10 Best Bachelor’s in Entertainment Management

At the University of Central Florida, students may choose from over 220 different degree programs, with more than 20 bachelor’s programs available fully online. Hospitality is a specialty subject, which is great news for those looking to get into specific areas of entertainment management. There are also hybrid programs combining face-to-face study with remote learning. 

This B.S. in Entertainment Management is offered through a partnership between UCF’s College of Arts and Humanities and Rosen College. Comprising 120 credit hours, you will study courses across both colleges, which include essential learning from other disciplines outside of entertainment management, such as critical thinking, communication skills, teamwork, and problem-solving. 

Graduates from this program have gone on to work in many areas of entertainment, including live performance, digital media, tourism, hospitality, events management, sports management, and more. Thanks to Rosen College’s relationships within the industry, you’ll gain significant exposure to leaders in the field, and you’ll have access to many opportunities to gain hands-on experience. 

Tuition for undergraduate students at the University of Central Florida is charged on a per-credit basis. For residents of the state, you’ll pay around $105.07 per credit. Non-resident students pay the same rate, with an additional non-resident fee of $511.06 applied to each credit. Including all other fees, the rates are $212.28 and $748.89 respectively. 

UCLA offers a vast range of professional, identity, interest, and institution clubs for students to choose from. Los Angeles is also a key city for entertainment management students, with a huge range of opportunities available. Graduates from this institution have direct access to some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. 

According to the university’s website, around a quarter of recent students have landed a welcome package including signing bonuses, with around a fifth receiving stock and equity options. This is in addition to a generous median starting salary of around $100,000. Graduates went into roles including business development or intelligence, strategy, and content acquisition. 

There are many other roles available within the industry, too. Some of the top companies in the industry have directly hired graduates of this university, including The Walt Disney Company, Fox, Warner Bros, Netflix, YouTube, Sony, Spotify, and top names in the video gaming industry. 

Undergraduate tuition at the University of California Los Angeles stands at around $11,442 annually for in-state students or around $40,434 for out-of-state students. Students can expect to pay fees of around $1,784 in addition to their tuition costs. Housing is around $15,816, while books and supplies cost approximately $1,450.

Founded in 1831, New York University (NYU) spans 19 different schools and colleges. Today, it is one of the most well-respected research institutions in the world, with a top-ranking selection of academic programs at every level. Fewer than 1 in 5 applicants are accepted for undergraduate study, but those who are accepted benefit from a world-class education and have access to numerous study-abroad opportunities. 

The Stern EMT Program at NYU Stern’s business school emphasizes business activities that support and promote the creation of content and media. As a result, students enrolled in this program will be well-versed in the technology used to drive content creation and dissemination within the entertainment industry. 

There is also a BEMT minor available (Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology), which is open to every student at NYU. Requiring 8 credits of EMT courses, you’ll study courses such as The Business of Publishing, Business of Film, Movie Marketing, and Television Management, among others. 

The average undergraduate tuition and fees for New York University are much higher than the national average, at around $75,502. Fees and tuition can also vary between different majors and programs at NYU. Visit this page to get the most accurate picture of your tuition rates. 

According to the UW-Green Bay website, this institution has been ranked in the top 20% for college value by College Factual. There are seven different modes for class delivery, ensuring that your education suits your learning style. Around 85% of first-year students get financial aid and everyone studying on campus benefits from private suites and bathrooms. 

The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay offers an arts management degree with a host of opportunities. As part of the program, you may opt to participate in an arts internship, a 130-hour (3 credit) hands-on experience that’s available to both major and minor arts management students. This may take place locally, nationwide, or worldwide. 

Arts management majors will study courses in applied arts, history and theory, and communication and business. Course titles include those such as Introductory Drawing, Modern Art, Theatre History, History of the Visual Arts, and Small Group Communication. The course list is extremely varied based on the study areas that make up the curriculum; check out the full course listings here. 

Students taking a four-year program at this university can expect to pay different rates of tuition depending on their residency status. Wisconsin residents pay around $262.43 per credit, while non-residents pay around $604.84. There are additional rates for students within other specific groups; you can find a full list of tuition rates on this page. 

Students at USC are known as Trojans and join a long tradition spanning over 100 years, which makes USC Marshall the oldest accredited business school in Southern California. The school teaches around 85 entrepreneurship classes annually and sends almost 1,500 students on placements abroad every year. 

The University of Southern California offers the business cinematic arts (BCA) program. Based at USC Marshall, this program offers a blend of coursework based at both the School of Cinematic Arts and the Marshall School of Business, producing well-rounded graduates who possess the skills needed from both disciplines to become leaders in the entertainment industry. 

Lasting for four years, the program results in a Bachelor of Science in business administration with an emphasis in cinematic arts. You’ll have access to—and be required to complete—an internship with one of many partnering organizations that include Paramount Pictures, MTV, FOX, FX, Disney, ABC, and Sony Picture Entertainment. This is not an exhaustive list and represents less than a quarter of the available opportunities. 

According to USC’s website, it is one of the largest financial aid programs in the country; in one recent year, more than $600 million in financial aid was awarded. For undergraduate tuition, expect to pay around $59,260, with an additional $9,327 for housing, $6,110 for meal plans, and $1,200 in books and supplies. Additional fees of around $1,015 apply too. 

At Pace University, students may enroll in a BBA in arts and entertainment management. This program will see you studying in the heart of New York City, learning how to plan and launch a career within film and television, museums and galleries, music organizations, and more. 

This program is based at the Lubin School of Business and includes numerous guest lecturers from the industry, including executive vice presidents and presidents of the industry, production company owners, and CEOs, such as Richard Gelfond, the CEO of IMAX. Pace is also the home of Bravo TV’s Inside the Actors Studio. 

Your curriculum will comprise 53 credits of university core courses, 29 credits of business core courses, 21 major requirement credits, and 18 credits in arts and entertainment management concentration courses. Additionally, there are 25 credits in open electives.

Undergraduates studying at Pace University can expect to pay annual tuition of around $45,832, plus room and board of around $17-20,000, depending on your campus. There are also fees of $800 for books, $600 for transportation, and $1,418 for personal expenses.

Drexel University was founded in 1891, formerly known by the name The Drexel Institute of Art, Science, and Industry. As a student studying on-campus, you’ll be based at one of three Philadelphia locations, which includes the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. This academy is America’s longest-standing research institution and natural science museum. 

Drexel University offers an entertainment & arts management (EAM) program, which has been nationally ranked and features a faculty comprising leaders in the industry. While it is a business degree that will teach you core business skills, you’ll choose a major that focuses on performing arts, media, or visual arts management for example. 

A unique selling point of this program is that it does not require you to select from a commercial or nonprofit track, which many undergraduate programs in entertainment management do. This allows you greater scope and flexibility with your future career, which is particularly useful for students who haven’t fully settled on their career plans yet. 

Students enrolled in a full-time program lasting for four or five years can expect to pay approximately $18,000 in tuition. You’ll also have a general fee of $790 due each term. If you want to find out more about the costs associated with room and board, check out this page on the university’s website. 

Western New England University (WNE) has been ranked in fifth place in the country for getting a job after graduation. And according to the university’s website, graduates typically earn an average of around $7,000 more than 80% of students from other institutions. Students at WNE are known as G-Bears. 

At the College of Business, students can enroll in this arts and entertainment management degree program, which combines business and management core courses with a range of specialized options in your chosen major. Graduates commonly go on to work in roles within for-profit or nonprofit cultural and creative organizations, hospitality, galleries and museums, or in theatres. 

Your curriculum will include courses such as Business Law for Arts & Entertainment, Event Management, Arts & Entertainment Venue Operations, and Economics of Arts & Entertainment. You’ll take a practicum course and will have the opportunity to specialize with 12 credit hours in elective courses. These are based in four areas, including music, television and film, theatre, and visual arts. 

According to the university’s website, Western New England College is among the top 3% of institutions for value (The Economist). The cost of tuition is around $53-55,000, depending on your program, while high-performing students can qualify for scholarships ranging from $10,000 to $22,000 for continued academic performance. 

Columbia College’s Chicago campus has been designed with creativity in mind, featuring four residence halls surrounded by beautiful murals and set in the heart of the Windy City. There are over 75 student organizations to get involved in, including a Black Student Union and an improvisation club, the latter of which is perfect for entertainment majors. 

This B.A. in arts management will teach you how to manage and be a leader within creative organizations. Your courses will cover key areas for this type of work, including creative law, cultural policy management, and talent management. Your practicum will involve working with a small team to plan and direct live projects, such as performances or events. 

This kind of hands-on experience will be instrumental in getting your foot in the door after graduation. Thus, it’s important to get involved with any opportunities made available, of which Columbia College has many. This includes the opportunity to join the team who work on numerous galleries, festivals, and other startups throughout Chicago. 

Full-time undergraduates at Columbia College Chicago—those taking between 12 and 16 credit hours per term—can expect to pay tuition of around $26,610 annually. Part-time students are charged tuition on a per-credit hour basis, which comes in at around $673 per credit hour. 

Northwestern’s School of Communication touches on many areas of the entertainment industry, from performing arts to dramatic writing and acting. You’ll find regular dance and theatre productions taking place on campus, which you can get involved in. There are also many outreach and community projects, including creative drama and writing. 

With this major in radio, television, and film, you’ll gain hands-on experience in essential areas of entertainment management, including the creation and production of media. According to the university’s website, students have regularly gone on to win awards both at home and abroad. 

The faculty includes working screenwriters and filmmakers who will nurture your creative talent and bring you up to speed with the industry in its current state. Your program could see you move into roles in screenwriting, media content creation, entertainment management, directing, and more. 

With a financial aid budget of more than $200 million each year, around 61% of undergraduates at Northwestern University receive financial aid, with around half of students receiving a university scholarship. Typical tuition for an undergraduate program is around $56,286, plus around $17,616 for room and board.