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Kalamazoo, MI · Theater & drama

Theater & drama at Western Michigan

Western Michigan graduates about 36 theater majors a year, 1% of its graduating class. That puts it 134th of 642 schools we score for theater, a strong program at 73 out of 100. Graduates in the major earn a median $45,000 four years out, 1.11× what the same major pays nationally. Research spending in the field runs about $2 million a year, a rough guide to how many labs and projects undergraduates can join.

73/100Strong#134 of 642 for theater →
Graduates a year361% of the class
Median pay 4 years out$45,0001.11× the same major nationally
Research in the field$2Ma year, NSF
Admit rate85%whole school
SAT middle 50%960–1200whole school

Around Western Michigan

WMU Student Center, view of gathering stairs and "heart" from lower level lookin
WMU Student Center interior gathering stairsPhoto: MSwierenga · CC0 · source
Opened in the summer of 2023, Western Michigan University's student center will
WMU Student CenterPhoto: MSwierenga · CC0 · source
The Oaklands
The OaklandsPhoto: Jim Roberts · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Kanley Memorial Chapel on Western Michigan University's main campus in Kalamazoo
Kanley Memorial ChapelPhoto: MSwierenga · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Where theater happens

Buildings on campus that fit the field: Gilmore Theatre Complex.

Named buildings on the campus map: Academic 27 · Dorm 14 · Student housing 11 · Athletics 4 · Dining 2 · Chapel 2.

Open the full-screen campus map →

Nearby in the theater ranking

  1. University of North Carolina at Charlotte 73
  2. University of Pittsburgh 73
  3. Franklin & Marshall College 73
  4. Barnard College 73
  5. Trinity University 73
  6. University of Houston 73
  7. University of Oregon 73
  8. Skidmore College 72

Other strong majors at Western Michigan

How the score works

The score is out of 100 and compares Western Michigan with every school we score in theater. It weighs what graduates earn four years out against the same major nationally (25%), research spending in the field (20%, NSF), how many undergraduate courses the department lists (20%), the student body's test scores (20%) and the size of the program (15%, capped so size alone can't win). 80+ is a standout program, 65+ strong, 45+ solid. Sources: US Department of Education (College Scorecard, IPEDS), NSF HERD, each school's current course catalog, OpenStreetMap and Wikimedia Commons.

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