Top 50 Universities for Theatre in the World (2026)
Exploring Theatre programs worldwide? This page highlights 50 universities. Compare rankings, tuition fees, and admission rates to find the right match. These institutions are recognized for strong performance in Theatre education and research.
How to use filters?
Select degree → Department → subject → continent → State → country → city. Each step unlocks the next option. Your selections are remembered for easier browsing.
Degree Level
Bachelor, Master, PhD
Subject Area
Science, Business, Arts
Location
Worldwide destinations
1
Cambridge, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
1 World
1 North America
1
United States
1 Cambridge
University Information
Acceptance
3%
Publications
669060
Citations
43305893
2
Stanford, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
2 World
2 North America
2
United States
1 Stanford
University Information
Acceptance
4%
Publications
464042
Citations
27749034
3
Ann Arbor, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
3 World
3 North America
3
United States
1 Ann Arbor
University Information
Acceptance
18%
Publications
488505
Citations
22226614
4
Ithaca, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
5 World
4 North America
4
United States
1 Ithaca
University Information
Acceptance
8%
Publications
407264
Citations
18350997
5
Berkeley, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
6 World
5 North America
5
United States
2 Berkeley
University Information
Acceptance
12%
Publications
392253
Citations
21489706
6
New York City, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
9 World
7 North America
7
United States
2 New York City
University Information
Acceptance
4%
Publications
352589
Citations
17252102
7
Seattle, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
10 World
8 North America
8
United States
1 Seattle
University Information
Acceptance
43%
Publications
423520
Citations
22026256
8
New Haven, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
12 World
10 North America
10
United States
1 New Haven
University Information
Acceptance
5%
Publications
344067
Citations
16740050
9
Los Angeles, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
13 World
11 North America
11
United States
3 Los Angeles
University Information
Acceptance
9%
Publications
364058
Citations
18223106
10
Toronto, Canada
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
14 World
12 North America
1
Canada
1 Toronto
University Information
Acceptance
54%*
Publications
489594
Citations
19738928
11
Philadelphia, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
16 World
13 North America
12
United States
1 Philadelphia
University Information
Acceptance
6%
Publications
362411
Citations
18224304
12
Madison, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
17 World
14 North America
13
United States
1 Madison
University Information
Acceptance
43%
Publications
330440
Citations
14733290
13
Minneapolis, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
18 World
15 North America
14
United States
1 Minneapolis
University Information
Acceptance
77%
Publications
315563
Citations
13918850
14
University Park, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
20 World
17 North America
16
United States
2 University Park
University Information
Acceptance
54%
Publications
302810
Citations
11063041
15
New York City, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
22 World
18 North America
17
United States
3 New York City
University Information
Acceptance
9%
Publications
250036
Citations
10887825
16
Columbus, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
23 World
19 North America
18
United States
1 Columbus
University Information
Acceptance
51%
Publications
332689
Citations
10489118
17
Champaign, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
24 World
20 North America
19
United States
2 Champaign
University Information
Acceptance
44%
Publications
303409
Citations
12500654
18
San Diego, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
25 World
21 North America
20
United States
4 San Diego
University Information
Acceptance
25%
Publications
304245
Citations
16110179
19
Los Angeles, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
27 World
23 North America
22
United States
5 Los Angeles
University Information
Acceptance
10%
Publications
250052
Citations
10201550
20
Gainesville, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
28 World
24 North America
23
United States
1 Gainesville
University Information
Acceptance
24%
Publications
316038
Citations
9913526
21
Chapel Hill, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
30 World
26 North America
24
United States
1 Chapel Hill
University Information
Acceptance
19%
Publications
257232
Citations
12049315
22
Evanston, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
31 World
27 North America
25
United States
3 Evanston
University Information
Acceptance
7%
Publications
238956
Citations
11593852
23
Austin, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
32 World
28 North America
26
United States
1 Austin
University Information
Acceptance
29%
Publications
249099
Citations
9915982
24
Durham, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
33 World
29 North America
27
United States
2 Durham
University Information
Acceptance
7%
Publications
227645
Citations
10337561
25
Davis, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
34 World
30 North America
28
United States
6 Davis
University Information
Acceptance
42%
Publications
265216
Citations
10743933
26
New Brunswick, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
35 World
31 North America
29
United States
2 New Brunswick
University Information
Acceptance
65%
Publications
228591
Citations
8508220
27
College Park, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
37 World
32 North America
30
United States
2 College Park
University Information
Acceptance
45%
Publications
214017
Citations
8987126
28
East Lansing, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
38 World
33 North America
31
United States
2 East Lansing
University Information
Acceptance
84%
Publications
212433
Citations
7681949
29
West Lafayette, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
39 World
34 North America
32
United States
1 West Lafayette
University Information
Acceptance
50%
Publications
237253
Citations
7247897
30
Pittsburgh, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
41 World
35 North America
33
United States
3 Pittsburgh
University Information
Acceptance
50%
Publications
270060
Citations
11530096
31
Tucson, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
43 World
37 North America
34
United States
1 Tucson
University Information
Acceptance
86%
Publications
231352
Citations
8679223
32
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Latin America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
46 World
1 Latin America
1
Brazil
1 Sao Paulo
University Information
Acceptance
9%
Publications
403004
Citations
7213878
33
Boston, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
47 World
39 North America
36
United States
3 Boston
University Information
Acceptance
11%
Publications
182725
Citations
8540266
34
Pittsburgh, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
50 World
41 North America
38
United States
4 Pittsburgh
University Information
Acceptance
11%
Publications
137967
Citations
7118629
35
St. Louis, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
51 World
42 North America
39
United States
1 St. Louis
University Information
Acceptance
12%
Publications
217908
Citations
11228109
36
Charlottesville, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
53 World
43 North America
40
United States
1 Charlottesville
University Information
Acceptance
17%
Publications
178234
Citations
6550160
37
Salt Lake, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
54 World
44 North America
41
United States
1 Salt Lake
University Information
Acceptance
87%
Publications
195055
Citations
7256213
38
Beijing, China
Asia
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
56 World
3 Asia
2
China
2 Beijing
University Information
Acceptance
20%*
Publications
298169
Citations
6997569
39
Irvine, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
59 World
45 North America
42
United States
8 Irvine
University Information
Acceptance
26%
Publications
167813
Citations
7111638
40
Manchester, United Kingdom
Europe
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
60 World
8 Europe
6
United Kingdom
5 Manchester
University Information
Acceptance
39%*
Publications
266398
Citations
9228292
41
Tempe, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
61 World
46 North America
43
United States
2 Tempe
University Information
Acceptance
90%
Publications
165203
Citations
5999495
42
Boulder, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
62 World
47 North America
44
United States
1 Boulder
University Information
Acceptance
83%
Publications
143357
Citations
6603816
43
Iowa City, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
71 World
52 North America
48
United States
1 Iowa City
University Information
Acceptance
85%
Publications
174238
Citations
6672084
44
Providence, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
74 World
53 North America
49
United States
1 Providence
University Information
Acceptance
5%
Publications
125684
Citations
5539426
45
Atlanta, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
78 World
55 North America
51
United States
2 Atlanta
University Information
Acceptance
11%
Publications
198442
Citations
8131621
46
Singapore City, Singapore
Asia
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
81 World
5 Asia
1
Singapore
1 Singapore City
University Information
Acceptance
23%*
Publications
231992
Citations
8035566
47
Santa Barbara, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
82 World
56 North America
52
United States
10 Santa Barbara
University Information
Acceptance
28%
Publications
122845
Citations
6288850
48
Athens, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
83 World
57 North America
53
United States
3 Athens
University Information
Acceptance
37%
Publications
126214
Citations
4929170
49
Utrecht, Netherlands
Europe
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
85 World
16 Europe
2
Netherlands
1 Utrecht
University Information
Acceptance
22%
Publications
173442
Citations
7221968
50
Washington, United States
North America
Founded:
Subject: Theatre
Rankings
88 World
59 North America
55
United States
1 Washington
University Information
Acceptance
13%
Publications
102640
Citations
3243749