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

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Art & Design Colleges in Minnesota](/rankings/best-art-and-design-colleges-in-minnesota/)

This page ranks the 5 Drama and Theatre Arts programs in Minnesota by the median earnings of Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing, highest first. [St Olaf College](/school/st-olaf-college/majors/) leads the list at $45,023, with a gap of $1,968 over [University of Minnesota-Twin Cities](/school/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/majors/) at $43,055.

Across the listed programs, median earnings range from $45,023 down to $21,052, with a median of $42,438. For 1 of the 5 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

The list includes 3 public and 2 private nonprofit programs. University of Minnesota-Twin Cities ranks 107th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota posts the lowest average net price at $11,704, while St Olaf College is the most selective, admitting 48% of applicants.

## The ranked list

5 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | St Olaf College · Northfield, MN | $45,023 | $23,874 | $10,404 | 48.3% |
|  | [St Olaf College](/school/st-olaf-college/majors/) reports [$45,023 in median earnings](/school/st-olaf-college/outcomes/) for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing, with 14 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 2 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities · Minneapolis, MN | $43,055 | $16,778 | $6,642 | 79.8% |
|  | [University of Minnesota-Twin Cities](/school/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/majors/) [admits 80% of applicants](/school/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/admissions/) and ranks 107th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 3 | University of Minnesota-Duluth · Duluth, MN | $42,438 | $18,743 | $7,256 | 88.8% |
|  | A [median federal debt of $20,812](/school/university-of-minnesota-duluth/cost/) among Drama and Theatre Arts completers who borrowed coincides with an average net price of $18,743 at [University of Minnesota-Duluth](/school/university-of-minnesota-duluth/majors/). |
| 4 | Minnesota State University-Mankato · Mankato, MN | $32,199 | $19,139 | $12,339 | 88.4% |
|  | [Minnesota State University-Mankato](/school/minnesota-state-university-mankato/majors/) ranks 4th on this list and posts an [average net price of $12,339](/school/minnesota-state-university-mankato/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |
| 5 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota · Winona, MN | $21,052 | $11,704 | $16,182 | 92.8% |
|  | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, a private nonprofit university in Winona, reports $21,052 in median earnings for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing. |

## 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 Minnesota appear. The figure covers federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 1 of the 5 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 who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between first-ranked St Olaf College and second-ranked University of Minnesota-Twin Cities is $1,968, while the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $23,971.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Colleges in Minnesota](/rankings/best-colleges-in-minnesota/)
-   [Best Art & Design Colleges in Minnesota](/rankings/best-art-and-design-colleges-in-minnesota/)
-   Art & Design Colleges in Minnesota for Social Mobility