| Rollins College admits 48% of applicants and reports median earnings of $20,140 for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 12 | University of West Florida · Pensacola, FL | $18,315 | $9,364 | $4,815 | 58.2% |
| University of West Florida ranks 12th on this list with median earnings of $18,315 for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $9,364. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Acting graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in Florida appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 2 of the 12 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or differences in who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 12 schools with a published figure. Florida Southern College leads University of South Florida by $6,254, and the spread from top to bottom reaches $33,610.
Related rankings
- Best Art & Design Colleges in Florida
- Art & Design Colleges in Florida for Social Mobility