Washington University in St. Louis was ranked among the top 20 Colleges in the U.S. for Performing Arts in 2026, as listed by the website Niche, coming in at #16!
The Niche Best Colleges for Performing Arts ranking uses data from the U.S. Department of Education—taking key statistics and reviews from students and alumni to compare the top performing arts colleges, drama schools, theater programs, and acting schools in the U.S. Get additional details on how this ranking was calculated.
Released annually, the Niche annual "Best Colleges" rankings compare more than 1,000 top colleges and universities in the U.S. Voted an overall "A+", WashU was also ranked #1 Best College Dorms, #2 Best College for Design, and #13 overall on their Best Colleges list! Check out all of WashU's rankings.
