57 colleges · California
Theater colleges in California
57 colleges in California offer a bachelor's degree in theater (27 public). Graduates of the typical program here earned $28,147 a year after graduating, compared with $29,824 nationally.
All theater programs in California
Sorted by earnings four years after graduation. Click a heading to sort.
| College | Graduates (2023-24) | Earnings 1 yr after | Earnings 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California-DavisDavis, CA | 16 | $31,185 | $56,823 | n/a |
| University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley, CA | 36 | $43,297 | $55,555 | $9,273 |
| Chapman UniversityOrange, CA | 90 | $26,203 | $51,611 | $21,875 |
| Pepperdine UniversityMalibu, CA | 15 | n/a | $50,594 | $18,350 |
| Loyola Marymount UniversityLos Angeles, CA | 128 | $26,193 | $49,135 | $17,750 |
| California State University-SacramentoSacramento, CA | 35 | $28,133 | $47,676 | n/a |
| San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, CA | 36 | $29,663 | $44,848 | $16,842 |
| University of California-Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA | 31 | $30,366 | $44,106 | $12,734 |
| California State University-NorthridgeNorthridge, CA | 38 | $25,667 | $43,240 | $18,500 |
| California State University-FullertonFullerton, CA | 72 | $23,349 | $42,455 | $15,000 |
| San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, CA | 49 | $27,400 | $41,812 | $15,000 |
| University of California-San DiegoLa Jolla, CA | 68 | $30,971 | $41,389 | $14,644 |
| California Institute of the ArtsValencia, CA | 47 | $26,888 | $41,192 | $20,250 |
| University of California-IrvineIrvine, CA | 81 | $27,442 | $40,773 | $11,000 |
| California Baptist UniversityRiverside, CA | 7 | n/a | $40,432 | n/a |
| University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA | 208 | $28,161 | $40,415 | $18,750 |
| California State University-San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CA | 21 | $26,291 | $40,118 | $12,113 |
| University of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA | 63 | $25,578 | $39,023 | $13,000 |
| California State University-Long BeachLong Beach, CA | 76 | $30,328 | $38,270 | $15,000 |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA | 10 | n/a | $36,697 | n/a |
| Academy of Art UniversitySan Francisco, CA | 20 | $27,306 | $35,870 | n/a |
| California State University-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA | 28 | $31,881 | $35,097 | n/a |
| California State University-FresnoFresno, CA | 21 | $32,672 | $34,320 | n/a |
| New York Film AcademyBurbank, CA | 103 | $22,030 | $32,057 | $27,000 |
| University of California-Santa CruzSanta Cruz, CA | 34 | $29,817 | $30,524 | $17,500 |
| Sonoma State UniversityRohnert Park, CA | 11 | $39,456 | n/a | n/a |
| Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaMoraga, CA | 8 | $37,195 | n/a | $24,500 |
| Northeastern University OaklandOakland, CA | 3 | $36,309 | n/a | n/a |
| California State University-Dominguez HillsCarson, CA | 7 | $29,613 | n/a | n/a |
| California State Polytechnic University-PomonaPomona, CA | 23 | $26,813 | n/a | $13,000 |
| Vanguard University of Southern CaliforniaCosta Mesa, CA | 20 | $25,181 | n/a | n/a |
| Azusa Pacific UniversityAzusa, CA | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Biola UniversityLa Mirada, CA | 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| California Lutheran UniversityThousand Oaks, CA | 6 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| California State Polytechnic University-HumboldtArcata, CA | 9 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| California State University-BakersfieldBakersfield, CA | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| California State University-ChicoChico, CA | 16 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| California State University-East BayHayward, CA | 23 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| California State University-San MarcosSan Marcos, CA | 6 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| California State University-StanislausTurlock, CA | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Concordia University-IrvineIrvine, CA | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Fresno Pacific UniversityFresno, CA | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| La Sierra UniversityRiverside, CA | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Los Angeles Film SchoolHollywood, CA | 78 | n/a | n/a | $45,000 |
| Occidental CollegeLos Angeles, CA | 15 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Pitzer CollegeClaremont, CA | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Pomona CollegeClaremont, CA | 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, CA | 20 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, CA | 10 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Scripps CollegeClaremont, CA | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Stanford UniversityStanford, CA | 8 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| University of La VerneLa Verne, CA | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| University of RedlandsRedlands, CA | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Westmont CollegeSanta Barbara, CA | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Whittier CollegeWhittier, CA | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| William Jessup UniversityRocklin, CA | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Frequently asked questions
How many colleges in California offer theater?
57 colleges in California awarded bachelor's degrees in theater in 2022-23 or 2023-24, 27 of them public.
Where do theater graduates earn the most in California?
University of California-Davis, with median earnings of $56,823 four years after graduation (programs with at least 5 graduates).
Theater nationwide · All colleges in California
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field of study file, data release of October 15, 2026. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working, not enrolled. One-year figures: graduates of 2020-21 and 2021-22, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Four-year figures: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. More on the data.