2026 Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools
There are 1,121 colleges that offer a degree in Drama & Theater Arts. The most popular schools, by student demand, are below:
Finding the Best Drama & Theater Arts School for You
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for Drama & Theater Arts students. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendance, there are many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools ranking. Our analysis looked at 1,121 schools in the United States offering Drama & Theater Arts programs. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from each school’s program.
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2026 Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools in the United States
The following schools top our list of the Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools.
Top 25 Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools
Our 2026 rankings named American Musical and Dramatic Academy the most popular school in the U.S. for Drama & Theater Arts majors. American Musical and Dramatic Academy is a private nonprofit school located in New York, NY. During the most recent year for which we have data, 614 people earned their degree in Drama & Theater Arts from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $16,983. Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at American Musical and Dramatic Academy
New York University landed the #2 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools ranking. New York University is a private nonprofit school located in New York, NY. This school awarded 580 degrees in Drama & Theater Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $59,956. Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at New York University
New York Film Academy landed the #3 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools ranking. New York Film Academy is a private for-profit school located in Burbank, CA. This school awarded 257 degrees in Drama & Theater Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $15,956. Full Drama & Theater Arts at New York Film Academy Report
University of Southern California landed the #4 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools ranking. Located in Los Angeles, CA, this is a private nonprofit institution. This school awarded 245 degrees in Drama & Theater Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $63,275. Full Drama & Theater Arts at University of Southern California Report
Savannah College of Art and Design landed the #5 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools ranking. Located in Savannah, GA, this is a private nonprofit institution. This school awarded 166 degrees in Drama & Theater Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $25,862. Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Savannah College of Art and Design
Columbia College Chicago comes in at #6 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Drama & Theater Arts majors. Located in Chicago, IL, this is a private nonprofit institution. This school awarded 160 degrees in Drama & Theater Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $24,908. Full Drama & Theater Arts at Columbia College Chicago Report
Texas State University comes in at #7 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Drama & Theater Arts majors. Located in San Marcos, TX, this is a public institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 150 people earned their degree in Drama & Theater Arts from this school. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $42,210. Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Texas State University
Loyola Marymount University landed the #8 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools ranking. Located in Los Angeles, CA, this is a private nonprofit institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 148 people earned their degree in Drama & Theater Arts from this school. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $45,330. Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Loyola Marymount University
Emerson College landed the #9 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools ranking. Emerson College is a private nonprofit school located in Boston, MA. During the most recent year for which we have data, 141 people earned their degree in Drama & Theater Arts from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $30,413. Full Drama & Theater Arts at Emerson College Report
Marymount Manhattan College landed the #10 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools ranking. Located in New York, NY, this is a private nonprofit institution. This school awarded 134 degrees in Drama & Theater Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $23,546. Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at Marymount Manhattan College
American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New York comes in at #11 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Drama & Theater Arts majors. Located in New York, NY, this is a private nonprofit institution. This school awarded 126 degrees in Drama & Theater Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $11,729. Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New York
New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts comes in at #12 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Drama & Theater Arts majors. New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts is a private for-profit school located in New York, NY. During the most recent year for which we have data, 124 people earned their degree in Drama & Theater Arts from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $15,685. Full Drama & Theater Arts at New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts Report
SUNY at Purchase College landed the #13 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools ranking. Located in Purchase, NY, this is a public institution. This school awarded 121 degrees in Drama & Theater Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $21,082. Full Drama & Theater Arts at SUNY at Purchase College Report
University of North Carolina School of the Arts landed the #14 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools ranking. University of North Carolina School of the Arts is a public school located in Winston Salem, NC. This school awarded 117 degrees in Drama & Theater Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $20,265. Read More…
Northwestern University comes in at #15 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Drama & Theater Arts majors. Located in Evanston, IL, this is a private nonprofit institution. This school awarded 112 degrees in Drama & Theater Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $73,331. Read More…
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus landed the #16 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools ranking. Located in Cincinnati, OH, this is a public institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 110 people earned their degree in Drama & Theater Arts from this school. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $53,819. Read full report on Drama & Theater Arts at University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
DePaul University landed the #17 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools ranking. Located in Chicago, IL, this is a private nonprofit institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 109 people earned their degree in Drama & Theater Arts from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $47,990. Read More…
Chapman University comes in at #18 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Drama & Theater Arts majors. Located in Orange, CA, this is a private nonprofit institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 107 people earned their degree in Drama & Theater Arts from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $41,757. Read More…
Florida State University comes in at #19 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Drama & Theater Arts majors. Florida State University is a public school located in Tallahassee, FL. During the most recent year for which we have data, 104 people earned their degree in Drama & Theater Arts from this school. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $40,895. Read More…
Pace University landed the #20 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools ranking. Located in New York, NY, this is a private nonprofit institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 102 people earned their degree in Drama & Theater Arts from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $55,677. Full Drama & Theater Arts at Pace University Report
University of California-Irvine comes in at #21 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Drama & Theater Arts majors. Located in Irvine, CA, this is a public institution. This school awarded 101 degrees in Drama & Theater Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $40,474. Full Drama & Theater Arts at University of California-Irvine Report
University of California-San Diego comes in at #22 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Drama & Theater Arts majors. Located in La Jolla, CA, this is a public institution. During the most recent year for which we have data, 87 people earned their degree in Drama & Theater Arts from this school. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $44,612. Read More…
American Academy of Dramatic Arts-Los Angeles landed the #23 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools ranking. American Academy of Dramatic Arts-Los Angeles is a private nonprofit school located in Los Angeles, CA. During the most recent year for which we have data, 85 people earned their degree in Drama & Theater Arts from this school. Graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $11,729. Full Drama & Theater Arts at American Academy of Dramatic Arts-Los Angeles Report
California State University-Fullerton comes in at #24 on our 2026 list of the most popular colleges for Drama & Theater Arts majors. California State University-Fullerton is a public school located in Fullerton, CA. This school awarded 85 degrees in Drama & Theater Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $39,215. Read More…
University of North Carolina at Greensboro landed the #25 spot in the 2026 edition of our Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools ranking. University of North Carolina at Greensboro is a public school located in Greensboro, NC. This school awarded 82 degrees in Drama & Theater Arts in the most recent reporting year. Graduates of this program go on to a median salary of $37,785. Full Drama & Theater Arts at University of North Carolina at Greensboro Report
Rest of the Top Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools
Additional Noteworthy Schools
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that also graduate students in this major every year.
Drama & Theater Arts by Region
View the Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools ranking for a specific region near you.
| Region |
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| New England |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Great Lakes |
| Plains States |
| Southeast |
| Southwest |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Far Western US |
More Drama & Theater Arts Rankings
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this Most Popular Drama & Theater Arts Schools list, to help you choose the best school for you.
Majors Related to Drama & Theater Arts
Drama & Theater Arts Concentrations
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Theater Arts | 10,778 |
| Acting | 1,859 |
| Musical Theater | 1,157 |
| Theater Design & Technology | 1,087 |
| Playwriting & Screenwriting | 863 |
| Other Theatre Arts & Stagecraft | 437 |
| Directing & Theatrical Production | 213 |
| Theatre and Dance | 122 |
| Costume Design | 64 |
| Comedy Writing and Performance | 35 |
| Theatre Literature & History | 25 |
Most Popular Related Majors
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Design & Applied Arts | 38,798 |
| Fine & Studio Arts | 37,770 |
| Music | 25,853 |
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 18,927 |
| General Visual & Performing Arts | 7,225 |
References
*The average salary above is for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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