Private nonprofit

Circle in the Square Theatre School

New York, New York·Private not-for-profit, 2-year·Mid East·circlesquare.org
6-yr Graduation
100%
+9.0pp vs peer
Total enrollment
39
peer median 173
Avg net price
$29,537
-$6.0k vs peer
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About

Circle in the Square Theatre School is a performing arts institution located in New York City. It offers a range of programs including a Two Year Conservatory and a BFA in Theatre, focusing on acting and performance training. The school's size is not specified, and it is affiliated with the Circle in the Square Theatre, providing unique opportunities for live performance.

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

Applied
1,012
1,012 candidates competed
Admitted
81
8.0% acceptance rate
Enrolled
4
4.9% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

Overall completion
100%+9.0pp vs peer
Full-time retention
100%

Pell equity

0.0pp gap
Pell recipients
100%
Non-Pell
100%

Pell and non-Pell students graduate at nearly identical rates — a notably small equity gap.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

Of 1 Title IV programs, 0 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 1 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
1
Passing
0
0.0% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

1programs
  • Passing0 · 0.0%
  • No Data1 · 100.0%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
0
Safe
0
No data
1

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

1
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Undergraduate Certificate · Visual And Performing Arts
37%
$12,000 debt · $32,905 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

National Association of Schools of Theatre, Commission on Accreditation

Accredited since 1979Next review Jun 2027

Action history · 1

  1. Mar 2017Renewal of Accreditation
    National Association of Schools of Theatre, Commission on Accreditation

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$29,537
$30–48k
$48–75k
$75–110k
$110k+

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price (private)
$29,537
-$5,962vs peer median $35,500
Federal loans
41.9%
In-state tuition
$24,085
Out-of-state
$24,085

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

In AY 2024–25, 4 students received $21K in Pell grants, alongside $212K in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
4
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$21K
$20,708 total
Direct Loans
$212K
20 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

0k
20
0k
21
0k
22
0k
23
0k
24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$20K
6 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$51K
9 loan awards
Parent PLUS$141K
5 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Of 62 borrowers who entered repayment, 4 (6.4%) defaulted within three years above the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
6.4%
+4.1pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
62
Defaulted
4
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
6.6%
2017
5.0%
2018
8.3%
2019
6.4%
2020*
7.6%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Circlesquare

Top program areas ranked by completions.

Distinct CIP programs1
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

Fall total
39
12-mo unduplicated
50
Undergraduate
50
Graduate
0

Gender split

Men
40%20
Women
60%30

Race / ethnicity composition

White
56.0%
Two or more
14.0%
Black
12.0%
Hispanic
10.0%
Non-resident
6.0%
Asian
2.0%

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
0.00
0 offenses · 43 students

3-year trend

0.002 yrs ago0.001 yr ago0.00Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
0
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
0
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
0

Criminal offenses by type

No criminal offenses reported.

By location

0total

    VAWA offenses

    0
    Domestic violence
    0
    Dating violence
    0
    Stalking
    0 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

    Hate crimes by bias

    No hate crimes reported.

    Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

    CategoryArrestsReferrals
    Weapons00
    Drugs00
    Liquor00

    Residence-hall fires

    No residence-hall fires reported.

    Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

    Student-faculty ratio

    Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

    Student-to-faculty
    4.0:1

    Circlesquare vs Peer comparison

    The peer institutions Circlesquare selected for federal comparison reporting.

    GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
    This institutionPeer median

    A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

    Carnegie
    SubjectCircle in the Square Theatre School
    100%39$29,537
    American Musical and Dramatic Academy
    52%24.5%1,452$41,019
    Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater
    53.3%67$33,096
    New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts
    42.8%251$39,413Special Focus Two-Year: Arts & Design
    The Ailey School
    32.5%94$31,130
    The Juilliard School
    91%9.2%1,073$37,903
    Peer group median91%32.5%173$35,500

    Common Data Set (1)

    The institution's official annual Common Data Set publications — the most detailed reference for enrollment, admissions, and outcomes.

    Reports & documents (1)

    Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.

    Notable alumni of Circlesquare (5)

    A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.

    • Kevin Bacon
      Acting
    • Benicio del Toro
      Acting
    • Idina Menzel
      Acting
    • Philip Seymour Hoffman
      Acting
    • Felicity Huffman
      Acting

    Frequently asked questions about Circle in the Square Theatre School

    Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Circlesquare.

    What is the graduation rate at Circle in the Square Theatre School?

    Circle in the Square Theatre School reports a 6-year graduation rate of 100% per the latest IPEDS.

    How many students attend Circle in the Square Theatre School?

    Circle in the Square Theatre School reports a total enrollment of 39 students per the latest IPEDS.

    What is the average net price at Circle in the Square Theatre School?

    The average net price at Circle in the Square Theatre School is $29,537 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

    What is the yield rate at Circle in the Square Theatre School?

    Circle in the Square Theatre School's yield rate is 4.9%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

    Where is Circle in the Square Theatre School located?

    Circle in the Square Theatre School is located in New York, New York 10019-6795.

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