Best Drama and Theatre Arts Programs in Virginia (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 9 Drama and Theatre Arts programs in Virginia by median earnings of Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing. Radford University leads the list with median earnings of $46,725 for its graduates four years after completing.
The figures range from $46,725 to $13,702, with a median of $40,457 across the listed schools. For 3 of the 9 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 7 of the 9 programs, or 78% of the list. Radford University posts the lowest average net price at $14,578. George Mason University ranks 33rd 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 | Radford University · Radford, VA | $46,725 | $14,578 | $8,965 | 89.5% |
| Radford University ranks 1st on this list, reporting $46,725 in median earnings for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 2 | George Mason University · Fairfax, VA | $45,656 | $17,915 | $11,942 | 87.5% |
| George Mason University posts an average net price of $17,915 and an admission rate of 87%. | |||||
| 3 | James Madison University · Harrisonburg, VA | $45,225 | $23,322 | $11,444 | 71.5% |
| James Madison University's Drama and Theatre Arts completers who borrowed left with a median of $19,000 in federal loans, alongside median earnings of $45,225 four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Virginia Commonwealth University · Richmond, VA | $43,957 | $23,433 | $17,512 | 92.6% |
| Virginia Commonwealth University admits 93% of applicants and ranks 171st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 5 | Shenandoah University · Winchester, VA | $40,457 | $30,298 | $24,356 | 77.0% |
| A private nonprofit university in Winchester, Shenandoah University reports median earnings of $40,457 for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | Old Dominion University · Norfolk, VA | $38,537 | $14,638 | $9,739 | 90.4% |
| Old Dominion University has an average net price of $14,638 and a cohort of 11 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 7 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University · Blacksburg, VA | $21,964 | $24,953 | $11,689 | 54.8% |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's Drama and Theatre Arts graduates earned a median of $21,964 four years after completing, and the school's admission rate is 55%. | |||||
| 8 | University of Virginia-Main Campus · Charlottesville, VA | $18,771 | $21,565 | $8,174 | 16.8% |
| University of Virginia-Main Campus ranks 77th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports an average net price of $21,565. | |||||
| 9 | Regent University · Virginia Beach, VA | $13,702 | $19,923 | $20,064 | 38.1% |
| Regent University reports median earnings of $13,702 for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing, with 9 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in Virginia appear. The figures are medians for federally aided completers of Drama and Theatre Arts programs who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 3 of the 9 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 range from Radford University to the bottom of the list spans $33,023, with a gap of $1,069 separating Radford University and George Mason University.
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