Quick Highlights:
- Our #1 ranked school for performing arts is Yale University, followed by Northwestern University.
- Top schools have notable alumni and provide networking opportunities, including showcases in major cities like New York and Los Angeles.
- Many schools offer diverse specializations in areas like drama, dance, music, and even unique fields like stand-up comedy and medical clowning.
- Top programs bring in guest artists and have connections with industry professionals, enhancing the educational experience.
For people to appreciate performing arts, the craft has to be raw and honest. As Zooey Deschanel put it, “If it doesn’t feel true, I don’t want to do it.”
Performing arts is not only a subject that engages students and faculty but the nation and the world. They enrich the environment we live in by displaying thought-provoking and mesmerizing visuals that anyone can appreciate.
Many different careers can be pursued with a degree in performing arts, such as stage, film, or drama.
The following list of performing art schools rank among the best of the best in education.
Last updated: December 19, 2024
To supply you with the best of the best in Performing Arts degree programs, we considered the following points when compiling this list, such as:
- The school’s ability to provide a quality degree program in the field of Performing Arts,
- Offering various learning degree formats, such as online, on-campus, or hybrid coursework,
- Taught by professionals in the field of Performing Arts,
- Offers financial aid opportunities, such as federal loans, scholarships, and grants,
- Displays proper accreditation, pursuant to the field of Performing Arts,
- Prepares graduates for career advancement in Performing Arts.
This list of the best colleges for performing arts degrees is also ranked according to:
- Prestige
- Instructor-to-student ratio
- Quality
- Affordability
- Academic rigor
Most of these performing arts colleges will also have online education options for flexibility and time-saving abilities. The students may have a full-time jobs or families to care for.
For more information on how we select programs, see our Methodology page.
Read on to find out more about the top performing arts colleges. When you are ready to begin the college admissions process, this list can help guide you in the right direction.
Best Performing Arts Colleges and Degrees
Yale University
Yale University School of Drama in New Haven, Connecticut is the top of the line for performing arts degrees for many reasons.
Despite the other schools being fantastic choices for students serious about drama, Yale is a cut above the rest due to its prestige as an Ivy League institution.
Notable alumni also include the likes of actors like Lupita Nyong’o, Paul Giamatti, Paul Newman, Tony Shalhoub, and Meryl Streep, who is considered one of the finest actresses of this current generation.
Tuition (2024-2025)
- In-state and Out-of-State Tuition: $63,638
Yale School of Drama offers graduate training in many performing arts fields, such as:
- acting
- design (which covers sets, costumes, lighting, projection, and sound)
- directing
- dramaturgy and dramatic criticism
- playwriting
- stage management
- technical design and production
- theater management
Yale is truly an amazing college, and one of the best universities in the United States. Students will get the absolute best education at Yale as a result of its qualifications for the highest standard of education, as all Ivy League schools are structured to be in the Northeast United States.
What makes Yale’s Performing Arts program special? Yale Scho