### SUMMARY

 A degree in Acting is not only a valuable choice, but naturally a necessary first step for students intending to pursue a career as a choreographer, a dramatherapist, or a movie star. In fact, acting is an uncommon major coming in at the 204th most popular major. Last year, there were 1,135 acting degrees conferred. In-state tuition for acting at private colleges is, on average, 3.2 times more expensive than their public counterparts.

 With only 93 colleges offering this degree you may have a smaller selection of institutions that will have an option for you. If you are looking to immerse yourself with other acting undergraduates, consider looking at institutions in New York which have more undergraduates admitted to acting than any other state. less precisely, the top region to major in acting is in the Mid East region with [Marymount Manhattan College](/colleges/marymount-manhattan-college), [Pace University](/colleges/pace-university), and [Temple University](/colleges/temple-university) best representing the region. Interestingly, our pick of the best conference to study acting is the Pacific-12 Conference with [University of Southern California](/colleges/university-of-southern-california) representing the conference. On that topic, our selection for the best college for acting is [University of Southern California](/colleges/university-of-southern-california), and here you can find our comprehensive list for the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges).

 The 'best' school does not mean it is the 'best' school for you. There might be many more facets to think about when choosing ​university. Things such as campus amenities, transportation services, and food might definitely affect one's thoughts of which school to attend. At Authority, we weighed the pros and cons for you. If, for example, you want to know which acting university boasts the top campus, the answer is [Boston University](/colleges/boston-university). If you are very interested in which school has the finest campus, we have an entire list [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through student reviews, government databases, professor reviews, and more so we can compare all U.S. majors in an unbiased and informative way. You can explore our comprehensive list for the schools with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbsphere and from that list, our pick for the college with the best student life for acting is [The University of Texas at Austin](/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-austin). Curious why? Continue scrolling to find out more about Authority's top recommendations. Some of our decisions just might shock you.

 If expense is a major influence in your decisions, you might consider avoiding [University of Southern California](/colleges/university-of-southern-california). [University of Southern California](/colleges/university-of-southern-california)&nbspappears to be the most expensive school for acting, at least for out of state students. That being said, we have a list of the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspuniversities that could put the price tag at [University of Southern California](/colleges/university-of-southern-california)&nbspinto perspective. Additionally, you may care to know that acting is the 141st most expensive major in the nation, with an average expense of $34,500. On a broader scale, the most expensive state for acting in the nation is California with tuition and fees at the primary three colleges Chapman University, Pepperdine University, and University of Southern California of $54,540, $55,640, and $55,640 respectively. Even more broadly, the most costly region for acting is the Far West region which is best demonstrated with [Chapman University](/colleges/chapman-university) with a cost of $54,540, [Pepperdine University](/colleges/pepperdine-university) with a cost of $55,640, and [University of Southern California](/colleges/university-of-southern-california) with a cost of $57,256.

 Our cheapest region for acting is the Rocky Mountains region which is represented by [Brigham Young University-Provo](/colleges/brigham-young-university-provo) with a cost of $5,790. More optimistically, the most affordable school for acting is [Oklahoma City University](/colleges/oklahoma-city-university). Our full list of the most affordable colleges can be found [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state learners can anticipate paying in the neighborhood of $12,400 for a degree in acting. The price inflates intensely to a median of $26,300 for the out-of-state public-school student. As such, you might be interested in our choice for the university with the best value for acting: [University of Southern California](/colleges/university-of-southern-california). Through this link you will see our comprehensive list about the colleges we believe to be the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspin general. With that said, this section is predicated on the assumption that you are an out-of-state student. A discussion of value changes when in-state tuition is considered, as such, we are using out-of-state tuition as the baseline.

 Earnings for acting majors can vary, but within two years graduation students will often make in the neighborhood of $48,900. While there is a lot of variation in pay; highest paid earners can enjoy pay up to $101,600. Even right out of college, the lowest end jobs within the acting field make $24,000, which is an alright wage. The highest earning graduates for acting have come from [University of Southern California](/colleges/university-of-southern-california)&nbspand if you want to find the schools with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), Authority has that too.

 The overall diversity of acting is subpar, coming within the 43rd percentile of all majors. The university with the most composite diversity for acting is [Boston University](/colleges/boston-university)&nbspand here you can find our general list for the schools with the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The overall financial diversity of Acting is only in the 33rd percentile of all majors. Racial diversity is actually above financial diversity, in the 36th percentile. White students make up the largest share at 67% of those majoring in acting. Additionally, 62% of undergrads pursuing an acting degree are women.

 We have insufficient professors data for acting to make the conclusions we normally would have made in this sentence. If we consider data other than simply rankings it becomes clear that the university possessing the overall best professors for acting is [Boston University](/colleges/boston-university). You will find an explanation of our ever evolving ranking methodology for the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), along with many of the best professors in the U.S.

 Finally, the hardest school to get into for acting is [The Juilliard School](/colleges/the-juilliard-school). While we think of this list more as a novelty, we do have a comprehensive page for the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). That being said, we do hope you understand that approaching academics with a lens mainly informed by superlatives can create problems. We at Authority hope you explore our more nuanced pages on different universities and read a few of Authority's helpful background pages on useful things to look for as your school search develops.



 ### POPULARITY

 Acting is the 204th most popular degree in America, with 1,135 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #205 [Social Studies Teacher Education](/rankings/best-colleges-for-social-studies-teacher-education), and narrowly lost to #203 [Computer Systems Analysis](/rankings/best-colleges-for-computer-systems-analysis).

 The degree is offered at a total of 93 colleges across the nation, and is the 180th most widely offered degree. It is only offered at 5% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America.

 It is also worth noting that 3 in 10 colleges offering acting are public making it a relatively inaccessible field.

 The mid east produces the most acting graduates, largely led by [Marymount Manhattan College](/colleges/marymount-manhattan-college), while it’s the Pacific-12 Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, New York ranks highest, with particular help from [Marymount Manhattan College](/colleges/marymount-manhattan-college) and [Pace University](/colleges/pace-university).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more acting graduates than [American Conservatory Theater](/colleges/american-conservatory-theater), which graduated 99 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study acting). More students studied acting as a percentage of total students at [New York Film Academy](/colleges/new-york-film-academy) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Acting is the 141st most expensive major in the US, with a median cost of $34,531 for the top 50 programs (just ahead of #142, [Radio, Television, and Digital Communication](rankings/best-colleges-for-radio-television-and-digital-communication), with a median cost of $34,423).

 The Far West has the most expensive colleges with top 50 acting programs led by [Chapman University](/colleges/chapman-university) with an annual cost of $54,540. California is the most expensive state for acting also led by [Chapman University](/colleges/chapman-university) and [Pepperdine University](/colleges/pepperdine-university).

 Public schools with good programs by and large charge 68.36% less than private schools for in-state students. When looking at out-of-state tuition however, the median top 50 Public school charges 32.7% less than your average private school. So, if you're looking into studying at a state school, make sure you qualify for in-state tuition sooner rather than later.

 The most expensive top 25 college for acting is [University of Southern California](/colleges/university-of-southern-california), which is the 14th most expensive college in the US. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [Brigham Young University-Provo](/colleges/brigham-young-university-provo). It costs just $5,790 per year, and it is its acting program is ranked #26. If you’re looking for the least expensive option in the top 25, [University of Illinois at Chicago](/colleges/university-of-illinois-at-chicago)  is probably right for you, ranked #25 with an in-state cost of just $10,584. Another more affordable option would be #18, [Oklahoma City University](/colleges/oklahoma-city-university) in Oklahoma County, OK with a cost of $28,094 for in-state students and $28,094 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 Going to college is an important investment for most students. It is important to be sure you justify that spend. We intend for the following career and income insights to aid you in making an informed decision when picking your major.

 The average Acting student takes home a first year salary of $23,577 per year (bottom 3%). With experience in their work lives, they can bring home up to $101,648 per year to as little as $24,046, but average more or less $48,881. To put it in context, that is 27% greater than the nation wide average.

 The most common job placement for an Acting graduate is Account Executive, which typically make approximately $36,000; next are Consultant and Marketing Internship, which predominantly earn approximately $56,000 and $24,000 respectively.

 The best paid region for Acting graduates is New England. WI has the best paid Acting graduates of any state. Atlantic Coast Conference has the highest earning Acting graduates of any conference..



### STUDENTS

 College often can be an incredibly constructive period of one's life; it is an opportunity for individual growth and expansion. Scholars begin to discover who they want to emulate and forge many of the requisite skills to be a thriving adult. But growth is not confined to a classroom - the late nights discussing James Baldwin with a classmate, the wild anecdote learned from an old professor, the exposure to a different view. As such, a diverse student population tremendously improves what you gain from your time spent in college.

 Acting is a less racially diverse major than average\*. 67% of America's Acting majors are white students, followed by black students (11%), latino students (11%), and students of other races\*\*(10%). The most ethnically diverse college\* in the top 100 is [University of Illinois at Chicago](/colleges/university-of-illinois-at-chicago)&nbspin Chicago, IL.

 Moreover, Acting significatly skews female, with just below five eighths of students majoring in Acting identifying as women. [Kean University](/colleges/kean-university) in Union, NJ has the most gender balanced student body in the top 100.

 Another important type of diversity is socioeconomic diversity. Unfortunately, Acting is one of America's least financially diverse subjects (Bottom 33%). 32% of its students come from homes bringing in north of $110,000 per year, 16% are from families with $48,000 to $75,000 annual incomes, and 22% grew up in households taking in less than $30,000 a year. [Oklahoma City University](/colleges/oklahoma-city-university) is the most economically diverse college in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall CA is the most diverse state for Acting. The Far West is the most diverse region, and the Pacific West Conference is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 2%
* Black: 11%
* Latino: 11%
* White: 67%
* Other: 10%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 38%
* Female: 62%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 22%
* 30k - 48k: 14%
* 48k - 75k: 16%
* 75k - 110k: 16%
* Over 110k: 32%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 65%
* Out of State: 28%
* International: 6%


2023 Acting Salary

There are about 5,312 students enrolled in Acting in the USA.

SALARY