2023 Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in New York
Finding the Best Drama & Theater Arts School for You
With 2,542 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, drama and theater arts is the #33 most popular major in New York.
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
The Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in New York ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 52 schools in New York to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in New York
Check out the theater programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.
Top 10 Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools
Our 2023 rankings named The Graduate Center, CUNY the best school in New York for drama and theater arts students. Located in the large city of New York, The Graduate Center is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend American Musical and Dramatic Academy. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in New York list. Located in the large city of New York, American Musical and Dramatic Academy is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
On average, theater graduates from American Musical and Dramatic Academy take out $19,500 in student loans while working on their degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $938.
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A rank of #3 on this year’s list means New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts is a great place for drama and theater arts students. New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts is a small private for-profit school located in the city of New York.
The average amount in student loans that theater majors at New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts take out is $12,000. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $603.
Full Drama & Theater Arts at New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts Report
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend The Juilliard School. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in New York list. Located in the city of New York, Juilliard is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
Full Drama & Theater Arts at The Juilliard School Report
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Out of the 52 schools in New York that were part of this year’s ranking, Skidmore College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in the suburb of Saratoga Springs, Skidmore is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
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With a ranking of #6, New York University did quite well on this year’s best schools for drama and theater arts students. Located in the city of New York, NYU is a private not-for-profit college with a very large student population.
While working on their degree, theater majors at NYU accumulate an average of around $23,236 in student debt. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $1,160.
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Ithaca College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in New York list. Ithaca is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Ithaca.
Theater majors at Ithaca take out an average of $25,000 in student loans while working on their egree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $685, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Vassar College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in New York ranking. Located in the suburb of Poughkeepsie, Vassar is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
On average, theater graduates from Vassar take out $20,500 in student loans while working on their degree.
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LaGuardia Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in New York ranking. Located in the city of Long Island City, LaGuardia is a public college with a fairly large student population.
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Syracuse University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in New York list. Located in the city of Syracuse, Syracuse is a private not-for-profit college with a very large student population.
After completing their degree, theater graduates from Syracuse carry an average student debtload of $27,000. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $1,083.
Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Syracuse University
Request InformationBest Drama & Theater Arts Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region
Explore all the Best Drama & Theater Arts Schools in the Middle Atlantic Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 754 |
| Maryland | 179 |
| New Jersey | 210 |
| District of Columbia | 67 |
More Drama & Theater Arts Rankings in New York
Drama & Theater Arts Related Rankings by Major
Drama & Theater Arts is one of 10 different types of programs to choose from.
Most Popular Majors Related to Theater
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Fine & Studio Arts | 37,413 |
| Design & Applied Arts | 36,301 |
| Music | 25,910 |
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 16,778 |
| General Visual & Performing Arts | 6,355 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- 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 the rest 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).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Donald Judge.
More about our data sources and methodologies.