Best degree programs for Actors, ranked by enrollment
7 college programs and 905 schools train Actors. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $29.05/hr median wage, 55,000 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
7 college programs at 905 schools train actors, graduating 13,489 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General. The job pays a median of $29.05/hr (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About actors
Play parts in stage, television, radio, video, or film productions, or other settings for entertainment, information, or instruction. Interpret serious or comic role by speech, gesture, and body movement to entertain or inform audience. May dance and sing.
An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is ὑποκριτής (hupokritḗs), literally "one who answers". The actor's interpretation of a role—the art of acting pertains to the role played, whether based on a real person or fictional character. This can also be considered an "actor's role", which was called this due to scrolls being used in the theaters. Interpretation occurs even when the actor is "playing themselves", as in some forms of experimental performance art.
Read more on Wikipedia →Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
7 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 50.0501 | 9,838 | 72.9% | 813 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
| 2 | CIP 50.0506 | 1,706 | 12.6% | 111 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
| 3 | CIP 50.0509 | 1,212 | 9.0% | 123 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
| 4 | CIP 50.0599 | 404 | 3.0% | 45 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
| 5 | CIP 50.0507 | 197 | 1.5% | 35 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
| 6 | CIP 50.0512 | 97 | 0.7% | 11 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
| 7 | CIP 50.0511 | 35 | 0.3% | 2 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Musical and Dramatic Academy New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 579 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 72% | $40,932 | 24% |
| 2 | New York University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 424 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 88% | $29,023 | 9% |
| 3 | Texas State University San Marcos, TX Public · 2 feeder programs | 198 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 55% | — | 89% |
| 4 | New York Film Academy Burbank, CA Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 150 | Acting | 68% | $46,505 | — |
| 5 | Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 147 | Acting | 52% | $28,087 | 89% |
| 6 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 139 | Acting | 92% | $26,873 | 10% |
| 7 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 123 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 95% | $14,799 | 8% |
| 8 | American Academy of Dramatic Arts - New York New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 117 | Acting | 96% | $54,325 | 92% |
| 9 | Pace University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 109 | Acting | 60% | $29,994 | 76% |
| 10 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL Public · 1 feeder programs | 104 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 78% | — | 40% |
| 11 | University of California - Irvine Irvine, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 102 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 87% | — | 29% |
| 12 | Emerson College Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 101 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 77% | $40,982 | 51% |
| 13 | Marymount Manhattan College New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 100 | Musical Theatre | 49% | $34,258 | 83% |
| 14 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 97 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 70% | — | 91% |
| 15 | Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, GA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 97 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 69% | $44,902 | 83% |
| 16 | Temple University Philadelphia, PA Public · 4 feeder programs | 95 | Acting | 75% | — | 80% |
| 17 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX Public · 3 feeder programs | 89 | Theatre and Dance | 89% | — | 27% |
| 18 | American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 87 | Acting | 78% | $41,802 | 83% |
| 19 | Utah Valley University Orem, UT Public · 1 feeder programs | 85 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 45% | — | — |
| 20 | Full Sail University Winter Park, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 81 | Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other | 44% | $32,163 | — |
| 21 | University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 81 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 93% | — | 9% |
| 22 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL Public · 1 feeder programs | 80 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 86% | — | 24% |
| 23 | Berklee College of Music Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 77 | Musical Theatre | 67% | $46,197 | 44% |
| 24 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 74 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 69% | — | 46% |
| 25 | The New School New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 74 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 69% | $54,185 | 63% |
| 26 | Ithaca College Ithaca, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 73 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 76% | $28,970 | 69% |
| 27 | DePaul University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 71 | Acting | 68% | $28,141 | 76% |
| 28 | Roosevelt University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 70 | Musical Theatre | 35% | $21,085 | 97% |
| 29 | University of Idaho Moscow, ID Public · 1 feeder programs | 69 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 57% | — | 76% |
| 30 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 68 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 96% | $15,315 | 4% |
| 31 | Long Island University Brookville, NY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 67 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 57% | $24,639 | 86% |
| 32 | University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 67 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 86% | — | 27% |
| 33 | Muhlenberg College Allentown, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 66 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 82% | $23,111 | 72% |
| 34 | Syracuse University Syracuse, NY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 66 | Musical Theatre | 84% | $28,851 | 46% |
| 35 | University of Northern Colorado Greeley, CO Public · 3 feeder programs | 66 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 51% | — | 86% |
| 36 | SUNY at Purchase College Purchase, NY Public · 3 feeder programs | 64 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 63% | — | 74% |
| 37 | University of North Texas Denton, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 64 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 61% | — | 72% |
| 38 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 64 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 63% | — | 93% |
| 39 | Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 63 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 79% | $36,488 | 45% |
| 40 | Illinois State University Normal, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 62 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 65% | — | 88% |
| 41 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 61 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 94% | $23,803 | 12% |
| 42 | Point Park University Pittsburgh, PA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 61 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 59% | $23,704 | 97% |
| 43 | Montclair State University Montclair, NJ Public · 1 feeder programs | 60 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 65% | — | 88% |
| 44 | San Diego State University San Diego, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 58 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 76% | — | 36% |
| 45 | University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OH Public · 3 feeder programs | 58 | Directing and Theatrical Production | 75% | — | 85% |
| 46 | California State University - Northridge Northridge, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 57 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 57% | — | 93% |
| 47 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 57 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 56% | — | 89% |
| 48 | CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 55 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 54% | — | 58% |
| 49 | James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA Public · 1 feeder programs | 55 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 80% | — | 72% |
| 50 | Ball State University Muncie, IN Public · 1 feeder programs | 54 | Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 62% | — | 85% |
What actors earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
BLS publishes an hourly wage only for this occupation. The work is intermittent, so no annual figure is estimated.
States with the most of these jobs
BLS publishes no annual wage for this occupation, so these are ranked by employment.
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | — | 6,630 | 1.94× | 71 | 2,502 |
| California | — | 26,170 | 4.06× | 128 | 2,351 |
| Texas | — | 2,160 | 0.43× | 62 | 953 |
| Illinois | — | 1,060 | 0.49× | 31 | 732 |
| Florida | — | 6,400 | 1.82× | 25 | 545 |
| Pennsylvania | — | 890 | 0.41× | 43 | 542 |
| Massachusetts | — | 660 | 0.51× | 35 | 395 |
| Ohio | — | 170 | 0.08× | 32 | 359 |
| North Carolina | — | 730 | 0.42× | 27 | 339 |
| Georgia | — | 1,520 | 0.88× | 21 | 312 |
| Michigan | — | 150 | 0.09× | 22 | 246 |
| Utah | — | 630 | 1.03× | 9 | 234 |
| Indiana | — | 510 | 0.45× | 23 | 219 |
| New Jersey | — | 470 | 0.31× | 11 | 215 |
| Missouri | — | 450 | 0.44× | 21 | 194 |
| Wisconsin | — | 260 | 0.25× | 19 | 184 |
| Colorado | — | 200 | 0.20× | 11 | 165 |
| Tennessee | — | 370 | 0.32× | 17 | 162 |
| Connecticut | — | 180 | 0.30× | 13 | 157 |
| South Carolina | — | 140 | 0.17× | 14 | 148 |
| Alabama | — | 150 | 0.20× | 12 | 144 |
| Arizona | — | 380 | 0.33× | 14 | 143 |
| Minnesota | — | 520 | 0.49× | 25 | 143 |
| Oregon | — | 470 | 0.68× | 12 | 110 |
| Maryland | — | 520 | 0.53× | 12 | 107 |
| Kentucky | — | 90 | 0.13× | 13 | 106 |
| Mississippi | — | 80 | 0.18× | 6 | 67 |
| Arkansas | — | 70 | 0.15× | 11 | 61 |
| Nevadamoderate | — | 790 | 1.45× | 3 | 49 |
| Montanalimited | — | 70 | 0.41× | 1 | 32 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Collaborate with other actors as part of an ensemble.
- Portray and interpret roles, using speech, gestures, and body movements, to entertain, inform, or instruct radio, film, television, or live audiences.
- Work closely with directors, other actors, and playwrights to find the interpretation most suited to the role.
- Perform humorous and serious interpretations of emotions, actions, and situations, using body movements, facial expressions, and gestures.
- Study and rehearse roles from scripts to interpret, learn and memorize lines, stunts, and cues as directed.
- Learn about characters in scripts and their relationships to each other to develop role interpretations.
- Attend auditions and casting calls to audition for roles.
- Sing or dance during dramatic or comedic performances.
Skills
- Speaking3.9
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Active Listening3.8
- Monitoring3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Writing2.9
- Learning Strategies2.8
- Active Learning2.6
Knowledge areas
- Fine Arts4.7
- English Language4.3
- Communications and Media4.1
- Sociology and Anthropology3.4
- Psychology3.3
- Customer and Personal Service3.1
Abilities
- Oral Expression4.1
- Oral Comprehension4.0
- Written Comprehension3.9
- Speech Clarity3.9
- Memorization3.9
- Originality3.8
Core activities
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.6
- Thinking Creatively4.4
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.2
- Performing General Physical Activities4.0
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.0
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.3
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Actor
Job zone 2 of 5 · SVP Below 6.0- Typical entry education
- Some college, no degree
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 7 majors mapped to Actors7 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 50.0501Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
- 50.0506Acting
- 50.0507Directing and Theatrical Production
- 50.0509Musical Theatre
- 50.0511Comedy Writing and Performance
- 50.0512Theatre and Dance
- 50.0599Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become an Actor?+
Some college, no degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General, which awarded 9,838 degrees in 2024-25, 72.9% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming an Actor?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 7 programs to this occupation. The largest are Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft. Together they graduate about 13,489 people a year.
How much do actors earn?+
The median is $29.05 an hour (BLS OEWS May 2025). This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for actors growing?+
BLS projects a +0.3% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, little or no change, with roughly 6,300 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
905 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 7 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do actors work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Actor, Actress, Comedian, Performer among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 27-2011.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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