25 Most Popular Colleges for Drama & Theater Arts Master’s Degree Programs

In 2017-2018, 1,896 students received their master’s degree in drama and theater arts from an American university. Ranked in order of popularity, here are the colleges with the largest programs in the field:

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending NYU.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at New York University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$41,352	$41,352
Fees for Full-Time Students	$2,496	$2,496
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,723	$1,723

In 2017-2018, NYU reported having 812 graduate assistants across all departments at the school. Of that number, 27 were classified as teaching assistants, and 389 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Graduate students at Yale can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Yale University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$41,000	$41,000
Fees for Full-Time Students	Not Reported	Not Reported
Part-Time per Credit Hour	Not Reported	Not Reported

In 2017-2018, the school reported the combined number of graduate assistants across all departments to be 3,081. Of that number, 1,447 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,485 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending Columbia.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Columbia University in the City of New York

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$44,864	$44,864
Fees for Full-Time Students	$2,092	$2,092
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,704	$1,704

In 2017-2018, there were 2,805 graduate assistants in all departments combined at the school. Of that number, 1,869 were classified as teaching assistants, and 936 were classified as research assistants.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at New York Film Academy.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at New York Film Academy

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$30,608	$30,608
Fees for Full-Time Students	$2,668	$2,668
Part-Time per Credit Hour	Not Reported	Not Reported

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending SCAD.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Savannah College of Art and Design

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$36,765	$36,765
Fees for Full-Time Students	$500	$500
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$817	$817

These are the average costs for graduate students attending USC.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Southern California

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$43,200	$43,200
Fees for Full-Time Students	$813	$813
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,800	$1,800

There were 2,039 graduate assistants at the school (in all programs combined) in 2017-2018. Of that number, 698 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,341 were classified as research assistants.

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending Pace University.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Pace University - New York

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$29,520	$29,520
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,030	$1,030
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,230	$1,230

Across all programs, there were 144 graduate assistants at the school in 2017-2018. Of that number, 0 were classified as teaching assistants, and 0 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending Texas A&M Commerce.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Texas A&M University - Commerce

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$3,630	$11,100
Fees for Full-Time Students	$2,564	$2,564
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$202	$617

The school reported having 359 graduate assistants for all departments combined in 2017-2018. Of that number, 136 were classified as teaching assistants, and 59 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at CalArts.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at California Institute of the Arts

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$46,830	$46,830
Fees for Full-Time Students	$616	$616
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,561	$1,561

In 2017-2018, there were 76 graduate assistants in all departments combined at the school. Of that number, 76 were classified as teaching assistants, and 0 were classified as research assistants.

Graduate students at Regent can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Regent University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$12,726	$12,726
Fees for Full-Time Students	$600	$600
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$707	$707

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending DePaul.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at DePaul University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$19,344	$19,344
Fees for Full-Time Students	$345	$345
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$813	$813

In 2017-2018, DePaul reported having 250 graduate assistants across all departments at the school. Of that number, 14 were classified as teaching assistants, and 0 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at Chapman.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Chapman University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$28,719	$28,719
Fees for Full-Time Students	$244	$244
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,205	$1,205

The school reported having 204 graduate assistants for all departments combined in 2017-2018. Of that number, 32 were classified as teaching assistants, and 42 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Graduate students at Mary Baldwin can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Mary Baldwin University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,370	$11,370
Fees for Full-Time Students	$120	$120
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$630	$630

Across all programs, there were 13 graduate assistants at the school in 2017-2018. Of that number, 10 were classified as teaching assistants, and 0 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending UIUC.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$15,186	$28,773
Fees for Full-Time Students	$3,038	$3,038
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$552	$1,025

There were 5,627 graduate assistants at the school (in all programs combined) in 2017-2018. Of that number, 2,786 were classified as teaching assistants, and 2,583 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending Florida State.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Florida State University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$9,684	$24,116
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,869	$2,591
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$482	$1,114

In 2017-2018, the school reported the combined number of graduate assistants across all departments to be 3,021. Of that number, 1,774 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,236 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending Northwestern U.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Northwestern University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$52,239	$52,239
Fees for Full-Time Students	$440	$440
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$6,195	$6,195

Across all programs, there were 1,169 graduate assistants at the school in 2017-2018. Of that number, 655 were classified as teaching assistants, and 514 were classified as research assistants.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at California State University - Northridge.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at California State University - Northridge

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$7,176	$16,680
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,133	$1,133
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$396	$396

The school reported having 284 graduate assistants for all departments combined in 2017-2018. Of that number, 220 were classified as teaching assistants, and 0 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending U of H.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Houston

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$8,064	$17,334
Fees for Full-Time Students	$982	$982
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$448	$963

There were 2,209 graduate assistants at the school (in all programs combined) in 2017-2018. Of that number, 1,452 were classified as teaching assistants, and 719 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending Villanova.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Villanova University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$18,373	$18,373
Fees for Full-Time Students	$100	$100
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$967	$967

In 2017-2018, the school reported the combined number of graduate assistants across all departments to be 314. Of that number, 62 were classified as teaching assistants, and 216 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Graduate students at Harvard can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Harvard University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$44,816	$44,816
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,142	$1,142
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,401	$1,401

In 2017-2018, there were 2,182 graduate assistants in all departments combined at the school. Of that number, 1,268 were classified as teaching assistants, and 867 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at UMKC.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of Missouri - Kansas City

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$9,048	$23,067
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,339	$1,339
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$377	$973

In 2017-2018, UMKC reported having 500 graduate assistants across all departments at the school. Of that number, 305 were classified as teaching assistants, and 139 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

The following table gives an overview of the average costs for graduate students attending UCLA.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of California - Los Angeles

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,502	$26,604
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,501	$1,501
Part-Time per Credit Hour	Not Reported	Not Reported

In 2017-2018, UCLA reported having 5,296 graduate assistants across all departments at the school. Of that number, 2,638 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,303 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

These are the average costs for graduate students attending Ohio U.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Ohio University - Main Campus

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$9,444	$17,436
Fees for Full-Time Students	$271	$271
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$599	$1,095

Across all programs, there were 1,670 graduate assistants at the school in 2017-2018. Of that number, 1,061 were classified as teaching assistants, and 142 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

Graduate students at Academy of Art University can expect to pay the following average costs.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Academy of Art University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$23,568	$23,568
Fees for Full-Time Students	$300	$300
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$982	$982

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending Carnegie Mellon.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at Carnegie Mellon University

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$42,563	$42,563
Fees for Full-Time Students	$834	$834
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$592	$592

The school reported having 3,008 graduate assistants for all departments combined in 2017-2018. Of that number, 0 were classified as teaching assistants, and 3,008 were classified as research assistants.

Here are the average costs for graduate students at New School University.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at The New School

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$44,247	$44,247
Fees for Full-Time Students	$360	$360
Part-Time per Credit Hour	$1,795	$1,795

There were 820 graduate assistants at the school (in all programs combined) in 2017-2018. Of that number, 282 were classified as teaching assistants, and 247 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

This table gives a breakdown of the average costs for graduate students attending UCSD.

Average Graduate Tuition and Fees at University of California - San Diego

	In-State	Out-of-State
Full-Time Tuition	$11,502	$26,604
Fees for Full-Time Students	$1,944	$1,944
Part-Time per Credit Hour	Not Reported	Not Reported

In 2017-2018, there were 4,120 graduate assistants in all departments combined at the school. Of that number, 2,394 were classified as teaching assistants, and 1,402 were classified as research assistants. The remaining GAs were categorized as Other.

A note on these rankings: The colleges above are ranked by the number of graduates in the program meaning the largest programs are at the top. While program popularity does not necessarily indicate quality, it does mean that many students are successfully graduating from the program, thus, making them worthwhile programs to consider.

References

National Center for Education Statistics
Image Credit: By Donald Judge under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.