[Theatre And Dance](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/theatre-and-dance/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong theatre and dance education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find the best return on investment for theatre and dance students.
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Finding the Best Value Theatre And Dance School for You
The theatre and dance program you select can have a big impact on your finances and your future. To help, we created our Best Value Theatre And Dance Schools ranking. We score each school on the balance of tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the best value.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Best Value Theatre And Dance Schools list, to help you choose. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
Leading the list is Modesto Junior College, our #1 best value for theatre and dance in the United States. Modesto Junior College is a very large public school located in the city of Modesto. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $1,282, with out-of-state students paying around $9,264. Typical student debt for theatre and dance graduates is $8,575. Theatre And Dance graduates of Modesto Junior College earn a median of $36,525 early in their careers. Set against $8,575 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Wyoming one of the best values for theatre and dance. University Of Wyoming is a large public school located in the town of Laramie. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,768, while out-of-state students pay about $24,178. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete the theatre and dance program here. Theatre And Dance graduates of University Of Wyoming earn a median of $26,053 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,500 median debt. University Of Wyoming admits about 97% of applicants.
University Of Hawaii At Manoa is a great value for students pursuing a degree in theatre and dance, landing the #3 spot this year. University Of Hawaii At Manoa is a very large public school located in the city of Honolulu. In-state tuition and fees average $12,186, with out-of-state students paying around $34,218. Theatre And Dance graduates carry a median of $20,577 in student loans. Soon after graduation, theatre and dance degree recipients from University Of Hawaii At Manoa generally make around $48,181. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Hawaii At Manoa admits about 87% of applicants.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value theatre and dance schools. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a large public school located in the suburb of Edwardsville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,092. Theatre And Dance graduates carry a median of $26,010 in student loans. Soon after graduation, theatre and dance degree recipients from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville generally make around $16,892. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 98%.
Students looking for strong value in theatre and dance will find it at University Of Nevada Reno, which ranked #5. University Of Nevada Reno is a very large public school located in the city of Reno. In-state tuition and fees average $9,578, while out-of-state students pay about $27,720. Typical student debt for theatre and dance graduates is $19,918. Early-career theatre and dance graduates make about $50,691. Set against $19,918 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Texas At Austin landed the #6 spot for theatre and dance value this year. The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public school located in the city of Austin. Students from in state pay about $11,688 in tuition and fees, compared with $44,908 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for theatre and dance graduates is $26,000. Theatre And Dance graduates of The University Of Texas At Austin earn a median of $38,346 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 27% of applicants are accepted.
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 · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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).
[Theatre And Dance](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/theatre-and-dance/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong theatre and dance education at a price that pays off.
