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2026 Best Value Acting Schools in New Jersey

[Acting](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/acting/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong acting education at a price that pays off.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for acting students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Acting Schools in New Jersey

2026 Best Value Acting Schools in New Jersey

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in acting, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Acting Schools

1

Kean University
Union, NJ

$14,299 In-State Tuition & Fees

$27,000 Avg Student Debt

$57,237 Median Earnings (10yr)

Our analysis ranked Kean University the best value for a degree in acting in New Jersey. Kean University is a large public school located in the suburb of Union. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,299, with out-of-state students paying around $22,446. Typical student debt for acting graduates is $27,000. Acting graduates of Kean University earn a median of $48,705 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.

2

Rider University
Lawrenceville, NJ

$41,120 In-State Tuition & Fees

$26,241 Avg Student Debt

$62,208 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in acting will find it at Rider University, which ranked #2. Rider University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Lawrenceville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $41,120. Students borrow a median of $26,241 to complete the acting program here. Soon after graduation, acting degree recipients from Rider University generally make around $48,601. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Rider University admits about 79% of applicants.

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Notes and References

The ranking above is published 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.