Majored in Something Besides Acting
17 Communications, Broadcasting, Journalism, and Media Studies - 15 American
Courses of study: Communications, Communications and Media Studies, Journalism, Broadcast Journalism, Broadcasting, Radio and Television, Media Arts & Culture, and Entertainment & Media Studies.
- 2 Minors: Theatre and Film & Electronic Arts
- 1 Social Media Star.
16 Business, Finance, and Marketing - 10 American
Courses of study: Business Administration, Business Management, International Business, Music Business, Commerce, Finance, Marketing, and Advertising.
- 3 Double majors with 2 in Film and 1 in Pre-Law
- 2 Actors booked twice. 1 majored in Music Business and 1 in International Business with a double degree in Film.
15 Social Sciences - 10 American
Courses of study: Psychology, Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, Economics, Sociology, History, Public Policy, and International Relations.
- 2 Double Majors in Applied Critical Thought and Inquiry and History.
- 2 Minors in Theatre and Film.
- 1 Social media star who majored in Psychology.
13 Fine Arts Besides Acting - 11 American
Courses of study: Fiction Writing, Dramatic Writing, Screenwriting, Writing for Film and Television, Painting/Drawing, Music, Architecture, Performance in Voice, Recorded Music, Dance, World Arts and Cultures: Dance .
- 2 Double Majors in Fiction Writing and Painting/Drawing; and Art History and Italian
- 1 Minor in Film.
- 1 Actor who majored in Music booked twice.
9 Film - 8 American
Courses of study: Film, Film Production, Film/Editing, and Cinema.
- 2 double majors in International Business and Business Management.
- 1 actor spent an unspecified time studying Philosophy at a different institution.
- 1 actor who majored in Film Production booked twice.
7 Humanities - 5 American
Courses of study: Religion, World Arts and Cultures, English, English Language and Literature, Philosophy, Applied Critical Thought and Inquiry, French and Francophone Studies, and Italian.
- 2 Double Majors in Psychology and History.
- 1 also has a degree in Film from a different university.
7 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math - 4 American
Courses of study: Neuroscience, Environmental Sciences and Policy, Computer Science, Math, and Mortuary Science.
- 1 British actor who majored in Neuroscience and was a member of the National Youth Theatre booked 3 times.
- 1 Social media star.
6 Pre-Law - 4 American
- 1 Actor booked twice.
- 1 Double majored in Commerce.
4 Criminal Justice - 4 American
- 2 Actors both of whom booked twice.
- 1 is a social media star.
3 Other - 3 American
Courses of Study: Early Childhood Education, Health Services Administration, Associates in Artistic & Scientific Studies.
7 Unknown Majors - 5 American
- 3 Collegiate Athletes, 1 Social Media Star, 1 with intensive training in high school, 1 with family in the business, and 1 probable Journalism major.
Began Careers with High School Education or Foreign Equivalent
31 Started with no significant training, major market residency, nor established parallel careers - 15 American
- 1 American booked twice.
- 7 Canadian, 5 British, 2 Australian, 1 Chilean, and 1 Swedish.
25 Had intensive scholastic or professional training in high school - 11 American
- 2 LA natives
- 1 is also a model.
16 Los Angeles or New York City Natives
- 6 with family in the business
- 3 former models with 1 of them having family in the business
- 4 known to have had intensive training in high school.
16 Models - 9 American
- 2 LA natives and 1 native New Yorker with 1 of the LA natives having family in the business
- 1 with theatre experience and professional training since childhood.
12 Dropped out of college as underclassmen - 11 American
- 1 model with theatre experience and professional training since childhood
- 1 with family in the business.
7 Have family in the Business - 6 American
- 6 LA or NYC natives with one also being a former model.
7 Musicians and Rappers- 2 American
3 Social Media Stars - 3 American
END NOTES
- Apparent discrepancies in numbers in some categories are due to individual actors meeting more than one classification. I also posted the 2018 list here prematurely and was moreover able to find new information on most of the actors whom I had previously labeled as having unknown training and educational backgrounds.
- I would have liked to group the college programs into Conservatories and Drama Schools, BFAs with strong academic components, Performance-Oriented BA programs, and Academic BAs; but, found there to be such a gray area in the middle that I couldn't formulate a solid methodology for doing so. However, based on the numbers of bookings from all but a few American schools that tend to get the picks of the litter from any given year's high school seniors, that doesn't seem to make much difference in this context.
- I would have also liked to put an asterisk by the names of schools that turn out large numbers of graduates each year - sometimes from campuses on both coasts. Not knowing the ballpark numbers for all the schools, that didn't seem fair. Just be aware that some of the colleges and non-degree granting conservatories showing numerous graduates on these lists do. So use your judgement when comparing the numbers to schools with less bookings.
- This will conclude the study although I may decide to do it again in a few years if I see what appears to be a major change in the market and feel so inclined.
2017 Results under a different age range: http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/theater-drama-majors/1975970-20-something-actors-theatre-drama-acting-degrees-and-pilot-season-p1.html
Thoughts on College vs. Studio Training: http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/theater-drama-majors/2163603-foundational-training-in-college-vs-private-acting-studios.html