2026 Best Value Drama & Theater Arts Schools in District of Columbia
[Drama & Theater Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for drama & theater arts students.
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2026 Best Value Drama & Theater Arts Schools in District of Columbia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the drama & theater arts degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Drama & Theater Arts Schools
Our analysis ranked Catholic University Of America the best value for a degree in drama & theater arts in District of Columbia. Catholic University Of America is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $58,378. Students borrow a median of $25,771 to complete the drama & theater arts program here. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of Catholic University Of America earn a median of $65,120 early in their careers. Set against $25,771 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Catholic University Of America admits about 83% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in drama & theater arts will find it at George Washington University, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,710. Drama & Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $22,910 in student loans. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of George Washington University earn a median of $22,419 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,910 median debt. Roughly 47% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in drama & theater arts will find it at American University, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $58,771. Typical student debt for drama & theater arts graduates is $24,989. Early-career drama & theater arts graduates make about $23,979. That is a strong return on a $24,989 median debt. The acceptance rate is 62%.
More Drama & Theater Arts Rankings
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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 · 6 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.
