### SUMMARY

 A degree in Musical Theatre is not only a valuable choice, but often a critical first step for undergraduates seeking to begin a career as a newscast producer, a stagehand, or a performer. In fact, musical theatre is a very rare degree ranking as the 248th most popular degree. Last academic year alone, there were 698 musical theatre graduates. In-state tuition for musical theatre at private universities is, on average, 3.5 times more costly than their public counterparts.

 With just 104 colleges having programs for musical theatre you could have limited options as to the institutions you can choose from. If you're hoping to immerse yourself with other musical theatre students, consider colleges in New York which have more undergrads admitted to musical theatre than any other state. More generally, the best region to study musical theatre is in the Mid East region with [Pace University](/colleges/pace-university), [The University of the Arts](/colleges/the-university-of-the-arts), and [Point Park University](/colleges/point-park-university) best representing the region. Interestingly, our selection for the top conference to study musical theatre is the Big Ten Conference with [Indiana University-Bloomington](/colleges/indiana-university-bloomington) representing the conference. On that topic, our belief is that the best school for musical theatre is [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](/colleges/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor), and here you can find our comprehensive list for the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges).

 The objectively best school is not necessarily the 'best' school for every student. There are tons of factors to think about when deciding on college. Stuff like campus amenities, transportation services, and food might alter your choice on which school to attend. Here at authority.org, we've evaluated the pros and cons for you. If, for example, you want to know which musical theatre university is home to the best college campus, the answer is [Syracuse University](/colleges/syracuse-university). If you are very interested in which college has the best campus, we have a whole list [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through student reviews, professor reviews, government databases, and more so we can compare every major in the United States in an unbiased and informative way. You can find our comprehensive list for the universities with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbsphere and, from that list, our choice of the school with the best student life for musical theatre is [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](/colleges/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor). Curious why? Continue reading to learn more about Authority's top selections. Many of our picks might surprise you.

 If expense is a major deciding factor in your decisions, you might consider avoiding [Syracuse University](/colleges/syracuse-university). [Syracuse University](/colleges/syracuse-university)&nbspis the most expensive college for musical theatre, at least regarding out of state attendance. We have an entire list of the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspcolleges that might put the expense at [Syracuse University](/colleges/syracuse-university)&nbspinto perspective. Additionally, you could want to know that musical theatre is the 184th most expensive program in the US, with an average cost of $31,200. To zoom out a little, the most costly state for musical theatre on our list is District of Columbia demonstrated with a tuition of $49,070 at the main school in the state American University. Even more broadly, the most expensive region for musical theatre is the Mid East region which is best demonstrated with [American University](/colleges/american-university) with a cost of $49,070, [The New School](/colleges/the-new-school) with a cost of $49,770, and [Syracuse University](/colleges/syracuse-university) with a cost of $50,616.

 Our cheapest region for musical theatre is the Southwest region which is represented by [Sam Houston State University](/colleges/sam-houston-state-university) with a cost of $15,984, [Texas State University](/colleges/texas-state-university) with a cost of $19,868, and [West Texas A & M University](/colleges/west-texas-a-m-university) with a cost of $6,960. In better news, the most affordable university for musical theatre is [SUNY at Purchase College](/colleges/suny-at-purchase-college). Authority.org's comprehensive list of the most affordable colleges can be explored [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state attendees can anticipate paying about $10,800 for a degree in musical theatre. The cost inflates significantly to a median of $25,400 for the out-of-state public-school student. As such, you might be interested in our pick for the college with the best value for musical theatre: [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](/colleges/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor). On this page you can see our comprehensive list about the universities we believe to be the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspoverall. Bear in mind, this section is based on the assumption that you are an out-of-state student. A discussion of value changes when in-state tuition costs are considered, but we do not know where you live (and are not trying to collect that kind of data).

 Earnings for musical theatre majors differ a lot, but two years after leaving college graduates will regularly make around $49,100. While there can be a lot of variation in salary; highest paid earners can make up to $102,300. Right out of school, the lowest earning positions within the musical theatre field make $24,000, which could be worse. The top earning graduates from musical theatre graduated from [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](/colleges/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor)&nbspand if you are looking for schools with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), Authority has that too.

 The prevailing diversity of musical theatre sits subpar, being within only the 21st percentile of majors nationally. The school with the most composite diversity for musical theatre is [The New School](/colleges/the-new-school)&nbspand here you can find our comprehensive list of the universities with the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The financial diversity of Musical Theatre only ranks within the 70th percentile of all majors. Racial diversity is even less in the 16th percentile. White students make up the largest share at 77% of students majoring in musical theatre. Additionally, 62% of scholars seeking a musical theatre major are women.

 The median rating of musical theatre professors is 4.3 stars, a ranking that is 8% better than the average for every major; this is a fairly good score. If you want to find the most popular musical theatre instructor in the country, look no further than Jennifer Bouquet from [Southeastern Louisiana University](/colleges/southeastern-louisiana-university). It might surprise you, but the best ranked musical theatre professors by student are at [Southeastern Louisiana University](/colleges/southeastern-louisiana-university). As we consider data other than simply rankings we find that the college with the overall best professors for musical theatre is [University of California-Irvine](/colleges/university-of-california-irvine). One can find more detail on our ever evolving ranking methodology for the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), along with some of the best examples of professors in the U.S.

 Finally, the hardest university to get into for musical theatre is [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](/colleges/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor). While we think of this list more as a novelty, we do have a general page for the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). With that said, here at Authority we hope you believe that considering academics through a lens primarily shaped by superlatives could be said to be the root of many of higher education's fundamental issues. We at Authority encourage you to look at some of our other pages on different topics and peruse some of Authority's background pages on essential details to look for as you progress with your school search.



 ### POPULARITY

 Musical theatre is the 248th most popular degree in America, with 698 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #249 [Applied Physics](/rankings/best-colleges-for-applied-physics), and narrowly lost to #247 [Agronomy and Crop Science](/rankings/best-colleges-for-agronomy-and-crop-science).

 The degree is offered at a total of 104 colleges across the nation, and is the 156th most widely offered degree. It is only offered at 3% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America.

 It is also worth noting that 33% of colleges offering musical theatre are public making it a relatively inaccessible field.

 The mid east produces the most musical theatre graduates, largely led by [Pace University](/colleges/pace-university), while it’s the Big Ten Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, New York ranks highest, with particular help from [The New School](/colleges/the-new-school) and [Ithaca College](/colleges/ithaca-college).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more musical theatre graduates than [University of Central Oklahoma](/colleges/university-of-central-oklahoma), which graduated 56 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 musical theatre). More students studied musical theatre as a percentage of total students at [The University of the Arts](/colleges/the-university-of-the-arts) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Musical theatre is the 184th most expensive major in the United States, with a median cost of $31,200 among the top 50 programs (just ahead of #185, [Arabic Language and Literature](rankings/best-colleges-for-arabic-language-and-literature), with a median cost of $31,174).

 The Mid East has the most expensive schools with top musical theatre programs predominantly led by [American University](/colleges/american-university) with an annual cost of $49,070. The most expensive state for musical theatre is District of Columbia also led by [American University](/colleges/american-university).

 Public schools with solid programs typically charge 71.3% less than private schools for in-state students. However, when looking at out-of-state tuition, the median top 50 Public school charges 32.31% less than the median 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 pricey option in the top 25 is [Syracuse University](/colleges/syracuse-university), which is the 94th most expensive college in America. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [West Texas A & M University](/colleges/west-texas-a-m-university). It costs just $6,960 per year, and it is its musical theatre program is ranked #44. If you’re looking for the least expensive option in the top 25, [SUNY at Purchase College](/colleges/suny-at-purchase-college)  could be for you, ranked #16 with an in-state cost of just $7,070. Another more affordable pick would be #22, [University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus](/colleges/university-of-oklahoma-norman-campus) in Cleveland County, OK with a cost of $4,788 for in-state students and $20,169 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 Begining college is an important investment for most students. It is critical to be sure you boost your earning potential. Therefore, we hope the following income and job placement facts help you make an intelligent decision when selecting your major.

 Right out of college, Musical Theatre majors draw $23,577 per annum on average (bottom 3%). Further into their careers, they by and large earn somewhere between $24,020 and $102,270, but average about $49,080. Just so you know, that is 27% above the national average.

 The most popular job title for a Musical Theatre graduate is Account Executive, which often make roughly $36,000; next are Consultant and Marketing Internship, which normally earn close to $56,000 and $24,000 respectively.

 The highest grossing region for Musical Theatre graduates is New England. The best paid state for Musical Theatre alumni is WI. Atlantic Coast Conference has the best paid Musical Theatre graduates of any conference..



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Musical Theatre: Median Professor Rating: 4.3 / 5, which is Top 100.

 Professors unfailingly have a pivotal impact your college experience, no matter what you study. A thought-provoking instructor might help a student find their passion and even make a difficult subject seem easy. On the other hand, a bad experience with a professor can bring unwelcome frustration or even worse... fail you!

 Professors of Musical Theatre boast a median student rating of 4.3 / 5, putting these professors in 80th place in America grounded in overall professor effectivness. For context that's 7.5% higher than the national median professor rating for all subjects. Musical Theatre professors slightly edged-out those from ["Substance Abuse and Addiction Counseling"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-substance-abuse-and-addiction-counseling), whereas ["Engineering Science"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-engineering-science)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Musical Theatre.

 Now for some statistics about Musical Theatre professors. Colleges located in small citys tend to have the best Musical Theatre professors. The Old Dominion Athletic Conference has the highest rated Musical Theatre professors. The Southwest region has the highest rated Musical Theatre professors. Private schools tend to have higher rated Musical Theatre professors than public colleges. Finally, Texas has the highest rated Musical Theatre professors in the US.

 Jennifer Bouquet, instructor at [Southeastern Louisiana University](/colleges/southeastern-louisiana-university)&nbspin Hammond, LA is the most popular Musical Theatre professor in the US. Emily Billington, instructor at [Southeastern Louisiana University](/colleges/southeastern-louisiana-university)&nbspin Hammond, LA is the highest rated Musical Theatre professor in the nation, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 See which institutions have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College can be an immensely formative adventure in one's life; it's a time for personal growth and expansion. Undergrads try to figure out what they are capable of and cultivate the requisite skills to become a successful member of society. But growth is not confined to a classroom environment - the interactions one has with their schoolmates, the funny story received from an eccentric professor, the exposure to a different way of viewing the world. Therefore, attending a diverse college tremendously enriches what you gain from your time spent at college.

 Musical Theatre is a less ethnically diverse major than average\*. 77% of the nation's Musical Theatre majors are white students, followed by students of other races\*\*(8%), black students (7%), and latino students (7%). The most ethnically diverse college\* in the top 100 is [The New School](/colleges/the-new-school) located in New York, NY.

 Moreover, Musical Theatre significatly skews female, with 62% of students majoring in Musical Theatre identifying as women. The most gender balanced school in the top 100 is [University of California-Irvine](/colleges/university-of-california-irvine) in Irvine, CA.

 Another significant type of diversity is socioeconomic diversity. Musical Theatre ranks in the top 30% of majors for economic diversity. 28% of its students come from families earning more than $110,000 a year, 16% are from homes making between $48,000 and $75,000 a year, and 26% grew up in families with a sub $30,000 income. [Oakland University](/colleges/oakland-university) is the most fiscally diverse college in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall CA is the most diverse state for Musical Theatre. The Far West is the most diverse region, and the 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: 1%
* Black: 7%
* Latino: 7%
* White: 77%
* Other: 8%
  ##### Gender Diversity

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

 * Under 30k: 26%
* 30k - 48k: 15%
* 48k - 75k: 16%
* 75k - 110k: 15%
* Over 110k: 28%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 66%
* Out of State: 28%
* International: 6%


University of Southern California

Yale University

Northwestern University

Gordon College

The Juilliard School

University of California-Los Angeles

Dartmouth College

Stanford University

American Musical and Dramatic Academy

University of Chicago

Columbia University in the City of New York

Ithaca College

Carnegie Mellon University

New York University

Duke University

University of North Carolina School of the Arts

University of Notre Dame

Brown University

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Pomona College

Swarthmore College

Boston University

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

University of Kansas

Washington University in St Louis

Search for the best Musical Theatre colleges according to your filter parameters.

2023 Musical Theatre Salary

There are about 2,741 students enrolled in Musical Theatre in the USA.

SALARY