Best Drama Schools in New York

New York City, home to Broadway, is one of the few internationally acknowledged places for theatre, music, dance, and arts of all kinds. Candidates who wish to take up a study program in any field under the fine arts will find that there are plenty of orthodox and unorthodox institutions that deal with different kinds of art programs. There are 59 colleges in New York that deals with drama and theatre arts which offer around 3,278 degrees in theatre along with other degree programs in music, dance, and film.

Candidates will be able to take certification programs in their field of interest or they will be able to take an associate's degree, bachelor’s, master’s, or even a doctorate in their field of interest. Most of the programs offered in these schools will allow candidates to take up internships and be part of workshops that can be highly beneficial for their future careers.

Choosing the Best Drama School

Choosing from the long list of drama schools available in New York can be a daunting task since each of these schools will be better than the others in different aspects. It will ultimately depend on the candidate and their career goal more than the rank the institution is holding. Some institutions may offer better master’s programs focusing on the practical side of the program than the theoretical side while others may be leaning toward traditional methods of teaching fine arts.

A few of the factors that one must consider before joining a program include the reputation of the institution, the approach the institution has toward acting, the class sizes, the mode of teaching, and the internships provided. The techniques and approaches the institutions have must ideally align with the learning styles of the candidate for the program to yield the best results.

10 Best Drama Schools in New York

Institution	In-State Fee	Out-of-State Fee
The Julliard	$52,250 per year	$52,250 per year
American Musical Dramatic Academy	$42,000 per year	$42,000 per year
Tisch School of the Arts	$50,000 per year	$50,000 per year
The American Academy of Dramatic Arts	$35,000 per year	$35,000 per year
The Maggie Flanigan Studio	$25,000 per semester	$25,000 per semester
The New School	$53,000 per year	$53,000 per year
Actors Studio at Pace	$46,000 per year	$46,000 per year
William Esper Studio	$18,000 per year	$23,500 per year
HB Studio	-	$12,000 per year
Columbia University	$5,500 per year	$5,500 per year

The Julliard

Location-60 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023

This is a music school in NY focusing on performing arts of all kinds at undergraduate and graduate levels. It was established in the year 1905 and has three core areas for music, dance, and drama. The main programs offered under music include instruments, vocal arts, jazz studies, conducting, etc. whereas the main programs for dance include a BFA in the subject.

Candidates will also be able to choose from a BFA or MFA in Acting both of which are internationally acclaimed programs. The college here has over 800 artists from 44 countries in all and these artists perform in around 5 theaters.

The best program provided here are-

• MFA in Acting
• BFA in Dance

American Musical and Dramatic Academy

Location- 211 West 61st Street, New York, NY 10023

This is a non-profit institution located in New York, Los Angeles, and California with the degrees offered being recognized internationally. It was established in the year 1964 and has around 1,600 students approximately. Candidates will be able to take BFA degrees, BA degrees, associate of occupational studies degrees, etc. along with certifications in different fields of study. The areas of study offered here include acting, acting for the camera, musical theatre, dance theatre, performing arts, and theatre arts.

The best programs offered at the New York campus include-

• Studio Certificate to BFA-Acting for Stage
• Dance Theatre Certificate to BFA

Tisch School of the Arts

Location- 721 Broadway, New York, NY 10003

This institution is known for providing professional training in the field of performing arts. It was established in the year 1965, and candidates are required to go through a rigorous two-part admission process to enroll in programs here. The school offers undergraduate programs in collaborative arts, dance, drama, open arts, and performance studies. They will also be able to take graduate programs in fields like art & public policy, design for stage & film, grad acting, graduate musical theatre writing, and performance studies.

The best programs offered here include-

• BFA in Drama
• BA in Performance Studies
• BFA in Game Design

The American Academy of Dramatic Arts

Location- 120 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016

This is the first acting school in the country that was established in the year 1884. It is a private institution with around 500 students on its NY campus and around 300 students on its LA campus. They have a two-year conservatory program in acting which is nationally accredited. The institution also offers associate degree programs and bachelor’s degree options in association with other institutions across the country. Candidates will also be able to take a certificate of advanced studies in acting from this institution.

The best program offered here is-

• Two-Year Conservatory Program

The Maggie Flanigan Studio

Location- 153 West 27th Street, New York, NY 10001

Like other studio acting schools in the state, the Maggie Flanigan Studio is considered to be a great place for beginners to learn Acting. The acting programs offered here include a two-year acting conservatory, a summer acting program, and a professional actor training program. Candidates will also be able to join the core acting program or the Meisner acting-only program at this institution. Though the programs have a typical duration of two years, candidates often take around 3 years to learn at their own pace.

The best program offered here is the â€"

• Professional Actor Training Program
• Two-Year Acting Conservatory

The New School

Location- 72 Fifth Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10011

Established in the year 1919, this institution has around 10,000 students along with over 2,200 academic staff. There are 7 schools in this university which include fields of study like design, liberal arts, music, performing arts, drama, jazz & contemporary music, social research, and public engagement. The drama school offers degrees like BFA, MFA, and MA all of which are internationally acclaimed. This school has around 90 drama faculties along with 240 students and they have around 11 mainstage productions.

The best programs offered here include-

• BFA in Dramatic Arts
• MA in Arts Management & Entrepreneurship

Actors Studio at Pace University

Location- 1 Pace Plaza, New York, NY 10038

This university was established in the year 2006 and is known for the graduate programs it offers in subjects like acting, dancing, playwriting, etc. The MFA programs offered here are highly collaborative and are rooted in the theatrical ideals of Stanislavski’s work. Being affiliated with the Actors Studio organization, the degree offered here is internationally acclaimed.

The best programs here include-

• MFA in Playwriting
• MFA in Directing

William Esper Studio

Location- 208 West 37th Street, New York, NY 10018

This drama school was established in the year 1965 and is based on performing arts as discussed by Sanford Meisner. It is considered to be one of the top 25 drama schools in the country for learning an MFA program in acting. It offers a two-year program and a summer intensive program in acting. The two-year program has different formats based on whether the candidate is taking it on a part-time basis, core program basis, or full-time basis.

The best program offered here is the-

• Full-Time Two-Year Conservatory Program

HB Studio

Location- 120 Bank St, New York, NY

This studio offers plenty of programs in acting for beginners in the field including aspects like scene study, acting with a camera, etc. Established in the year 1945, it is situated in Greenwich Village. The programs here are taught through a blend of lectures, workshops, theatre productions, etc. A few of the popular programs offered here include-

• The Hagen Core Training
• Design Your Own Studio Class Program

Columbia University

Location- 602 Dodge Hall, Columbia University, 2960, NY 10027

The drama school under Columbia University has been listed as one of the top 10 drama schools in the state. The MFA programs offered here are for subjects like acting, playwriting, dramaturgy, theatre management & production, directing, etc. Candidates who take the MFA program will be able to choose any of these subjects as their concentration based on which they will receive their final degree.

The best program offered here include-

• MFA Stage Management
• MFA Acting
• MFA Theatre Management and Production