2026 Best Value Directing & Theatrical Production Schools in Illinois
[Directing & Theatrical Production](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/directing-and-theatrical-production/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong directing & theatrical production education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for directing & theatrical production students.
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2026 Best Value Directing & Theatrical Production Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in directing & theatrical production, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Directing & Theatrical Production Schools
For return on investment in directing & theatrical production, no school beat Millikin University this year. Located in the city of Decatur, Millikin University is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $26,792. Typical student debt for directing & theatrical production graduates is $27,000. Early-career directing & theatrical production graduates make about $24,013. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 67% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Roosevelt University one of the best values for directing & theatrical production. Located in the city of Chicago, Roosevelt University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,315. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the directing & theatrical production program here. Early-career directing & theatrical production graduates make about $21,001. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Columbia College Chicago one of the best values for directing & theatrical production. Columbia College Chicago is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. In-state tuition and fees average $34,088. Students borrow a median of $26,977 to complete the directing & theatrical production program here. Directing & Theatrical Production graduates of Columbia College Chicago earn a median of $29,160 early in their careers. Set against $26,977 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Northwestern University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value directing & theatrical production schools. Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Evanston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,322. Students borrow a median of $17,000 to complete the directing & theatrical production program here. Soon after graduation, directing & theatrical production degree recipients from Northwestern University generally make around $22,525. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Northwestern University admits about 8% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Depaul University earned it the #5 place for directing & theatrical production. Set in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,405. Typical student debt for directing & theatrical production graduates is $26,348. Soon after graduation, directing & theatrical production degree recipients from Depaul University generally make around $55,226. Set against $26,348 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 76%.
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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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
