2026 Best Value Directing & Theatrical Production Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
[Directing & Theatrical Production](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/directing-and-theatrical-production/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong directing & theatrical production education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 15 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for directing & theatrical production students.
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2026 Best Value Directing & Theatrical Production Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the directing & theatrical production degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Directing & Theatrical Production Schools
Our analysis ranked Suny At Binghamton the best value for a degree in directing & theatrical production in the Middle Atlantic Region. Set in the suburb of Vestal, Suny At Binghamton is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,567 in tuition and fees, compared with $30,447 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for directing & theatrical production graduates is $20,500. Early-career directing & theatrical production graduates make about $18,920. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 39%.
A rank of #2 makes Point Park University one of the best values for directing & theatrical production. Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Point Park University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $39,570. Directing & Theatrical Production graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Directing & Theatrical Production graduates of Point Park University earn a median of $25,301 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Point Park University admits about 97% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Rider University earned it the #3 place for directing & theatrical production. Set in the suburb of Lawrenceville, Rider University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $41,120 in tuition and fees. Directing & Theatrical Production graduates carry a median of $26,241 in student loans. Early-career directing & theatrical production graduates make about $48,601. That is a strong return on a $26,241 median debt. The acceptance rate is 79%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Temple University earned it the #4 place for directing & theatrical production. Temple University is a very large public school located in the city of Philadelphia. Students from in state pay about $23,005 in tuition and fees, compared with $38,805 for out-of-state students. Directing & Theatrical Production graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Directing & Theatrical Production graduates of Temple University earn a median of $54,642 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.
A rank of #5 makes Nazareth College one of the best values for directing & theatrical production. Located in the suburb of Rochester, Nazareth College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $42,210. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the directing & theatrical production program here. Soon after graduation, directing & theatrical production degree recipients from Nazareth College generally make around $44,626. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Nazareth College admits about 75% of applicants.
Pace University New York placed #6 among the best values for directing & theatrical production. Set in the city of New York, Pace University New York is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $53,510. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the directing & theatrical production program here. Soon after graduation, directing & theatrical production degree recipients from Pace University New York generally make around $17,946. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Pace University New York admits about 76% of applicants.
Carnegie Mellon University landed the #7 spot for directing & theatrical production value this year. Carnegie Mellon University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pittsburgh. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $65,636. Typical student debt for directing & theatrical production graduates is $25,000. Directing & Theatrical Production graduates of Carnegie Mellon University earn a median of $27,391 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 12% of applicants are accepted.
Catholic University Of America placed #8 among the best values for directing & theatrical production. Catholic University Of America is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Students from in state pay about $58,378 in tuition and fees. Directing & Theatrical Production graduates carry a median of $25,771 in student loans. Soon after graduation, directing & theatrical production degree recipients from Catholic University Of America generally make around $65,120. That is a strong return on a $25,771 median debt. The acceptance rate is 83%.
Marymount Manhattan College earned the #9 position for value in directing & theatrical production this year. Set in the city of New York, Marymount Manhattan College is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $41,870. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the directing & theatrical production program here. Soon after graduation, directing & theatrical production degree recipients from Marymount Manhattan College generally make around $19,562. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 83% of applicants are accepted.
The New School landed the #10 spot for directing & theatrical production value this year. Located in the city of New York, The New School is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $58,730. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the directing & theatrical production program here. Soon after graduation, directing & theatrical production degree recipients from The New School generally make around $21,335. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 64%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 15 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
