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2026 Best Value Drama & Dance Education Schools in Illinois

[Drama & Dance Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/drama-and-dance-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for drama & dance education students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Drama & Dance Education Schools in Illinois

2026 Best Value Drama & Dance Education Schools in Illinois

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the drama & dance education degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Drama & Dance Education Schools

1

Elmhurst College
Elmhurst, IL

$42,955 In-State Tuition & Fees

$27,000 Avg Student Debt

$61,462 Median Earnings (10yr)

Our analysis ranked Elmhurst College the best value for a degree in drama & dance education in Illinois. Located in the suburb of Elmhurst, Elmhurst College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $42,955. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the drama & dance education program here. Drama & Dance Education graduates of Elmhurst College earn a median of $46,789 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.

2

Bradley University
Peoria, IL

$42,160 In-State Tuition & Fees

$27,000 Avg Student Debt

$66,852 Median Earnings (10yr)

Bradley University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value drama & dance education schools. Bradley University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Peoria. Students from in state pay about $42,160 in tuition and fees. Drama & Dance Education graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Drama & Dance Education graduates of Bradley University earn a median of $54,513 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 77%.

View All Drama & Dance Education Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 2 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.