COLLEGE MUSICAL THEATRE PROGRAMS
Depending on where you look, there are many "lists". The reality is, performers from any school, degree area or those with no post-baccalaureate training at all have made it and do make it on Broadway and in the world of musical theatre.
I've attempted to link these directly to the school's specific pages and they are broken down into Highly Selective Programs, Honorable Mentions, Others You Should Consider, and Other Programs.
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If you oversee a program, you may update your information or be included in this list by completing this form.
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* = Playbill's Top MT programs on Broadway (2019)
+ = OnStage Blog's Top MT programs (2018-2019) or (2019-2020)
# = Playbill's Big 10 Most Represented Colleges on Broadway (2022)
HIGHLY SELECTIVE PROGRAMS
These programs tend to repeatedly make it onto one of the many "Top schools for musical theatre" lists and have a solid reputation in the industry.
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Baldwin-Wallace University + Berea, Ohio (BMus MT)
Carnegie-Mellon University *+# Pittsburg, Pennsylvania (BFA Drama: MT or Acting)
Elon University +# Elon, North Carolina (BFA MT or Acting)
Emerson College Boston, Massachusetts (BFA MT or Acting) SPOTLIGHT
Florida State University Tallahassee, Florida (BFA MT or BMus MT)
Indiana University at Bloomington Bloomington, Indiana (BFA MT)
Ithaca College + Ithaca, New York (BFA Musical Theatre; BFA Theatre)
Juilliard *# NYC (BFA Acting)
Montclair State University + Montclair, New Jersey (BFA MT or Theatre: Acting)
New York University, New Studio on Broadway *+# NYC (BFA Theatre)
New York University, Steinhardt School of Education *# NYC (BMus Vocal Perf:MT)
Northwestern University # Evanston, Illinois (BFA Theatre, MT Certificate)
Oklahoma City University * Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (BMus MT)
Pace University +# NYC (BFA MT)
Pennsylvania State University +# University Park, Pennsylvania (BFA MT)
Point Park University *+ Pittsburg, Pennsylvania (BFA MT)
Shenandoah Conservatory + Winchester, Virginia (BFA MT)
Texas State University + San Marcos, Texas (BFA MT)
University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music “CCM” *+# Cincinnati, Ohio (BFA MT)
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor *+# Ann Arbor, Michigan (BFA MT)
University of the Arts Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (BFA MT)
Webster University St. Louis, Missouri (BFA MT)
HONORABLE MENTIONS
AMDA *+# New York/Los Angeles (Conservatory 2-year & BFA Musical Theatre)
Belmont University - Tennessee (BMus and BFA- MT/A; BA (non-performance MT studies) SPOTLIGHT
Boston Conservatory *+# Massachusetts (BFA Musical Theatre)
Coastal Carolina University+South Carolina (BFA Musical Theatre; BFA Acting, BA Theatre Arts)
Columbia College Chicago - Illinois (BA/BFA in MT/A) SPOTLIGHT
Fordham University # (BA Acting Performance Major, Directing Major)
Illinois Wesleyan University Illinois (BFA Musical Theatre; BFA Acting; BA Theatre Arts) SPOTLIGHT
Kent State University + Ohio (BFA Musical Theatre)
Long Island University + New York (BFA in Theatre Arts; MT concentration)
Marymount Manhattan College +# New York (BFA in MT; Acting, BA Theater Arts, Dance) SPOTLIGHT
Molloy College + - New York (BFA, partnership with Cap 21)
Nazareth College - New York (BFA in Musical Theatre) SPOTLIGHT
Nebraska Wesleyan + Nebraska (BFA, audition for scholarships)
Otterbein College + Ohio (BFA in MT/A)
Northwestern University * - Illinois (BA Theatre, BMus Music, MT certificate)
Roosevelt University - Chicago, IL (BFA in MT/A)
Southeast Missouri State + Missouri (BFA) SPOTLIGHT
Syracuse University + New York (BFA Musical Theatre; BFA Acting)
Texas Christian University + Texas (BFA Musical Theatre) SPOTLIGHT
University of Arizona + Tucson, AZ (BFA in Musical Theatre, BATheatre Arts)
University of California, Irvine California (BA Drama, BFA Musical Theatre; BFA Acting)
University of Hartford, The Hartt School + Connecticut (BFA Musical Theatre, BFA Actor Training, Dance, BA Music, BMus Vocal Performance) SPOTLIGHT
University of Miami + Florida (BFA Musical Theatre, BFA Acting, BA Theatre Arts)
University of North Carolina School of the Arts * North Carolina (BFA Theater, Musical Theatre classes offered)
University of Oklahoma + Oklahoma (BFA Musical Theatre; BFA Acting)
Viterbo University + Wisconsin (BFA in MT/A)
Wright State University + Ohio (BFA in MT/A) SPOTLIGHT
Yale University +# - Connecticut (BA- Theatre Studies, BA Music)
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OTHERS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER
Abilene Christian University - Texas (BFA in MT/A)
Adelphi University - New York (BFA - Theater)
American University - Washington D.C. (BA in MT/A)
Anderson University - Indiana (BMus in MT; BA in MT; BA Theater)
Anderson University - South Carolina (BFA in MT; BA in Theater)
Arizona State University - Arizona (BA in Acting/Theater, BMus in MT)
Auburn University - Alabama (BFA in MT, BFA in Theater)
Avila University - Missouri (BFA in MT, Acting; BA Theater)
Ball State University - Indiana (BFA in MT/A/D)
Baylor University - Texas (BFA in Theater Performance, MT concentration)
Binghamton University - New York (BFA in MT)
Boston University - Massachusetts (BFA in A/Theater Arts, BA in Music)
Brandeis University - Massachusetts (BA Theater Arts, Musical Theater track)
Brenau University - Georgia (BFA, audition for scholarships)
Brigham Young University - Utah (BFA, Music, Dance, and Theater)
California State University, Chico - California (BFA in MT) SPOTLIGHT
California State University, Fullerton - California (BFA concentrations in Musical Theatre, Acting, and Devised Theatre; BA in Theatre and Dance; BMus in Voice)
Catawba College North Carolina (BFA, BA)
Catholic University - Washington D.C. (BMus in MT, BA in Acting, BFA in Acting for Theatre, Film & Television)
Central Michigan University - Michigan (BFA in MT; BFA Acting/Directing; BS/BA/BAA in Theatre)
Central Washington University - Washington (BFA in MT/A)
Chapman University - California (BFA in Acting/ Film & TV)
Clarion University of Pennsylvania (BFA, audition at end of freshman or beginning of sophomore year)
Coastal Carolina University - South Carolina (BFA in MT/A, BA in Theater Arts)
Coker College - South Carolina (BFA in MT)
Creighton University - Nebraska (BFA in MT, BA, MT minor)
Culver Stockton College - Missouri (BFA in MT)
DePaul University - Illinois (BFA w/ multiple tracks of focus)
Drake University - Iowa (BFA in MT)
East Carolina University - North Carolina (BFA)
Emory & Henry College Virginia (BFA Acting, Directing, MT, Theatre)
Fairleigh Dickinson University - New Jersey (BA w/ concentrations in MT, A, Music minor available)
Five Towns College - New York (BFA, concentrations in Performance, Musical Theatre, or Music Business)
Florida Southern College - Florida (BFA in MT, Performance) SPOTLIGHT
Howard University - Washington D.C. (BFA in MT/A/D)
Hofstra University - New York (BA in Drama, BFA Theatre Performance, Musical Theater minor, audition at end of sophomore year)
Hussian College - Los Angeles - California (BFA in Contemporary MT & Film; BFA Acting; BFA Commercial Dance)
Jacksonville University - Florida (BFA, BM, BS, BA)
James Madison University - Virginia (BA in MT/A and BMus)
Kean University - New Jersey (BFA in Performance, BA Theatre)
Lees-McRae College - North Carolina (BFA, audition at end of freshman year)
Liberty University - Virginia (BFA in MT)
Limestone College - South Carolina (BFA in MT)
Lindenwood University - Missouri (BFA in MT)
Lipscomb University - Tennessee (BFA in MT and Acting)
Manhattan School of Music - New York (BMus in MT)
Manhattanville College - New York (BA Music, Musical Theatre concentration, BA in Theater Arts)
Marietta College - Ohio (BFA, BA)
Mars Hill University - North Carolina (BFA)
Metropolitan State College of Denver - Colorado (BFA, audition once accepted to the college)
Michigan State University (BFA in A; BA in Theatre; MT concentration
Millikin University - Illinois (BFA)
Missouri Valley College - Missouri (BFA)
Muhlenberg College - Pennsylvania (BA Theater, BA Music, BA Dance, can double major, audition is optional)
The New School - New York (BFA, BA)
New World School of the Arts - Florida (AA and BFA in MT and Theatre)
Northern Kentucky University - Kentucky (BFA in MT)
Oakland University - Michigan (BFA in MT/A/D, BA in Theatre)
Ohio Northern University - Ohio (BFA in MT)
Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma (BFA in MT/A, BA in Theatre)
Ouachita Baptist University - Arkansas (BFA in MT)
Pacific Lutheran University - Washington (BFA in MT, Acting/Directing, Design/Technical, BA Theatre)
Plymouth State University - New Hampshire (BFA in MT/A)
Rider University - New Jersey (BFA in MT/A, B.A. Theatre Arts)
Rockford College - Illinois (BFA in MT)
Rutgers University - New Jersey (Camden- BA in Theatre) (New Brunswick- BFA in Acting, BA)
Samford University - Alabama (BFA in MT)
Sam Houston State University - Texas (BFA in MT/A)
Savannah College of Art/Design "SCAD" - Georgia (BFA and MFA in Performing Arts)
Seton Hall University - New Jersey (BA Theater, Musical Theatre emphasis)
Shorter University - Georgia (BFA in MT/A)
Slippery Rock University - Pennsylvania (BFA in Acting, Musical Theatre Performance)
Southern Illinois - Illinois (BFA in MT)
Southern Illinois Univ, Carbondale - Illinois (BFA)
Southern Oregon University - Oregon (BFA Theater, Musical Theatre minor)
Southern Utah University - Utah (BFA Theater, Musical Theatre emphasis)
Southwestern University - Texas (BFA Theater, Musical Theatre concentration)
SUNY, Buffalo - New York (BFA in MT/A/D, BA in Theatre/D)
SUNY, Cortland - New York (BFA in MT, Musical Theatre minor)
SUNY, Fredonia - New York (BFA in MT/A) SPOTLIGHT
SUNY, Purchase - New York (BFA in Acting, BA in Theatre Studies)
Stephens College - Missouri (BFA MT/A; Costume; Tech & Stage Management)
Temple University - Pennsylvania (BA Theatre, Musical Theatre emphasis/concentration)
Texas Tech - Texas (BFA in A, BFA Musical Theatre concentration)
Towson University - Maryland (BFA in Acting; BA or BS in Theatre Arts)
Tulane University - Louisiana (BFA in MT through Music department, BA in Acting)
University of Alabama - Alabama (BFA in MT; BA in MT; BFA Theatre; BA Theatre)
University of Alabama at Birmingham - Alabama (BFA Musical Theatre; BA Theatre) SPOTLIGHT
University of California, Irvine - California (BFA in MT; BA Drama)
University of California, Los Angeles “UCLA” - California (BA in Acting)
University of Central Florida - Florida (BFA, MT, A, BA-Music) SPOTLIGHT
University of Colorado at Boulder (BFA in MT and Performance, BM in MT, BA in Theatre)
University of Colorado at Denver (BFA in Theater/ Film & TV, BA in Theatre)
University of Florida - Florida (BFA, MT/A, BA, BM)
University of Idaho (BFA)
University of Kansas (BFA Theater and Voice, through Music)
University of Maryland, Baltimore County (BFA and BA in Acting)
University of Memphis - Tennessee (BFA Theater Performance, Musical Theatre emphasis)
University of Michigan, Flint (BFA in Acting, BA w/ MT Concentration)
University of Minnesota, Duluth - Minnesota (BFA in MT/A)
University of Mississippi - Mississippi (BFA Acting; BA Theatre Arts)
University of Missouri, Kansas City (BA Music, Theatre concentration)
University of Montevallo - Alabama (BFA MT/A, BFA Design/Tech, BA/BS Theater) SPOTLIGHT
University of Nebraska at Kearney - Nebraska (BFA, through Music department)
University of North Dakota - North Dakota (BFA in Musical Theatre)
University of Northern Colorado (BA in MT/A)
University of South Alabama - Alabama (BFA) (non-audition)
University of South Dakota - South Dakota (BFA)
University of Southern California (BFA Acting for Stage, Screen & New Media, Contemporary Musical Theatre)
University of Southern Mississippi - Mississippi (BFA Theater, Musical Theatre “Professional Training” option, audition for scholarships)
University of Tampa - Florida (BFA in MT and BA in M)
University of Texas at Arlington (BFA in MT)
University of Texas at El Paso - Texas (BFA in MT/A)
University of Utah - Utah (BFA in MT/A)
University of West Florida - Florida (BFA, BA audition at end of Freshman year)
University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point - Wisconsin (BFA MT/A; BFA Design & Tech; BA Drama; BA Dance)
University of Wyoming (BFA)
Western Carolina University - North Carolina (BFA and BM)
Western Connecticut State University (BFA in MT)
Western Illinois University - Illinois (BFA in MT, BA in A)
Western Kentucky University - Kentucky (BFA)
Western Michigan University - Michigan (BFA in MT Performance)
Westminster College of the Arts at Rider University - New Jersey (BFA)
West Virginia University - West Virginia (BFA in MT/A & Design) SPOTLIGHT
Wichita State University - Kansas (BFA in MT/A)
Wilkes University - Pennsylvania (BFA in MT)
Valdosta State University - Georgia (BFA) SPOTLIGHT
Virginia Commonwealth University - Virginia (BFA in Performance)
Youngstown State University - Virginia (BFA in MT)
OTHER PROGRAMS: BA, BMus, BS, AA
Adrian College - Michigan (BA)
Appalachian State University - North Carolina (BA in Theatre Arts, various concentrations)
Arkansas State University - Arkansas (BA Theatre, MT emphasis)
Augustana College - Illinois (BA Theatre Arts, Musical Theatre concentration)
Aurora University - Illinois (BA Theatre and Musical Theatre)
Ashland University - Ohio (BA Theatre, Musical Theatre concentration)
Averett University - Virginia (BA Theatre, BFA MT concentration)
Birmingham-Southern College - Alabama (BA MT)
Boston College - Massachusetts (BA Theatre)
Bowling Green State University - Ohio (BA Theatre, MT specialization)
Brown University - Rhode Island (BA in Theatre Arts)
California State University, Northridge (BA Theatre, Musical Theatre minor)
Carthage College - Wisconsin (BA Music, MT emphasis)
Casper College - Wyoming (AA in MT Performance)
Christopher Newport University (BA Theatre, Musical Theatre track)
Clark University - Massachusetts (BA Theatre Arts)
Colgate University - New York (BA in Theatre Major/Minor)
College of the Ozarks - Missouri (BA in Theatre and Music Theatre)
College of William and Mary - Virginia (BA in Theatre)
Columbia University/ Barnard College - NYC (BA in Drama and Theatre Arts)
Dartmouth College - New Hampshire (BA in Theatre)
DeSales University - Pennsylvania (BA, Audition only for scholarships)
Drew University - New Jersey (BA in Theatre Arts)
Duke University - North Carolina (BA in Theatre Studies)
Friends University - Kansas (BA)
Goucher College - Maryland (BA in Theatre)
Harvard University/Harvard College Massachusetts (BA in Theatre Arts, Acting)
Heidelberg University - Ohio (BA/BA Theatre, Musical Theatre emphasis)
Illinois State University (BA in Acting)
James Madison University - Virginia (BA in MT/A and BMus)
Kennesaw State University - Georgia (BA in Theatre & Performance Studies, Musical Theatre Concentration)
Loyola Marymount University - California (BA in Acting)
Marywood University - Pennsylvania (BA)
Meredith College - North Carolina (BA in Theatre)
Northeastern University - Massachusetts (BMus, Musical Theatre minor)
Notre Dame de Namur University - California (BA in MT/A)
North Central College - Illinois (BA, audition for scholarships)
Northern State University - South Dakota (BA)
Northern Vermont University - Vermont (BA)
Northwestern State University - Louisiana (BA Theatre, Musical Th performance conc.)