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Theater technician education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a theater technician. Theater technicians usually study theatre, music, or communication. 60% of theater technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 703 real theater technician resumes to see exactly what theater technician education sections show.
The most common colleges for theater technicians are the Full Sail University and the Full Sail University.
There are also many online theater technician courses to help get the education required to be a theater technician.
What education do you need to become a theater technician?
What degree do you need to be a theater technician?
- Bachelor's, 60%
- Associate, 21%
- High School Diploma, 11%
- Master's, 4%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a theater technician?
- Theatre, 11%
- Music, 11%
- Communication, 10%
- Business, 8%
- Other Majors, 60%
Most common colleges for theater technicians
| Theater technician common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Full Sail University | 16.07% |
| Texas State University | 7.14% |
| University of Central Florida | 5.36% |
| Oregon State University | 5.36% |
| New York University | 5.36% |
Best majors for theater technicians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Theatre | 11.4% |
| 2 | Music | 10.9% |
| 3 | Communication | 10.0% |
| 4 | Business | 8.2% |
| 5 | Photography | 8.2% |
Best colleges for theater technicians
The best colleges for theater technicians are Johns Hopkins University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
A theater technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for theater technicians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become theater technicians.
1. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
4. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
6. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
8. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
10. New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$6,686
Enrollment
11,139
20 best online courses for theater technicians
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Top 10 most affordable universities for theater technicians
The most affordable schools for theater technicians are Brigham Young University, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for theater technicians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for theater technicians.
1. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
2. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
3. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
4. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
6. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
7. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
8. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
9. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
10. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for theater technicians
The hardest universities for theater technicians to get into are Johns Hopkins University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for theater technicians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for theater technicians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
5. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
6. Amherst College
Amherst, MA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,449
7. Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,465
8. Hamilton College
Clinton, NY • Private
Admissions rate
21%
SAT average
1,446
9. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
10. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
Admissions rate
30%
SAT average
1,339
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for theater technicians
The easiest schools for theater technicians to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, mount saint mary's university, and wayland baptist university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a theater technician without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for theater technicians.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
4. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
5. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
6. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
7. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
8. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
9. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
10. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
Average theater technician salary by education level
| Theater technician education level | Theater technician salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $37,320 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $42,497 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $40,486 |
Theater technician education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025