Bachelor’s Degrees in Drama & Theater Arts
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Education Levels of Theater Majors
In 2020-2021, 13,117 bachelor's degrees were awarded to theater majors. This makes it the 38th most popular bachelor's degree program in the country.
The following table shows the number of diplomas awarded in theater at each degree level.
| Education Level | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 13,117 |
| Associate Degree | 1,687 |
| Master’s Degree | 1,611 |
| Undergraduate Certificate | 510 |
| Basic Certificate | 328 |
| Doctor’s Degree | 69 |
| Graduate Certificate | 19 |
Earnings of Theater Majors With Bachelor’s Degrees
The median salary for graduates holding a bachelor's degree in theater is $21,886. A lot of factors can contribute to this number, such as the location of your workplace and the availability of other perks and bonuses. To get a better picture, earnings for this category of people can range from a low of $19,436 to a high of $24,471.
Student Debt
The median student debt for graduates holding a bachelor's degree in theater is $25,000. The school you go to and how long it takes you to graduate, among other things, can cause this number to vary. The chart below shows the range of accumulated debt loads. On the high side of the range, $27,000 is the debt load, and the debt load on the low side is $22,415.
The median monthly payment of a theater graduate with a 10-year repayment plan is $538.
Student Diversity
More women than men pursue their bachelor's degree in theater. About 65.0% of graduates with this degree are female.
| Gender | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Men | 4,589 |
| Women | 8,528 |
The racial-ethnic distribution of theater bachelor’s degree students is as follows:
| Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Asian | 364 |
| Black or African American | 1,192 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,809 |
| White | 8,321 |
| International Students | 324 |
| Other Races/Ethnicities | 1,107 |
Most Popular Theater Programs for Bachelor’s Degrees
There are 859 colleges that offer a bachelor’s degree in theater. Learn more about the most popular 20 below:
New York University tops the list of the most popular school in the U.S. for theater majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree. Roughly 52,700 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $53,770 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $35,982 per year. For the 2020-2021 academic year, 343 bachelor's degrees were handed out to theater majors at NYU. Of these students, 65% were women and 36% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The 2nd most popular school in the country for theater majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Roughly 1,300 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $42,660 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $42,660 per year. The theater program at American Musical and Dramatic Academy awarded 205 bachelor's degrees during the 2020-2021 school year. Around 62% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 76% were women.
Purchase College is the 3rd most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in theater. Each year, around 3,600 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $7,070 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $11,310 per year. The theater program at Purchase College awarded 151 bachelor's degrees during the 2020-2021 school year. Around 38% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 59% were women.
Columbia College Chicago comes in at #4 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in theater. Roughly 6,700 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $26,610 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $1,174 per year. The theater program at Columbia College Chicago awarded 148 bachelor's degrees during the 2020-2021 school year. Of these students, 69% were women and 30% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
University of Southern California comes in at #5 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in theater. Roughly 46,200 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $60,446 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $60,446 per year. For the 2020-2021 academic year, 145 bachelor's degrees were handed out to theater majors at USC. Of these students, 56% were women and 41% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Savannah College of Art and Design comes in at #6 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in theater. Each year, around 14,200 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $38,340 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $39,240 per year. The theater program at Savannah College of Art and Design awarded 142 bachelor's degrees during the 2020-2021 school year. Of these students, 76% were women and 22% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Texas State University is the 7th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in theater. Roughly 37,800 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $8,606 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $7,147 per year. For the 2020-2021 academic year, 139 bachelor's degrees were handed out to theater majors at Texas State. Around 37% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 59% were women.
The 8th most popular school in the country for theater majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is Marymount Manhattan College. Each year, around 1,700 students seeking various degrees attend the university. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 121 people received their bachelor's degree in theater from MMC. About 71% of this group were women, and 30% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
Emerson College comes in at #9 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in theater. Roughly 5,100 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $50,360 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $31,248 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 118 people received their bachelor's degree in theater from Emerson. Around 21% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 68% were women.
The 10th most popular school in the country for theater majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is California State University - Fullerton. Roughly 42,000 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $5,742 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $7,176 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 110 people received their bachelor's degree in theater from Cal State Fullerton. Of these students, 63% were women and 46% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
University of California - Irvine is the 11th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in theater. Roughly 36,300 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,442 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $11,442 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 109 people received their bachelor's degree in theater from UC Irvine. Around 59% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 71% were women.
Pace University - New York comes in at #12 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in theater. Roughly 12,800 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $46,978 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $33,000 per year. The theater program at Pace University - New York awarded 107 bachelor's degrees during the 2020-2021 school year. Around 34% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 56% were women.
The 13th most popular school in the country for theater majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is Loyola Marymount University. Each year, around 9,600 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $52,310 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $19,642 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 100 people received their bachelor's degree in theater from Loyola Marymount. Around 26% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 59% were women.
Northwestern University is the 14th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in theater. Each year, around 22,600 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $60,276 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $56,067 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 98 people received their bachelor's degree in theater from Northwestern. Around 20% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 67% were women.
New York Film Academy is the 15th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in theater. Roughly 1,200 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $32,384 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $31,979 per year. The theater program at New York Film Academy awarded 97 bachelor's degrees during the 2020-2021 school year. Of these students, 61% were women and 12% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Chapman University is the 16th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in theater. Each year, around 9,700 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $58,250 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $37,538 per year. For the 2020-2021 academic year, 88 bachelor's degrees were handed out to theater majors at Chapman. Of these students, 58% were women and 14% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The 17th most popular school in the country for theater majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is Florida State University. Each year, around 43,500 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $4,640 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $9,684 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 86 people received their bachelor's degree in theater from Florida State. Around 34% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 76% were women.
University of Central Florida is the 18th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in theater. Each year, around 71,800 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $4,478 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $6,916 per year. The theater program at University of Central Florida awarded 83 bachelor's degrees during the 2020-2021 school year. Of these students, 73% were women and 43% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
University of Northern Colorado comes in at #19 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in theater. Each year, around 11,400 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $8,127 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $11,192 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 80 people received their bachelor's degree in theater from University of Northern Colorado. Of these students, 64% were women and 28% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The University of Texas at Austin is the 20th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in theater. Roughly 50,400 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,752 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,050 per year. During the 2020-2021 academic year, 77 people received their bachelor's degree in theater from UT Austin. About 75% of this group were women, and 51% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
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Related Majors
Below are some popular majors that are similar to theater that offer bachelor’s degrees.
| Major | Annual Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Fine & Studio Arts | 24,602 |
| Design & Applied Arts | 19,770 |
| Music | 15,362 |
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 11,759 |
| General Visual & Performing Arts | 3,794 |
References
*The racial-ethnic minority student count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the percentage of racial-ethnic minorities.
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Image Credit: By Donald Judge under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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