Best Acting and Drama Universities in United States [2026 Rankings]

1

New York State | New York City

New York University

#17 in North America #21 in the World

9% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1520 Avg SAT

1831 Founded

2

Maryland | College Park

University of Maryland – College Park

#33 in North America #39 in the World

45% Acceptance

31,133 Enrollment

1465 Avg SAT

1856 Founded

3

Washington | Seattle

University of Washington – Seattle

#8 in North America #10 in the World

39% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1315 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

4

New York State | Ithaca

Cornell University

#4 in North America #5 in the World

9% Acceptance

16,128 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1865 Founded

5

New York State | New York City

Columbia University

#7 in North America #9 in the World

4% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1754 Founded

6

California | Los Angeles

University of California – Los Angeles

#11 in North America #13 in the World

9% Acceptance

37,297 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

7

Arizona | Tucson

University of Arizona

#38 in North America #45 in the World

86% Acceptance

37,297 Enrollment

1285 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

8

Texas | Austin, TX

University of Texas at Austin

#28 in North America #32 in the World

27% Acceptance

43,165 Enrollment

1380 Avg SAT

1883 Founded

9

Pennsylvania | University Park, PA

Pennsylvania State University

#18 in North America #22 in the World

61% Acceptance

42,604 Enrollment

1330 Avg SAT

1855 Founded

10

Colorado | Boulder

University of Colorado Boulder

#48 in North America #67 in the World

78% Acceptance

34,096 Enrollment

1335 Avg SAT

1876 Founded

11

California | Stanford

Stanford University

#2 in North America #2 in the World

4% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

12

California | Berkeley

University of California – Berkeley

#5 in North America #7 in the World

11% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1868 Founded

13

Wisconsin | Madison, WI

University of Wisconsin – Madison

#14 in North America #17 in the World

45% Acceptance

38,040 Enrollment

1450 Avg SAT

1848 Founded

14

Massachusetts | Cambridge, MA

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

#6 in North America #8 in the World

5% Acceptance

4,535 Enrollment

1550 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

15

Michigan | Ann Arbor

University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

#3 in North America #4 in the World

16% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1445 Avg SAT

1817 Founded

16

New Jersey | Princeton, NJ

Princeton University

#22 in North America #26 in the World

5% Acceptance

5,813 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1746 Founded

17

Arizona | Tempe

Arizona State University – Tempe

#45 in North America #58 in the World

90% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

970 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

18

Connecticut | New Haven

Yale University

#10 in North America #12 in the World

4% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1520 Avg SAT

1701 Founded

19

Massachusetts | Boston

Boston University

#40 in North America #48 in the World

11% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1869 Founded

20

Ohio | Columbus, OH

Ohio State University

#19 in North America #23 in the World

61% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1395 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

21

California | Pasadena, CA

California Institute of Technology

#50 in North America #71 in the World

3% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

22

Pennsylvania | Philadelphia

University of Pennsylvania

#13 in North America #15 in the World

5% Acceptance

1,947 Enrollment

1540 Avg SAT

1740 Founded

23

California | San Diego

University of California-San Diego

#21 in North America #25 in the World

27% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

24

Minnesota | Minneapolis

University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

#15 in North America #18 in the World

80% Acceptance

15,019 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

25

California | Santa Barbara

University of California – Santa Barbara

#59 in North America #87 in the World

33% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1921 Founded

26

Illinois | Champaign

University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign

#20 in North America #24 in the World

42% Acceptance

37,140 Enrollment

1415 Avg SAT

1867 Founded

27

Illinois | Chicago

University of Chicago

#16 in North America #20 in the World

4% Acceptance

7,598 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

28

Massachusetts | Cambridge, MA

Harvard University

#1 in North America #1 in the World

4% Acceptance

1,489 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1636 Founded

29

Pennsylvania | Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh

#36 in North America #43 in the World

58% Acceptance

25,900 Enrollment

1370 Avg SAT

1787 Founded

30

California | Irvine

University of California – Irvine

#46 in North America #59 in the World

29% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1965 Founded

31

Georgia, US | Atlanta

Georgia Institute of Technology

#51 in North America #72 in the World

14% Acceptance

1,070 Enrollment

1455 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

32

California | Los Angeles

University of Southern California

#23 in North America #27 in the World

10% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1880 Founded

33

North Carolina | Durham, NC

Duke University

#29 in North America #33 in the World

6% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1838 Founded

34

Florida | Tallahassee

Florida State University

#80 in North America #142 in the World

24% Acceptance

6,768 Enrollment

1340 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

35

Virginia | Charlottesville

University of Virginia

#43 in North America #55 in the World

17% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1819 Founded

36

New Jersey | New Brunswick, NJ

Rutgers University – New Brunswick

#32 in North America #37 in the World

58% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1405 Avg SAT

1766 Founded

37

Rhode Island | Providence

Brown University

#54 in North America #77 in the World

5% Acceptance

7,910 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1764 Founded

38

Maryland | Baltimore

Johns Hopkins University

#9 in North America #11 in the World

6% Acceptance

6,636 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1876 Founded

39

North Carolina | Chapel Hill

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

#26 in North America #30 in the World

15% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1460 Avg SAT

1789 Founded

40

Indiana | West Lafayette

Purdue University

#37 in North America #44 in the World

50% Acceptance

44,819 Enrollment

1340 Avg SAT

1869 Founded

41

Florida | Gainesville, FL

University of Florida

#24 in North America #28 in the World

24% Acceptance

36,573 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1853 Founded

42

Illinois | Evanston

Northwestern University

#27 in North America #31 in the World

8% Acceptance

9,399 Enrollment

1540 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

43

Colorado | Fort Collins

Colorado State University – Fort Collins

#71 in North America #117 in the World

89% Acceptance

10,813 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

44

Pennsylvania | Pittsburgh

Carnegie Mellon University

#41 in North America #51 in the World

12% Acceptance

7,377 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1900 Founded

45

California | Davis

University of California – Davis

#30 in North America #34 in the World

42% Acceptance

25,685 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1905 Founded

46

Kansas State | Lawrence, KS

University of Kansas

#83 in North America #147 in the World

93% Acceptance

15,019 Enrollment

1185 Avg SAT

1865 Founded

47

Utah | Salt Lake

University of Utah

#44 in North America #57 in the World

86% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1285 Avg SAT

1850 Founded

48

Michigan | East Lansing

Michigan State University

#34 in North America #40 in the World

85% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1270 Avg SAT

1855 Founded

49

New York State | Stony Brook

Stony Brook University

#98 in North America #199 in the World

49% Acceptance

18,263 Enrollment

1415 Avg SAT

1957 Founded

50

Missouri | St. Louis

Washington University in St Louis

#42 in North America #53 in the World

12% Acceptance

2,256 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1853 Founded

51

Texas | College Station

Texas A&M University – College Station

#39 in North America #46 in the World

57% Acceptance

60,710 Enrollment

1275 Avg SAT

1876 Founded

52

New York State | Albany, NY

SUNY at Albany

#150 in North America #387 in the World

69% Acceptance

9,536 Enrollment

1355 Avg SAT

1844 Founded

53

Iowa State | Iowa City

University of Iowa

#53 in North America #74 in the World

84% Acceptance

22,738 Enrollment

1230 Avg SAT

1847 Founded

54

Virginia | Fairfax

George Mason University

#112 in North America #235 in the World

87% Acceptance

6,353 Enrollment

1260 Avg SAT

1957 Founded

55

Kentucky | Lexington, KY

University of Kentucky

#63 in North America #102 in the World

93% Acceptance

25,534 Enrollment

1180 Avg SAT

1865 Founded

56

Florida | Coral Gables

University of Miami

#67 in North America #109 in the World

19% Acceptance

2,986 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1925 Founded

57

Indiana | Bloomington, IN

Indiana University – Bloomington

#94 in North America #184 in the World

78% Acceptance

6,885 Enrollment

1285 Avg SAT

1820 Founded

58

Pennsylvania | Philadelphia

Temple University

#93 in North America #180 in the World

80% Acceptance

21,457 Enrollment

1520 Avg SAT

1884 Founded

59

New Hampshire | Hanover, NH

Dartmouth College

#84 in North America #148 in the World

5% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1769 Founded

60

Massachusetts | Boston

Boston College

#125 in North America #284 in the World

16% Acceptance

9,942 Enrollment

1490 Avg SAT

1863 Founded

61

Oregon | Corvallis

Oregon State University

#66 in North America #107 in the World

77% Acceptance

25,685 Enrollment

1270 Avg SAT

1868 Founded

62

New Mexico | Albuquerque

University of New Mexico

#95 in North America #187 in the World

95% Acceptance

37,297 Enrollment

1030 Avg SAT

1889 Founded

63

Louisiana | Baton Rouge

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

#90 in North America #174 in the World

73% Acceptance

34,242 Enrollment

1260 Avg SAT

1860 Founded

64

Tennessee | Knoxville

University of Tennessee – Knoxville

#78 in North America #135 in the World

42% Acceptance

30,564 Enrollment

1285 Avg SAT

1794 Founded

65

Utah | Provo

Brigham Young University – Provo

#108 in North America #217 in the World

68% Acceptance

32,701 Enrollment

1365 Avg SAT

1875 Founded

66

Massachusetts | Amherst, MA

University of Massachusetts – Amherst

#64 in North America #105 in the World

60% Acceptance

17,560 Enrollment

1405 Avg SAT

1863 Founded

67

Illinois | Chicago

University of Illinois at Chicago

#69 in North America #113 in the World

77% Acceptance

22,495 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1858 Founded

68

California | San Francisco

University of California – San Francisco

#35 in North America #42 in the World

13% Acceptance

2,942 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1864 Founded

69

Hawaii | Honolulu

University of Hawaii at Manoa

#398 in North America #1467 in the World

87% Acceptance

2,792 Enrollment

1187 Avg SAT

1907 Founded

70

Georgia, US | Athens, GA

University of Georgia

#58 in North America #86 in the World

38% Acceptance

3,177 Enrollment

1375 Avg SAT

1785 Founded

71

Iowa State | Ames

Iowa State University

#57 in North America #83 in the World

89% Acceptance

25,628 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1858 Founded

72

Alabama | Tuscaloosa

University of Alabama

#121 in North America #265 in the World

77% Acceptance

6,768 Enrollment

1285 Avg SAT

1831 Founded

73

Nebraska | Lincoln, NE

University of Nebraska – Lincoln

#70 in North America #115 in the World

87% Acceptance

34,096 Enrollment

1214 Avg SAT

1869 Founded

74

California | Santa Cruz

University of California – Santa Cruz

#96 in North America #192 in the World

66% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1965 Founded

75

Maryland | Baltimore

University of Maryland – Baltimore County

#182 in North America #503 in the World

72% Acceptance

10,767 Enrollment

1330 Avg SAT

1966 Founded

76

Tennessee | Nashville

Vanderbilt University

#52 in North America #73 in the World

6% Acceptance

7,221 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1873 Founded

77

North Carolina | Raleigh

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

#47 in North America #63 in the World

42% Acceptance

28,422 Enrollment

1385 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

78

New York State | Buffalo

University at Buffalo

#85 in North America #152 in the World

74% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1295 Avg SAT

1846 Founded

79

Missouri | Columbia, MO

University of Missouri – Columbia

#73 in North America #121 in the World

78% Acceptance

24,449 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1839 Founded

80

Connecticut | Storrs

University of Connecticut

#82 in North America #145 in the World

52% Acceptance

20,056 Enrollment

1325 Avg SAT

1881 Founded

81

New York State | Rochester, NY

University of Rochester

#60 in North America #90 in the World

40% Acceptance

6,580 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1850 Founded

82

Ohio | Cleveland, OH

Case Western Reserve University

#74 in North America #123 in the World

37% Acceptance

6,636 Enrollment

1485 Avg SAT

1826 Founded

83

Pennsylvania | Philadelphia

Drexel University

#120 in North America #258 in the World

79% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1340 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

84

Georgia, US | Atlanta

Emory University

#56 in North America #82 in the World

11% Acceptance

967 Enrollment

1510 Avg SAT

1836 Founded

85

Indiana | Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame

#81 in North America #144 in the World

11% Acceptance

15,414 Enrollment

1508 Avg SAT

1844 Founded

86

Florida | Tampa

University of South Florida

#87 in North America #166 in the World

43% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1225 Avg SAT

1956 Founded

87

Texas | Houston, TX

Rice University

#92 in North America #179 in the World

8% Acceptance

4,789 Enrollment

1540 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

88

Oklahoma State | Norman

University of Oklahoma – Norman

#111 in North America #234 in the World

77% Acceptance

23,329 Enrollment

1235 Avg SAT

1890 Founded

89

New Hampshire | Durham, NH

University of New Hampshire

#146 in North America #364 in the World

88% Acceptance

12,029 Enrollment

1210 Avg SAT

1866 Founded

90

District of Columbia | Washington, DC

Georgetown University

#55 in North America #79 in the World

13% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1470 Avg SAT

1789 Founded

91

New York State | Syracuse

Syracuse University

#129 in North America #296 in the World

46% Acceptance

14,074 Enrollment

1355 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

92

Virginia | Blacksburg

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

#62 in North America #97 in the World

55% Acceptance

31,035 Enrollment

1365 Avg SAT

1872 Founded

93

Texas | Lubbock

Texas Tech University

#133 in North America #304 in the World

73% Acceptance

32,580 Enrollment

1185 Avg SAT

1923 Founded

94

District of Columbia | Washington, DC

George Washington University

#72 in North America #120 in the World

47% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1425 Avg SAT

1821 Founded

95

Louisiana | New Orleans

Tulane University of Louisiana

#114 in North America #245 in the World

14% Acceptance

8,192 Enrollment

1460 Avg SAT

1834 Founded

96

Florida | Orlando

University of Central Florida

#115 in North America #246 in the World

40% Acceptance

59,552 Enrollment

1275 Avg SAT

1963 Founded

97

Ohio | Cincinnati

University of Cincinnati

#89 in North America #173 in the World

85% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1265 Avg SAT

1819 Founded

98

Virginia | Richmond, VA

Virginia Commonwealth University

#118 in North America #252 in the World

93% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1140 Avg SAT

1838 Founded

99

Washington | Pullman

Washington State University

#86 in North America #165 in the World

87% Acceptance

26,384 Enrollment

1110 Avg SAT

1890 Founded

100

Texas | Houston, TX

University of Houston

#106 in North America #213 in the World

74% Acceptance

39,257 Enrollment

1250 Avg SAT

1927 Founded

100 Best Universities in United States for Acting and Drama

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