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# Best Drama and Theatre Arts Programs in the United States

Updated September 30, 2026

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

This page ranks the 293 Drama and Theatre Arts programs in the United States by the median earnings of Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing. [University of Notre Dame](/school/university-of-notre-dame/majors/) leads the list with median earnings of $64,880 four years after completing, followed by [Brandeis University](/school/brandeis-university/majors/) at $58,676 and [University of California-Davis](/school/university-of-california-davis/majors/) at $56,823.

Across the listed programs, the median figure is $38,440, with a range from $64,880 to $11,434.

Public institutions account for 68% of the programs on the list. University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. CUNY Hunter College reports the lowest average net price, at $2,984.

## The ranked list

Top 25 of 293 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | University of Notre Dame · Notre Dame, IN | $64,880 | $26,780 | $7,244 | 11.3% |
|  | [University of Notre Dame](/school/university-of-notre-dame/majors/) ranks 1st on this list, with [median earnings of $64,880](/school/university-of-notre-dame/outcomes/) for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing. |
| 2 | Brandeis University · Waltham, MA | $58,676 | $35,736 | $13,363 | 40.5% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Waltham, [Brandeis University](/school/brandeis-university/majors/) reports an [admission rate of 40%](/school/brandeis-university/admissions/) and median earnings of $58,676 for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing. |
| 3 | University of California-Davis · Davis, CA | $56,823 | $14,741 | $9,211 | 41.8% |
|  | [University of California-Davis](/school/university-of-california-davis/majors/) posts an [average net price of $14,741](/school/university-of-california-davis/cost/) and median federal debt of $13,000 among Drama and Theatre Arts completers who borrowed. |
| 4 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $55,555 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
|  | Ranking 4th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, [University of California-Berkeley](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/majors/) reports [median earnings of $55,555](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/outcomes/) for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing. |
| 5 | Drake University · Des Moines, IA | $54,950 | $29,127 | $25,824 | 63.9% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed from [Drake University](/school/drake-university/majors/) left with a [median of $23,000](/school/drake-university/outcomes/) in federal loans, and the school's Drama and Theatre Arts graduates earned a median of $54,950 four years after completing. |
| 6 | Miami University-Oxford · Oxford, OH | $54,215 | $28,384 | $16,015 | 75.4% |
|  | [Miami University-Oxford](/school/miami-university-oxford/majors/) [admits 75% of applicants](/school/miami-university-oxford/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $54,215 for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing. |
| 7 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus · Cincinnati, OH | $54,000 | $25,648 | $17,974 | 85.3% |
|  | With a cohort of 62 graduates in the earnings cohort, [University of Cincinnati-Main Campus](/school/university-of-cincinnati-main-campus/majors/) reports [median earnings of $54,000](/school/university-of-cincinnati-main-campus/outcomes/) for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing. |
| 8 | Florida Southern College · Lakeland, FL | $51,925 | $28,551 | $23,624 | 64.4% |
|  | [Florida Southern College](/school/florida-southern-college/majors/) reports an [average net price of $23,624](/school/florida-southern-college/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 and median earnings of $51,925 for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing. |
| 9 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · Pittsburgh, PA | $51,775 | $30,434 | $14,709 | 58.1% |
|  | [University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus](/school/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/majors/) ranks 9th on this list, and its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates earned a [median of $51,775](/school/university-of-pittsburgh-pittsburgh-campus/outcomes/) four years after completing. |
| 10 | Chapman University · Orange, CA | $51,611 | $46,555 | $33,559 | 65.4% |
|  | [Chapman University](/school/chapman-university/majors/) reports [median federal debt of $22,500](/school/chapman-university/cost/) among Drama and Theatre Arts completers who borrowed and median earnings of $51,611 four years after completing. |
| 11 | Western Connecticut State University · Danbury, CT | $50,955 | $17,604 | $13,507 | 87.0% |
|  | [Western Connecticut State University](/school/western-connecticut-state-university/majors/) [ranks 494th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/western-connecticut-state-university/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports an admission rate of 87%. |
| 12 | Pepperdine University · Malibu, CA | $50,594 | $58,098 | $50,560 | 62.9% |
|  | [Pepperdine University](/school/pepperdine-university/majors/) reports an [average net price of $58,098](/school/pepperdine-university/cost/) and median earnings of $50,594 for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing. |
| 13 | Rhode Island College · Providence, RI | $50,335 | $9,478 | $6,378 | 91.8% |
|  | [Rhode Island College](/school/rhode-island-college/majors/) reports [median earnings of $50,335](/school/rhode-island-college/outcomes/) for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $9,478. |
| 14 | University of Utah · Salt Lake City, UT | $49,802 | $16,200 | $13,123 | 86.0% |
|  | With an [admission rate of 86%](/school/university-of-utah/admissions/), [University of Utah](/school/university-of-utah/majors/) ranks 102nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 15 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL | $49,323 | $14,355 | $2,038 | 42.4% |
|  | [University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign](/school/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign/majors/) posts [median earnings of $49,323](/school/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign/outcomes/) for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $2,038 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 16 | Northwestern University · Evanston, IL | $49,316 | $29,167 | $1,764 | 7.7% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Evanston, [Northwestern University](/school/northwestern-university/majors/) [admits 8% of applicants](/school/northwestern-university/admissions/) and shows a median federal debt of $17,000 among Drama and Theatre Arts completers who borrowed. |
| 17 | Loyola Marymount University · Los Angeles, CA | $49,135 | $48,381 | $32,268 | 45.1% |
|  | [Loyola Marymount University](/school/loyola-marymount-university/majors/) ranks 17th on this list, with [median earnings of $49,135](/school/loyola-marymount-university/outcomes/) for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing. |
| 18 | The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, TX | $48,781 | $19,857 | $12,553 | 26.6% |
|  | [The University of Texas at Austin](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-austin/majors/) shows an [average net price of $19,857](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-austin/cost/) and ranks 9th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 19 | University of North Carolina School of the Arts · Winston Salem, NC | $48,664 | $14,906 | $3,165 | 30.0% |
|  | University of North Carolina School of the Arts reports median earnings of $48,664 for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing, with 86 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 20 | Manhattanville University · Purchase, NY | $48,629 | $20,991 | $13,548 | 87.3% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $25,000 in federal loans at Manhattanville University, which ranks 20th on this list. |
| 21 | Texas State University · San Marcos, TX | $48,502 | $16,805 | $12,715 | 89.3% |
|  | [Texas State University](/school/texas-state-university/majors/) posts [median earnings of $48,502](/school/texas-state-university/outcomes/) for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $16,805. |
| 22 | University of Central Missouri · Warrensburg, MO | $48,179 | $14,462 | $10,965 | 63.8% |
|  | With an [admission rate of 64%](/school/university-of-central-missouri/admissions/), [University of Central Missouri](/school/university-of-central-missouri/majors/) shows a school-wide median federal debt of $21,000 across all of its borrowers who completed. |
| 23 | Saint Edward's University · Austin, TX | $47,974 | $25,578 | $20,799 | 81.4% |
|  | [Saint Edward's University](/school/saint-edwards-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $47,974](/school/saint-edwards-university/outcomes/) for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $20,799 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 24 | Binghamton University · Vestal, NY | $47,945 | $21,620 | $12,171 | 38.6% |
|  | [Binghamton University](/school/binghamton-university/majors/) [ranks 104th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/binghamton-university/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Drama and Theatre Arts completers who borrowed left with a median federal debt of $19,500. |
| 25 | California State University-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA | $47,676 | $9,338 | $6,501 | 94.0% |
|  | [California State University-Sacramento](/school/california-state-university-sacramento/majors/) reports [$47,676 in median earnings](/school/california-state-university-sacramento/outcomes/) for its Drama and Theatre Arts graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $9,338. |

Continue by region[Best Drama and Theatre Arts Programs in the Midwest](/rankings/best-drama-and-theatre-arts-programs-in-the-midwest/)[Best Drama and Theatre Arts Programs in the Northeast](/rankings/best-drama-and-theatre-arts-programs-in-the-northeast/)[Best Drama and Theatre Arts Programs in the South](/rankings/best-drama-and-theatre-arts-programs-in-the-south/)[Best Drama and Theatre Arts Programs in the West](/rankings/best-drama-and-theatre-arts-programs-in-the-west/)

## 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 the United States appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 61 of the 293 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. University of Notre Dame leads at $64,880, with a gap of $6,204 to second-place Brandeis University.

## Related rankings

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