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2026 Best Value Theatre And Dance Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the theatre and dance degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Theatre And Dance Schools
University Of Wyoming earned the #1 spot for value among theatre and dance schools in the United States. Set in the town of Laramie, University Of Wyoming is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,768, while out-of-state students pay about $24,178. Typical student debt for theatre and dance graduates is $21,500. Early-career theatre and dance graduates make about $26,053. Set against $21,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Hawaii At Manoa earned it the #2 place for theatre and dance. Located in the city of Honolulu, University Of Hawaii At Manoa is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,186 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $34,218. Students borrow a median of $20,577 to complete the theatre and dance program here. Theatre And Dance graduates of University Of Hawaii At Manoa earn a median of $48,181 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #3 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. In-state tuition and fees average $12,092. Typical student debt for theatre and dance graduates is $26,010. Theatre And Dance graduates of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earn a median of $16,892 early in their careers. Set against $26,010 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Nevada Reno earned it the #4 place for theatre and dance. Set in the city of Reno, University Of Nevada Reno is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,578, compared with $27,720 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for theatre and dance graduates is $19,918. Soon after graduation, theatre and dance degree recipients from University Of Nevada Reno generally make around $50,691. Set against $19,918 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Nevada Reno admits about 74% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Texas At Austin earned it the #5 place for theatre and dance. Located in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,688, compared with $44,908 for out-of-state students. Theatre And Dance graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Theatre And Dance graduates of The University Of Texas At Austin earn a median of $33,261 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 27% of applicants are accepted.
Other Theatre And Dance Degree Levels
Explore the best-value theatre and dance schools at other degree levels:
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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