2026 Best Value Acting Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Acting](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/acting/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 28 schools to find the best return on investment for acting students.
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2026 Best Value Acting Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in acting, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Acting Schools
University Of Illinois At Chicago tops our 2026 list of the best value acting schools in the Great Lakes Region. University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public school located in the city of Chicago. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,949, while out-of-state students pay about $32,009. Typical student debt for acting graduates is $21,238. Early-career acting graduates make about $14,938. Set against $21,238 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Millikin University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value acting schools. Millikin University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Decatur. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $26,792. Typical student debt for acting graduates is $27,000. Acting graduates of Millikin University earn a median of $24,013 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 67% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Purdue University Main Campus earned it the #3 place for acting. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,992 in tuition and fees, compared with $28,794 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,844 to complete the acting program here. Soon after graduation, acting degree recipients from Purdue University Main Campus generally make around $63,111. Set against $19,844 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Purdue University Main Campus admits about 50% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Oakland University one of the best values for acting. Located in the suburb of Rochester Hills, Oakland University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $17,167, while out-of-state students pay about $24,735. Acting graduates carry a median of $26,678 in student loans. Early-career acting graduates make about $15,579. That is a strong return on a $26,678 median debt. Oakland University admits about 88% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Wright State University Main Campus one of the best values for acting. Located in the suburb of Dayton, Wright State University Main Campus is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,991 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $20,691. Acting graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Early-career acting graduates make about $18,666. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Wright State University Main Campus admits about 96% of applicants.
Western Michigan University came in at #6 for value in acting this year. Set in the city of Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,987, with out-of-state students paying around $19,952. Typical student debt for acting graduates is $26,950. Early-career acting graduates make about $21,585. That is a strong return on a $26,950 median debt. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Kent State University At Kent landed the #7 spot for acting value this year. Kent State University At Kent is a very large public school located in the suburb of Kent. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,220, while out-of-state students pay about $21,575. Typical student debt for acting graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, acting degree recipients from Kent State University At Kent generally make around $24,565. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Kent State University At Kent admits about 86% of applicants.
Roosevelt University came in at #8 for value in acting this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Roosevelt University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,315. Typical student debt for acting graduates is $26,000. Early-career acting graduates make about $21,001. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Evansville earned the #9 position for value in acting this year. Located in the city of Evansville, University Of Evansville is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $44,172. Acting graduates carry a median of $23,727 in student loans. Early-career acting graduates make about $23,407. That is a strong return on a $23,727 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Ohio University Main Campus came in at #10 for value in acting this year. Located in the town of Athens, Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $14,158 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $24,838. Students borrow a median of $22,750 to complete the acting program here. Early-career acting graduates make about $19,286. Set against $22,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 85%.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus earned the #11 position for value in acting this year. Located in the city of Cincinnati, University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,363 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,697. Acting graduates carry a median of $25,980 in student loans. Acting graduates of University Of Cincinnati Main Campus earn a median of $25,070 early in their careers. Set against $25,980 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Otterbein University came in at #12 for value in acting this year. Otterbein University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Westerville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $35,548. Typical student debt for acting graduates is $26,822. Acting graduates of Otterbein University earn a median of $12,546 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,822 median debt. Otterbein University admits about 84% of applicants.
Columbia College Chicago ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best value acting schools. Located in the city of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $34,088 in tuition and fees. Acting graduates carry a median of $26,977 in student loans. Early-career acting graduates make about $17,929. That is a strong return on a $26,977 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Northwestern University came in at #14 for value in acting this year. Set in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $68,322 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for acting graduates is $17,000. Soon after graduation, acting degree recipients from Northwestern University generally make around $22,525. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 8% of applicants are accepted.
Baldwin Wallace College placed #15 among the best values for acting. Located in the suburb of Berea, Baldwin Wallace College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $39,832. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the acting program here. Early-career acting graduates make about $16,055. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Baldwin Wallace College admits about 76% of applicants.
Depaul University earned the #16 position for value in acting this year. Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,405. Students borrow a median of $26,348 to complete the acting program here. Acting graduates of Depaul University earn a median of $23,592 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,348 median debt. The acceptance rate is 76%.
Illinois Wesleyan University landed the #17 spot for acting value this year. Located in the city of Bloomington, Illinois Wesleyan University is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $57,704 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for acting graduates is $27,000. Early-career acting graduates make about $19,490. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Illinois Wesleyan University admits about 39% of applicants.
Butler University came in at #18 for value in acting this year. Butler University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Indianapolis. In-state tuition and fees average $47,560. Students borrow a median of $25,351 to complete the acting program here. Soon after graduation, acting degree recipients from Butler University generally make around $68,222. That is a strong return on a $25,351 median debt. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 28 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 14 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.
