Best Value Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Colleges in New York

CUNY Hunter College delivers the lowest net cost at $2,446 for Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft programs in New York, though graduates earn $16,015 annually. This creates a stark contrast with CUNY NYC College of Technology, where students pay $4,783 but earn $38,829 after graduation. New York's theater district employs over 87,000 people in arts and entertainment, making it the nation's largest market for performing arts careers. The 20 programs analyzed show net costs ranging from $2,446 to $32,965, with most CUNY schools clustering under $6,000. SUNY schools typically cost between $14,000-$19,000, while graduation rates vary dramatically from 19% to 78%. Brooklyn College stands out with 57% graduation rates at just $2,943 net cost, positioning it as a strong middle option for students balancing affordability with completion likelihood.

Programs

$2,446 – $55,359

Net Price Range

$22,807

Avg. Program Earnings

67.6%

Avg. Graduation Rate

50 Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	Program Earnings	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	CUNY New York City College of Technology Brooklyn, New York	$4,783	$38,829	$7,332	19.4%	81.8%
2	CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn, New York	$2,943	$19,455	$7,452	56.6%	54.5%
3	CUNY Hunter College New York, New York	$2,446	$16,015	$7,382	61.0%	47.9%
4	CUNY Queens College Queens, New York	$3,830	$23,649	$7,538	60.2%	69.5%
5	College of Staten Island CUNY Staten Island, New York	$5,115	$28,055	$7,490	32.8%
6	CUNY City College New York, New York	$3,486	$18,315	$7,340	54.7%	66.6%
7	SUNY College at Potsdam Potsdam, New York	$14,295	$25,967	$8,712	47.9%	82.7%
8	SUNY at Fredonia Fredonia, New York	$15,644	$26,353	$8,771	53.5%	84.6%
9	SUNY Oneonta Oneonta, New York	$18,833	$28,598	$8,812	70.2%	72.5%
10	SUNY Buffalo State University Buffalo, New York	$14,229	$21,234	$8,486	36.0%	86.0%
11	Stony Brook University Stony Brook, New York	$18,430	$26,353	$10,560	77.8%	49.1%
12	SUNY at Purchase College Purchase, New York	$19,067	$26,482	$8,953	61.6%	74.7%
13	SUNY Brockport Brockport, New York	$15,844	$20,824	$8,678	56.6%	67.9%
14	State University of New York at Oswego Oswego, New York	$17,231	$21,508	$8,769	60.4%	82.6%
15	State University of New York at New Paltz New Paltz, New York	$18,481	$18,771	$8,524	68.9%	58.3%
16	Binghamton University Vestal, New York	$21,364	$21,052	$10,363	83.6%	41.8%
17	Ithaca College Ithaca, New York	$32,965	$28,133	$50,510	74.1%	75.2%
18	Wagner College Staten Island, New York	$27,733	$23,538	$52,000	68.1%	68.5%
19	University at Buffalo Buffalo, New York	$20,470	$16,015	$10,782	73.4%	67.7%
20	Five Towns College Dix Hills, New York	$20,799	$16,169	$29,950	49.0%	58.3%
21	Vassar College Poughkeepsie, New York	$38,182	$28,236	$67,805	89.1%	18.7%
22	Long Island University Brookville, New York	$23,901	$17,282	$41,642	55.4%	92.7%
23	Pace University New York, New York	$31,046	$21,850	$51,424	61.4%	82.9%
24	Adelphi University Garden City, New York	$28,348	$19,866	$47,290	68.9%	72.8%
25	New York University New York, New York	$35,035	$24,402	$60,438	88.5%	12.5%
26	Nazareth University Rochester, New York	$30,521	$21,052	$40,880	72.9%	83.9%
27	Marymount Manhattan College New York, New York	$37,037	$23,842	$40,260	49.8%	72.1%
28	Fordham University Bronx, New York	$42,581	$25,967	$61,992	80.3%	54.1%
29	Hofstra University Hempstead, New York	$35,129	$20,748	$55,450	67.1%	69.3%
30	Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, New York	$34,581	$20,140	$65,030	81.7%	25.5%
31	Syracuse University Syracuse, New York	$41,026	$23,067	$63,061	81.4%	51.8%
32	The New School New York, New York	$55,359	$24,421	$56,386	71.2%	57.2%
33	American Musical and Dramatic Academy New York, New York	$41,019	$16,437	$45,560	72.0%	25.9%
34	Bard College Annandale-On-Hudson, New York	$31,771		$63,612	72.7%	46.1%
35	CUNY Lehman College Bronx, New York	$3,482		$7,410	49.3%	55.3%
36	State University of New York at Cortland Cortland, New York	$19,951		$8,815	68.2%	59.8%
37	Cornell University Ithaca, New York	$32,337		$66,014	95.1%	7.5%
38	SUNY College at Geneseo Geneseo, New York	$18,021		$8,966	72.1%	74.9%
39	Columbia University in the City of New York New York, New York	$20,148		$69,045	95.0%	4.0%
40	Colgate University Hamilton, New York	$29,107		$67,024	90.5%	12.4%
41	Barnard College New York, New York	$39,253		$66,246	92.9%	8.8%
42	Alfred University Alfred, New York	$22,701		$39,530	55.5%	50.6%
43	SUNY College at Plattsburgh Plattsburgh, New York	$16,547		$8,881	58.8%	70.2%
44	Union College Schenectady, New York	$36,000		$66,456	85.3%	46.5%
45	American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New York New York, New York	$54,625		$39,475	92.7%	81.1%
46	Le Moyne College Syracuse, New York	$21,547		$38,970	71.0%	78.3%
47	Daemen University Amherst, New York	$18,244		$33,724	58.4%	79.9%
48	Elmira College Elmira, New York	$23,735		$37,932	64.0%	96.0%
49	Hamilton College Clinton, New York	$28,314		$65,740	91.3%	11.8%
50	University at Albany Albany, New York	$18,486		$10,408	63.9%	67.9%

Frequently Asked Questions

What explains the huge earnings gap between CUNY schools?

CUNY NYC College of Technology graduates earn $38,829 compared to Hunter College's $16,015, nearly $23,000 more annually. This gap likely reflects NYC Tech's focus on technical theater and stagecraft skills versus Hunter's broader liberal arts approach. The 19% graduation rate at NYC Tech suggests a more demanding program structure. Technical theater skills command higher salaries in New York's Broadway and film production industries.

How do SUNY schools compare on debt levels?

SUNY New Paltz graduates carry $19,875 in debt while earning $18,771, creating a challenging debt-to-income ratio. SUNY Fredonia students graduate with $27,000 in debt but earn $26,353, nearly matching their debt load. SUNY Oneonta offers better value with $21,000 debt against $28,598 earnings. Buffalo State shows $20,152 debt with only $21,234 earnings, making loan repayment difficult.

Does acceptance rate correlate with program quality?

Hunter College maintains the lowest acceptance rate at 48% and highest graduation rate at 61%, suggesting selective admissions improve completion odds. Stony Brook combines 49% acceptance with 78% graduation rates, the highest completion rate among all programs. Many SUNY schools accept 80%+ of applicants but show graduation rates between 36-70%. Buffalo State accepts 86% but graduates only 36% of students.

Where can students find the best graduation rates?

Stony Brook University leads with 78% graduation rates, though students pay $18,430 net cost. SUNY Oneonta achieves 70% graduation rates at comparable costs of $18,833. Among affordable options, Hunter College graduates 61% of students at $2,446 net cost. Purchase College, known for arts programs, graduates 62% at $19,067 net cost.

What makes CUNY Brooklyn College a standout value?

Brooklyn College combines a $2,943 net cost with 57% graduation rates and 55% acceptance rate, balancing affordability with selectivity. Students earn $19,455 after graduation, providing reasonable return on investment for the low cost. The school accepts about half of applicants compared to 82% at NYC Tech. Brooklyn's location provides access to both Manhattan theater district and growing arts scenes in Brooklyn neighborhoods.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.