Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft: Saint Mary's College of California vs Stephen F Austin State University

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
2.1x
$224,536 tuition
11.4x
$42,400 tuition
Out-of-State
2.1x
$224,536 tuition
5.9x
$82,720 tuition
$474,341 10-yr earnings · Private nonprofit
$485,162 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Saint Mary's College of California Stephen F Austin State University
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 2.1x 11.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 2.1x 5.9x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $224,536 $42,400
Year 1 Earnings $38,160 $29,945
10-Year Earnings $474K $485K
Median Debt $27,000 $24,114
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 8.5 months 9.7 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 28/100 36/100
Acceptance Rate 88.6% 88.2%

Both programs have moderate AI automation risk (37% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft graduates.

Saint Mary's College of California Stephen F Austin State University
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $224,536 $42,400
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $224,536 $82,720
10-Year Projected Earnings $474K $485K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 2.1x 11.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 2.1x 5.9x

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

Saint Mary's College of California Stephen F Austin State University
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $473K $474K $445K $485K $485K $454K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 2.1x 2.1x 2.0x 11.4x 11.4x 10.7x
DegreeWorth Score 29 28 20 37 36 29

For the full AI analysis of Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft career paths, see the Saint Mary's College of California or Stephen F Austin State University program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$182,136
Stephen F Austin State University saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$8,215/yr
Saint Mary's College of California grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
2.1x / 11.4x
Out-of-state: 2.1x / 5.9x

Career Paths

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Producers and directors $83,480 12,800 +4.9% 42%
Fashion designers $80,690 2,300 +2.0% 39%
Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary $80,190 9,000 +1.7% 44%
Writers and authors $72,270 13,400 +3.6% 89%
Set and exhibit designers $66,280 2,500 +2.3% 39%
Music directors and composers $63,670 4,300 -0.3% 71%
Choreographers $55,600 700 +6.1% 27%
Costume attendants $54,810 1,800 +5.9% 26%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft: Saint Mary's College of California or Stephen F Austin State University?
Saint Mary's College of California scores 28/100 while Stephen F Austin State University scores 36/100. Stephen F Austin State University has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft?
Saint Mary's College of California has an in-state earnings multiple of 2.1x vs Stephen F Austin State University's 11.4x. That means Stephen F Austin State University grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition. The $182,136 tuition gap is the biggest driver of this difference.
How do Saint Mary's College of California and Stephen F Austin State University compare on Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $38,160 at Saint Mary's College of California vs $29,945 at Stephen F Austin State University. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $474,341 vs $485,162 — a difference of $10,821.
How much does Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $224,536 at Saint Mary's College of California and $42,400 at Stephen F Austin State University. Median debt at graduation is $27,000 vs $24,114. Both programs lead to the same Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.