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2026 Best Value Theater Arts Schools in Kansas

[Theater Arts](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/theater-arts/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

College Factual analyzed 18 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value theater arts schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Theater Arts Schools in Kansas

2026 Best Value Theater Arts Schools in Kansas

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in theater arts, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Theater Arts Schools

1

University Of Kansas
Lawrence, KS

$12,102 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,608 Avg Student Debt

$61,945 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in theater arts, no school beat University Of Kansas this year. University Of Kansas is a very large public school located in the city of Lawrence. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,102, with out-of-state students paying around $30,432. Typical student debt for theater arts graduates is $23,608. Soon after graduation, theater arts degree recipients from University Of Kansas generally make around $56,289. Set against $23,608 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.

2

Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS

$11,221 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,546 Avg Student Debt

$57,262 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in theater arts will find it at Kansas State University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,221, with out-of-state students paying around $28,568. Students borrow a median of $23,546 to complete the theater arts program here. Theater Arts graduates of Kansas State University earn a median of $51,543 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,546 median debt. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.

View All Theater Arts Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 18 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.