Drama & Theater Arts programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 1121 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for drama & theater arts students pursuing a degree.
Our analysis ranked Northwestern University the best school in the country for a degree in drama & theater arts. Set in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 95%. There were roughly 101 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern University in the most recent data year. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of Northwestern University earn a median of $19,245 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $17,000.
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Pennsylvania State University Main Campus came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best drama & theater arts schools. Set in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus graduates 86% of students within six years. There were roughly 46 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Pennsylvania State University Main Campus in the most recent data year.
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University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in drama & theater arts, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public university. About 91% of students finish within six years. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill awarded about 16 drama & theater arts degrees in the most recent data year. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill earn a median of $26,457 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $15,613 to complete this degree.
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San Jose State University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in drama & theater arts, landing the #4 spot this year. San Jose State University is a very large public school located in the city of San Jose. About 69% of students finish within six years. San Jose State University awarded about 20 drama & theater arts degrees in the most recent data year.
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A rank of #5 makes Wesleyan University one of the top schools for drama & theater arts. Wesleyan University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Middletown. The six-year graduation rate is 93%. About 16 drama & theater arts degrees were awarded at Wesleyan University in the most recent year. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of Wesleyan University earn a median of $39,764 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $16,125 to complete this degree.
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The University Of Texas At Austin earned the #6 position for drama & theater arts this year. Set in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 89%. The University Of Texas At Austin awarded about 60 drama & theater arts degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their drama & theater arts degree from The University Of Texas At Austin earn around $33,261 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete this degree.
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University Of California Santa Barbara ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best drama & theater arts schools. Set in the suburb of Santa Barbara, University Of California Santa Barbara is a very large public institution. Roughly 83% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of California Santa Barbara awarded about 29 drama & theater arts degrees in the most recent data year. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of University Of California Santa Barbara earn a median of $20,503 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $16,852 to complete this degree.
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Yale University earned the #8 position for drama & theater arts this year. Located in the city of New Haven, Yale University is a large private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 96%. There were roughly 76 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Yale University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the drama & theater arts program make about $74,578 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $14,357 to complete this degree.
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Loyola University Chicago came in at #9 for drama & theater arts this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 75% of students complete a degree within six years here. Loyola University Chicago awarded about 18 drama & theater arts degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the drama & theater arts program make about $58,568 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $22,625 to complete this degree.
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University Of Georgia ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best drama & theater arts schools. Located in the city of Athens, University Of Georgia is a very large public university. University Of Georgia graduates 90% of students within six years. About 19 drama & theater arts degrees were awarded at University Of Georgia in the most recent year. Students who receive their drama & theater arts degree from University Of Georgia earn around $20,762 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $19,399.
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Pepperdine University ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best drama & theater arts schools. Located in the suburb of Malibu, Pepperdine University is a large private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 83%. About 22 drama & theater arts degrees were awarded at Pepperdine University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, drama & theater arts degree recipients from Pepperdine University generally make around $57,582. Pepperdine University graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans.
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Chapman University ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best drama & theater arts schools. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Orange. Roughly 82% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 90 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Chapman University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the drama & theater arts program make about $24,644 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $22,500.
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Xavier University placed #13 among the best drama & theater arts schools. Xavier University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cincinnati. The six-year graduation rate is 68%. There were roughly 17 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Xavier University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the drama & theater arts program make about $55,045 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $26,614 to complete this degree.
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University Of Notre Dame earned the #14 position for drama & theater arts this year. Set in the suburb of Notre Dame, University Of Notre Dame is a large private not-for-profit institution. University Of Notre Dame graduates 95% of students within six years. University Of Notre Dame awarded about 21 drama & theater arts degrees in the most recent data year. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of University Of Notre Dame earn a median of $37,531 early in their careers. University Of Notre Dame graduates carry a median of $19,000 in student loans.
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James Madison University ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the best drama & theater arts schools. This very large public university is located in the city of Harrisonburg. Roughly 80% of students complete a degree within six years here. James Madison University awarded about 52 drama & theater arts degrees in the most recent data year. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of James Madison University earn a median of $24,306 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $18,500.
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University Of Florida earned the #16 position for drama & theater arts this year. Located in the city of Gainesville, University Of Florida is a very large public university. About 91% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 59 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at University Of Florida in the most recent data year. Graduates of the drama & theater arts program make about $16,318 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $15,142.
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University Of Washington Seattle Campus came in at #17 for drama & theater arts this year. This very large public university is located in the city of Seattle. The six-year graduation rate is 85%. University Of Washington Seattle Campus awarded about 26 drama & theater arts degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the drama & theater arts program make about $22,778 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $15,638.
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Purdue University Main Campus ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best drama & theater arts schools. Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of West Lafayette. The six-year graduation rate is 83%. About 25 drama & theater arts degrees were awarded at Purdue University Main Campus in the most recent year. Students who receive their drama & theater arts degree from Purdue University Main Campus earn around $63,111 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $19,844 to complete this degree.
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Sonoma State University came in at #19 for drama & theater arts this year. This moderately-sized public university is located in the suburb of Rohnert Park. The six-year graduation rate is 58%. There were roughly 10 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Sonoma State University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the drama & theater arts program make about $51,140 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $21,078.
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University Of Missouri Columbia ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the best drama & theater arts schools. Set in the city of Columbia, University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 75%. There were roughly 12 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at University Of Missouri Columbia in the most recent data year. Students who receive their drama & theater arts degree from University Of Missouri Columbia earn around $53,134 in the first couple years of their career. University Of Missouri Columbia graduates carry a median of $21,818 in student loans.
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Belmont University ranked #21 on our 2026 list of the best drama & theater arts schools. This moderately-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Nashville. Roughly 70% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 30 drama & theater arts degrees were awarded at Belmont University in the most recent year. Graduates of the drama & theater arts program make about $49,699 in their early career. Belmont University graduates carry a median of $23,447 in student loans.
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Arizona State University ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the best drama & theater arts schools. Located in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public university. Roughly 68% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 51 drama & theater arts degrees were awarded at Arizona State University in the most recent year. Students who receive their drama & theater arts degree from Arizona State University earn around $25,301 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $19,606 to complete this degree.
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American University came in at #23 for drama & theater arts this year. Located in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit university. Roughly 76% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 16 drama & theater arts degrees were awarded at American University in the most recent year. Drama & Theater Arts graduates of American University earn a median of $23,979 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $24,989.
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Emerson College came in at #24 for drama & theater arts this year. Set in the city of Boston, Emerson College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. About 77% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 141 drama & theater arts students who graduated with this degree at Emerson College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their drama & theater arts degree from Emerson College earn around $19,560 in the first couple years of their career. Emerson College graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans.
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New York University came in at #25 for drama & theater arts this year. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of New York. Roughly 88% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 475 drama & theater arts degrees were awarded at New York University in the most recent year. Students who receive their drama & theater arts degree from New York University earn around $20,916 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $21,762 to complete this degree.
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Rest of the Top 50 Drama & Theater Arts Schools
Not far behind, these schools also delivered a strong drama & theater arts education:
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 1121 schools evaluated.
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).
