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# Best Drama and Theatre Arts Programs in Florida (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Art & Design Colleges in Florida](/rankings/best-art-and-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](/school/florida-southern-college/majors/) leads the list at $51,925, followed by [University of South Florida](/school/university-of-south-florida/majors/) at $45,671 and [Florida State University](/school/florida-state-university/majors/) 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

12 schools in list order

| 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](/school/florida-southern-college/majors/) ranks 1st on this list with [median earnings of $51,925](/school/florida-southern-college/outcomes/) 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](/school/university-of-south-florida/majors/) reports [median federal debt of $22,342](/school/university-of-south-florida/cost/) 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](/school/florida-state-university/majors/) posts [median earnings of $44,115](/school/florida-state-university/outcomes/) 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](/school/university-of-central-florida/majors/) reports [median earnings of $42,954](/school/university-of-central-florida/outcomes/) 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](/school/university-of-florida/majors/) carries an [average net price of $1,982](/school/university-of-florida/cost/) 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](/school/flagler-college/majors/), a private nonprofit institution in Saint Augustine, [admits 81% of applicants](/school/flagler-college/admissions/) 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](/school/university-of-miami/majors/) ranks 7th on this list and reports [median earnings of $34,667](/school/university-of-miami/outcomes/) 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](/school/florida-international-university/majors/) sits 14th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports [median federal debt of $20,000](/school/florida-international-university/cost/) 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](/school/the-university-of-tampa/majors/) posts an [average net price of $30,011](/school/the-university-of-tampa/cost/) 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](/school/florida-atlantic-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $20,673](/school/florida-atlantic-university/outcomes/) 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](/school/rollins-college/majors/) [admits 48% of applicants](/school/rollins-college/admissions/) 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](/school/university-of-west-florida/majors/) ranks 12th on this list with [median earnings of $18,315](/school/university-of-west-florida/outcomes/) 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](/rankings/best-art-and-design-colleges-in-florida/)
-   Art & Design Colleges in Florida for Social Mobility