2026 Best Value Theater Arts Schools in Louisiana
[Theater Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/theater-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong theater arts education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 9 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for theater arts students.
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2026 Best Value Theater Arts Schools in Louisiana
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in theater arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Theater Arts Schools
University Of New Orleans earned the #1 spot for value among theater arts schools in Louisiana. Located in the city of New Orleans, University Of New Orleans is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,172, compared with $14,008 for out-of-state students. Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $21,987 in student loans. Early-career theater arts graduates make about $21,504. Set against $21,987 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of New Orleans admits about 74% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Northwestern State University Of Louisiana one of the best values for theater arts. Located in the town of Natchitoches, Northwestern State University Of Louisiana is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,864, with out-of-state students paying around $19,652. Typical student debt for theater arts graduates is $22,250. Early-career theater arts graduates make about $16,973. That is a strong return on a $22,250 median debt. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value theater arts schools. Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College is a very large public school located in the city of Baton Rouge. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,954, compared with $28,631 for out-of-state students. Theater Arts graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. Early-career theater arts graduates make about $20,290. Set against $21,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 73% of applicants are accepted.
Loyola University New Orleans is a great value for students pursuing a degree in theater arts, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of New Orleans, Loyola University New Orleans is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $49,440. Typical student debt for theater arts graduates is $26,606. Soon after graduation, theater arts degree recipients from Loyola University New Orleans generally make around $48,040. That is a strong return on a $26,606 median debt. The acceptance rate is 93%.
More Theater Arts Rankings
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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 · 9 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.
