2026 Best Value Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Minnesota
[Drama & Theater Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 34 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value drama & theater arts schools.
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2026 Best Value Drama & Theater Arts Schools in Minnesota
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
University Of Minnesota Twin Cities earned the #1 spot for value among drama & theater arts schools in Minnesota. Set in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,214, with out-of-state students paying around $38,362. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the drama & theater arts program here. Early-career drama & theater arts graduates make about $19,982. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in drama & theater arts will find it at University Of Minnesota Duluth, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Duluth, University Of Minnesota Duluth is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,608, while out-of-state students pay about $20,134. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the drama & theater arts program here. Early-career drama & theater arts graduates make about $26,751. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 89%.
A rank of #3 makes Minnesota State University Mankato one of the best values for drama & theater arts. Minnesota State University Mankato is a large public school located in the city of Mankato. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,572, compared with $18,942 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for drama & theater arts graduates is $24,853. Early-career drama & theater arts graduates make about $24,671. That is a strong return on a $24,853 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Northwestern College Minnesota is a great value for students pursuing a degree in drama & theater arts, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Saint Paul, Northwestern College Minnesota is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $37,920. Drama & Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $23,505 in student loans. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of Northwestern College Minnesota earn a median of $19,541 early in their careers. Set against $23,505 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 94%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 34 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
