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Theater & Drama Degree

270 schools compared · Average earnings $21,147/yr

Students study acting, directing, playwriting, stage design, lighting, costume design, and theater history through both academic study and production experience. Graduates typically pursue careers in professional theater, film and television, arts education, event production, and corporate training and communications. Theater training develops exceptional public speaking, collaboration, and creative problem-solving skills that transfer to many professional settings.

What Theater & Drama Graduates Do

Your career will likely unfold behind the curtain, not just on stage. As a producer or director, you’ll spend your days wrangling budgets, managing creative teams, and making the final call on everything from casting to lighting cues. Or you might work as a set designer, translating a script’s vision into digital models and physical builds. Many start as production assistants, staff writers, or assistant designers, learning the ropes on smaller shows before leading major projects. While roles for producers and directors are growing, the path for performers is more competitive with slower growth.

The impact of AI is a tale of two different worlds. For writers, AI is fundamentally reshaping the job; it now handles first drafts, so your value shifts to sophisticated editing, unique ideation, and high-level judgment. In contrast, the hands-on work of set designers and the deeply human, physical performance of actors are far less exposed to automation. This makes your skills in collaboration, physical craft, and live performance a durable asset.

Schools Offering

270

Avg Grad Earnings

$21,147/yr

Avg DegreeOutlook Score

22/100

AI Automation Risk

Moderate

38% task exposure

Common Career Paths

Where Theater & Drama graduates typically work, ranked by salary. Salary ranges show 25th–75th percentile spread. This field has roughly 78,700 combined openings per year.

Career Path	Salary Range	Openings/yr	Growth	AI Risk
Producers and directors	$83,480 $60K$131K	12,800	+4.9%	42%
Fashion designers	$80,690 $54K$108K	2,300	+2.0%	39%
Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary	$80,190 $61K$122K	9,000	+1.7%	44%
Writers and authors	$72,270 $53K$98K	13,400	+3.6%	89%
Set and exhibit designers	$66,280 $49K$100K	2,500	+2.3%	39%
Music directors and composers	$63,670 $47K$97K	4,300	-0.3%	71%
Choreographers	$55,600 $40K$71K	700	+6.1%	27%
Costume attendants	$54,810 $39K$83K	1,800	+5.9%	26%
Musicians and singers	N/A	19,400	+1.1%	41%
Actors	N/A	6,300	+0.3%	19%
Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers, all other	N/A	4,400	+6.0%	0%
Dancers	N/A	1,800	+4.5%	2%

Producers and directors

$83,480

$60K $131K

12,800 openings/yr +4.9% growth 42% AI risk

Fashion designers

$80,690

$54K $108K

2,300 openings/yr +2.0% growth 39% AI risk

Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary

$80,190

$61K $122K

9,000 openings/yr +1.7% growth 44% AI risk

Writers and authors

$72,270

$53K $98K

13,400 openings/yr +3.6% growth 89% AI risk

Set and exhibit designers

$66,280

$49K $100K

2,500 openings/yr +2.3% growth 39% AI risk

Music directors and composers

$63,670

$47K $97K

4,300 openings/yr -0.3% growth 71% AI risk

Choreographers

$55,600

$40K $71K

700 openings/yr +6.1% growth 27% AI risk

Costume attendants

$54,810

$39K $83K

1,800 openings/yr +5.9% growth 26% AI risk

Musicians and singers

N/A

19,400 openings/yr +1.1% growth 41% AI risk

Actors

N/A

6,300 openings/yr +0.3% growth 19% AI risk

Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers, all other

N/A

4,400 openings/yr +6.0% growth 0% AI risk

Dancers

N/A

1,800 openings/yr +4.5% growth 2% AI risk

Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).

Best Schools for Theater & Drama

Top 20 of 270 schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any row for full AI scenario analysis and earnings projections.

#	School	DW Score	Earnings	ROI
1	Southern Utah University Cedar City, UT	39 32–39	$27,335/yr	16.9x
2	The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX	34 25–34	$33,261/yr	6.1x
3	Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock, PA	34 25–34	$33,169/yr	6.9x
4	Stephen F Austin State University Nacogdoches, TX	32 24–32	$29,945/yr	9.2x
5	Utah Valley University Orem, UT	32 27–33	$23,896/yr	15.3x
6	Saint Mary's College of California Moraga, CA	31 22–31	$38,160/yr	0.7x
7	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA	31 21–31	$36,557/yr	4.8x
8	University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Whitewater, WI	31 26–32	$24,412/yr	12.3x
9	Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC	31 27–32	$21,824/yr	18.4x
10	Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX	30 23–30	$28,933/yr	5.1x
11	University of Wyoming Laramie, WY	30 24–31	$26,053/yr	8.4x
12	California State University-Dominguez Hills Carson, CA	30 24–30	$25,920/yr	8.2x
13	University of South Florida Tampa, FL	30 24–30	$24,732/yr	13.0x
14	CUNY Queens College Queens, NY	30 29–31	$11,604/yr	14.8x
15	University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN	29 20–29	$37,531/yr	1.5x
16	University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD	29 21–30	$33,852/yr	6.5x
17	Colorado State University-Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO	29 22–29	$28,172/yr	4.5x
18	Missouri Western State University Saint Joseph, MO	29 22–29	$26,929/yr	5.9x
19	University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL	29 23–30	$26,670/yr	6.5x
20	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC	29 23–29	$26,457/yr	6.4x
21	University of Wisconsin-Parkside Kenosha, WI	29 23–29	$25,306/yr	7.1x
22	CUNY Hunter College New York, NY	29 23–29	$25,059/yr	7.5x
23	West Texas A & M University Canyon, TX	29 23–29	$25,036/yr	10.2x
24	University of Central Florida Orlando, FL	29 24–29	$23,708/yr	12.6x
25	Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ	29 24–29	$23,043/yr	8.7x
26	Brigham Young University Provo, UT	29 25–29	$21,047/yr	13.5x
27	University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Denver, CO	29 26–30	$19,966/yr	11.0x
28	University of North Texas Denton, TX	28 21–29	$28,236/yr	8.0x
29	The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX	28 22–28	$26,474/yr	4.6x
30	University of West Florida Pensacola, FL	28 23–28	$23,852/yr	11.8x
31	Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX	28 23–28	$21,858/yr	10.5x
32	Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO	27 20–27	$28,901/yr	7.1x
33	Texas State University San Marcos, TX	27 21–27	$26,045/yr	7.8x
34	Portland State University Portland, OR	27 22–28	$25,352/yr	8.4x
35	Youngstown State University Youngstown, OH	27 21–27	$24,933/yr	4.8x
36	Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Stillwater, OK	27 21–28	$24,871/yr	5.1x
37	Utah State University Logan, UT	27 22–27	$23,341/yr	9.8x
38	SUNY College at Potsdam Potsdam, NY	27 22–28	$22,873/yr	10.4x
39	University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA	27 22–27	$22,289/yr	9.7x
40	CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn, NY	27 24–28	$20,645/yr	12.1x
41	Illinois State University Normal, IL	26 19–27	$28,958/yr	5.2x
42	University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY	26 20–26	$25,810/yr	7.7x
43	Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi Corpus Christi, TX	26 20–26	$25,050/yr	8.4x
44	Kent State University at Trumbull Warren, OH	26 20–26	$24,565/yr	9.4x
45	Ohio State University-Lima Campus Lima, OH	26 21–27	$23,920/yr	9.3x
46	California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA	26 21–26	$23,000/yr	10.2x
47	University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA	26 21–27	$22,778/yr	7.9x
48	University of Nevada-Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV	26 21–26	$22,429/yr	9.5x
49	University of Iowa Iowa City, IA	26 22–26	$22,225/yr	8.8x
50	University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, NE	26 22–27	$21,627/yr	9.5x
51	East Carolina University Greenville, NC	26 22–26	$21,295/yr	6.2x
52	North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC	26 22–26	$20,996/yr	6.8x
53	Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL	26 23–26	$18,452/yr	8.5x
54	Florida State University Tallahassee, FL	26 23–27	$18,431/yr	13.2x
55	SUNY at Purchase College Purchase, NY	26 23–27	$18,090/yr	10.9x
56	University of Florida Gainesville, FL	26 23–26	$16,318/yr	12.9x
57	Ohio University-Eastern Campus Saint Clairsville, OH	26 24–26	$15,602/yr	13.4x
58	Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus Chillicothe, OH	26 24–26	$15,602/yr	13.4x
59	Ohio University-Southern Campus Ironton, OH	26 24–26	$15,602/yr	13.4x
60	Ohio University-Lancaster Campus Lancaster, OH	26 24–26	$15,602/yr	13.4x
61	Ohio University-Zanesville Campus Zanesville, OH	26 24–26	$15,602/yr	13.4x
62	University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO	25 16–25	$32,142/yr	2.8x
63	Manhattan School of Music New York, NY	25 17–25	$29,400/yr	0.3x
64	Carthage College Kenosha, WI	25 17–25	$28,727/yr	1.0x
65	Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Carbondale, IL	25 18–25	$27,004/yr	5.6x
66	University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR	25 19–26	$25,499/yr	7.8x
67	Rutgers University-Newark Newark, NJ	25 19–25	$24,770/yr	2.7x
68	San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA	25 20–25	$23,004/yr	9.5x
69	Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, KY	25 20–26	$22,884/yr	4.0x
70	Missouri State University-Springfield Springfield, MO	25 21–26	$22,369/yr	9.5x
71	Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA	25 21–26	$21,556/yr	11.1x
72	University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MO	25 22–25	$18,403/yr	9.7x
73	California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA	25 22–25	$18,182/yr	11.3x
74	Brigham Young University-Idaho Rexburg, ID	25 22–25	$16,587/yr	7.9x
75	Gustavus Adolphus College Saint Peter, MN	24 17–25	$28,601/yr	0.3x
76	University of the Incarnate Word San Antonio, TX	24 17–24	$27,295/yr	0.9x
77	University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Norman, OK	24 18–25	$26,753/yr	6.4x
78	University of Minnesota-Duluth Duluth, MN	24 18–25	$26,751/yr	5.2x
79	University of Oregon Eugene, OR	24 19–25	$25,264/yr	5.6x
80	Rutgers University-Camden Camden, NJ	24 19–25	$24,770/yr	2.6x
81	Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ	24 19–25	$24,770/yr	2.6x
82	Central Washington University Ellensburg, WA	24 19–25	$24,674/yr	8.0x
83	Rhode Island College Providence, RI	24 19–25	$24,526/yr	7.4x
84	Western Washington University Bellingham, WA	24 19–24	$24,258/yr	7.7x
85	George Mason University Fairfax, VA	24 19–25	$22,984/yr	3.2x
86	University of Toledo Toledo, OH	24 20–24	$21,685/yr	3.4x
87	University of New Orleans New Orleans, LA	24 20–24	$21,504/yr	8.8x
88	University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT	24 20–25	$20,701/yr	4.6x
89	Susquehanna University Selinsgrove, PA	24 20–25	$20,259/yr	-0.1x
90	Florida International University Miami, FL	24 21–25	$20,113/yr	10.5x
91	State University of New York at Oswego Oswego, NY	24 20–24	$19,673/yr	4.6x
92	Columbus State University Columbus, GA	24 21–25	$18,769/yr	11.3x
93	California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA	24 21–24	$17,524/yr	10.8x
94	Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL	24 21–24	$16,892/yr	8.0x
95	Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Tallahassee, FL	24 21–24	$16,695/yr	6.2x
96	University of Southern Indiana Evansville, IN	23 17–24	$27,010/yr	4.8x
97	Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ	23 18–24	$25,301/yr	6.0x
98	University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Cincinnati, OH	23 18–24	$25,070/yr	5.5x
99	University of Northern Colorado Greeley, CO	23 17–23	$24,761/yr	5.5x
100	Minnesota State University-Mankato Mankato, MN	23 17–23	$24,671/yr	6.3x
101	Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH	23 18–24	$23,920/yr	6.4x
102	Ball State University Muncie, IN	23 18–23	$23,748/yr	6.5x
103	Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL	23 18–24	$23,517/yr	6.5x
104	University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA	23 19–24	$22,610/yr	2.8x
105	Plymouth State University Plymouth, NH	23 19–24	$22,489/yr	2.9x
106	College of Charleston Charleston, SC	23 19–23	$21,645/yr	6.7x
107	Auburn University Auburn, AL	23 19–24	$20,899/yr	3.2x
108	University of Georgia Athens, GA	23 20–24	$20,762/yr	3.6x
109	Southern Oregon University Ashland, OR	23 19–24	$20,668/yr	3.3x
110	SUNY at Fredonia Fredonia, NY	23 20–24	$20,453/yr	9.1x
111	SUNY Oneonta Oneonta, NY	23 20–24	$18,740/yr	4.3x
112	University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC	23 21–24	$18,052/yr	5.3x
113	New Mexico State University-Main Campus Las Cruces, NM	23 21–24	$17,980/yr	10.0x
114	California State University-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA	23 20–23	$16,645/yr	5.1x
115	Bennington College Bennington, VT	23 20–23	$16,579/yr	-0.4x
116	University of Miami Coral Gables, FL	23 20–23	$16,561/yr	-0.3x
117	CUNY New York City College of Technology Brooklyn, NY	23 20–23	$14,799/yr	10.4x
118	Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA	22 13–22	$32,967/yr	0.0x
119	University of Arizona Tucson, AZ	22 16–23	$26,048/yr	4.4x
120	Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma, WA	22 16–23	$25,754/yr	0.3x
121	Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH	22 17–23	$24,565/yr	4.9x
122	James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA	22 16–22	$24,306/yr	4.6x
123	Miami University-Oxford Oxford, OH	22 18–23	$22,434/yr	2.1x
124	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL	22 17–22	$22,159/yr	5.1x
125	University of North Carolina School of the Arts Winston Salem, NC	22 18–23	$21,229/yr	7.6x
126	Colorado Mesa University Grand Junction, CO	22 18–22	$21,173/yr	7.4x
127	University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI	22 19–23	$20,903/yr	8.2x
128	University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA	22 18–22	$20,503/yr	2.4x
129	University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI	22 18–23	$20,455/yr	7.8x
130	University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC	22 19–23	$20,450/yr	8.6x
131	Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA	22 18–22	$20,290/yr	7.0x
132	Appalachian State University Boone, NC	22 18–22	$20,256/yr	8.3x
133	University of California-Davis Davis, CA	22 18–22	$19,398/yr	6.0x
134	Binghamton University Vestal, NY	22 19–23	$18,920/yr	3.6x
135	University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC	22 19–22	$18,154/yr	9.2x
136	California State University-Fresno Fresno, CA	22 20–23	$18,082/yr	9.7x
137	Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN	22 19–23	$17,860/yr	3.7x
138	University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK	22 20–23	$17,272/yr	4.1x
139	Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY	22 20–23	$16,417/yr	-0.4x
140	University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WA	22 20–23	$16,310/yr	-0.3x
141	Drew University Madison, NJ	22 20–22	$13,710/yr	-0.2x
142	University of West Georgia Carrollton, GA	22 20–22	$13,357/yr	4.6x
143	Oberlin College Oberlin, OH	22 20–22	$12,441/yr	-0.5x
144	Lindenwood University Saint Charles, MO	21 16–22	$25,083/yr	3.4x
145	Western Connecticut State University Danbury, CT	21 16–22	$24,150/yr	4.6x
146	Nebraska Wesleyan University Lincoln, NE	21 16–21	$23,649/yr	0.4x
147	University of Evansville Evansville, IN	21 16–21	$23,407/yr	0.4x
148	Suffolk University Boston, MA	21 16–21	$23,189/yr	0.3x
149	Flagler College Saint Augustine, FL	21 16–22	$23,099/yr	1.2x
150	State University of New York at New Paltz New Paltz, NY	21 16–21	$21,800/yr	5.9x
151	University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA	21 17–21	$21,638/yr	5.1x
152	The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville, TN	21 17–21	$21,189/yr	5.6x
153	University of Kentucky Lexington, KY	21 17–21	$20,937/yr	5.6x
154	Indiana University-Bloomington Bloomington, IN	21 18–22	$20,815/yr	6.6x
155	San Diego State University San Diego, CA	21 18–22	$20,538/yr	7.6x
156	Towson University Towson, MD	21 18–22	$19,871/yr	6.7x
157	SUNY Buffalo State University Buffalo, NY	21 18–22	$19,608/yr	8.0x
158	California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA	21 18–22	$19,231/yr	8.4x
159	Alabama State University Montgomery, AL	21 19–22	$17,997/yr	3.0x
160	University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MD	21 19–22	$17,985/yr	7.4x
161	East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania East Stroudsburg, PA	21 18–21	$17,055/yr	2.9x
162	Northwestern State University of Louisiana Natchitoches, LA	21 19–22	$16,973/yr	8.5x
163	Dean College Franklin, MA	20 12–20	$29,639/yr	0.6x
164	University of New Hampshire-Main Campus Durham, NH	20 15–21	$24,830/yr	3.1x
165	Florida Southern College Lakeland, FL	20 16–21	$22,336/yr	0.3x
166	Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Bowling Green, OH	20 16–21	$21,900/yr	4.6x
167	Anderson University Anderson, SC	20 16–20	$21,767/yr	0.6x
168	Radford University Radford, VA	20 16–20	$20,666/yr	5.2x
169	Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY	20 17–20	$19,929/yr	6.0x
170	University of Idaho Moscow, ID	20 16–20	$19,880/yr	5.9x
171	University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI	20 17–21	$19,551/yr	2.0x
172	Wright State University-Main Campus Dayton, OH	20 17–20	$18,666/yr	6.2x
173	University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA	20 17–21	$18,026/yr	5.5x
174	University of New Mexico-Main Campus Albuquerque, NM	20 17–21	$17,964/yr	7.8x
175	Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI	20 17–20	$17,962/yr	5.5x
176	University of Maryland-Baltimore County Baltimore, MD	20 18–21	$17,381/yr	2.4x
177	Millikin University Decatur, IL	19 13–19	$24,013/yr	2.3x
178	Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA	19 15–20	$22,447/yr	3.5x
179	Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ	19 15–19	$21,760/yr	3.4x
180	Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI	19 15–19	$21,585/yr	3.4x
181	Seton Hill University Greensburg, PA	19 15–20	$21,239/yr	0.3x
182	Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus Indiana, PA	19 15–19	$20,818/yr	4.1x
183	Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City, OK	19 15–20	$20,696/yr	0.5x
184	University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA	19 15–19	$20,461/yr	3.8x
185	Augustana College Rock Island, IL	19 15–19	$20,326/yr	0.0x
186	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN	19 15–19	$19,982/yr	4.1x
187	Belhaven University Jackson, MS	19 16–19	$19,931/yr	0.7x
188	Viterbo University La Crosse, WI	19 15–19	$19,930/yr	0.5x
189	University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA	19 15–19	$19,673/yr	4.3x
190	The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL	19 16–19	$19,543/yr	4.8x
191	University of Northwestern-St Paul Saint Paul, MN	19 15–19	$19,541/yr	0.3x
192	University of Memphis Memphis, TN	19 16–19	$19,055/yr	5.2x
193	Wayne State University Detroit, MI	19 16–19	$18,750/yr	4.8x
194	Montclair State University Montclair, NJ	19 16–20	$18,474/yr	5.1x
195	Coastal Carolina University Conway, SC	19 16–19	$16,862/yr	5.6x
196	The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX	19 16–19	$16,706/yr	6.2x
197	Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA	19 17–20	$16,586/yr	7.6x
198	Ohio University-Main Campus Athens, OH	19 16–19	$15,602/yr	5.5x
199	Ramapo College of New Jersey Mahwah, NJ	19 16–19	$15,372/yr	5.0x
200	CUNY City College New York, NY	19 17–20	$15,098/yr	7.6x
201	Winthrop University Rock Hill, SC	18 14–18	$20,600/yr	3.1x
202	Temple University Philadelphia, PA	18 15–18	$19,269/yr	3.2x
203	Ohio Northern University Ada, OH	18 15–19	$19,167/yr	0.3x
204	Piedmont University Demorest, GA	18 15–19	$18,680/yr	0.5x
205	Long Island University Brookville, NY	18 15–19	$18,671/yr	0.1x
206	Ouachita Baptist University Arkadelphia, AR	18 15–19	$18,350/yr	0.4x
207	New York Film Academy Burbank, CA	18 15–18	$18,181/yr	0.2x
208	Michigan State University East Lansing, MI	18 16–19	$17,328/yr	4.4x
209	The University of Tampa Tampa, FL	18 15–18	$17,196/yr	0.3x
210	University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL	18 16–18	$14,938/yr	4.8x
211	University of Southern Maine Portland, ME	18 17–19	$12,960/yr	2.0x
212	University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras San Juan, PR	18 16–18	$7,652/yr	7.3x
213	Chapman University Orange, CA	17 11–17	$24,644/yr	0.8x
214	Elon University Elon, NC	17 12–18	$24,345/yr	1.4x
215	American University Washington, DC	17 11–17	$23,979/yr	1.1x
216	University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus Waterbury, CT	17 14–17	$18,002/yr	3.3x
217	University of Connecticut-Avery Point Groton, CT	17 14–17	$18,002/yr	3.3x
218	University of Connecticut-Stamford Stamford, CT	17 14–17	$18,002/yr	3.3x
219	University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus Hartford, CT	17 14–17	$18,002/yr	3.3x
220	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI	17 14–17	$17,577/yr	3.3x
221	Arcadia University Glenside, PA	17 15–18	$17,203/yr	-0.0x
222	Molloy College Rockville Centre, NY	17 15–18	$17,050/yr	0.1x
223	Stephens College Columbia, MO	17 15–18	$16,476/yr	0.5x
224	Oakland University Rochester Hills, MI	17 15–18	$15,579/yr	4.4x
225	Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX	16 11–16	$23,831/yr	0.3x
226	Rollins College Winter Park, FL	16 11–16	$23,664/yr	0.3x
227	Nazareth University Rochester, NY	16 11–16	$23,511/yr	0.5x
228	Point Park University Pittsburgh, PA	16 11–16	$23,147/yr	0.8x
229	Rowan University Glassboro, NJ	16 13–16	$18,558/yr	2.6x
230	University of Connecticut Storrs, CT	16 13–16	$18,002/yr	2.7x
231	California Institute of the Arts Valencia, CA	15 11–16	$22,673/yr	0.6x
232	DePaul University Chicago, IL	15 11–16	$22,021/yr	0.9x
233	Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA	15 11–16	$21,869/yr	1.0x
234	Full Sail University Winter Park, FL	15 12–16	$20,226/yr	1.9x
235	Boston University Boston, MA	14 10–15	$21,508/yr	0.4x
236	University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA	14 10–15	$21,473/yr	0.1x
237	Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX	14 10–15	$21,221/yr	0.6x
238	Roosevelt University Chicago, IL	14 11–15	$21,001/yr	0.9x
239	Syracuse University Syracuse, NY	14 10–15	$20,988/yr	0.6x
240	New York University New York, NY	14 10–15	$20,916/yr	0.3x
241	Academy of Art University San Francisco, CA	14 10–15	$20,798/yr	0.7x
242	Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, GA	14 11–15	$20,532/yr	1.1x
243	North Central College Naperville, IL	14 11–15	$20,416/yr	0.9x
244	Baylor University Waco, TX	14 10–14	$20,267/yr	0.7x
245	Drake University Des Moines, IA	14 10–14	$19,613/yr	0.8x
246	Marymount Manhattan College New York, NY	14 11–14	$19,562/yr	1.0x
247	Northwestern University Evanston, IL	14 10–14	$19,245/yr	0.8x
248	Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL	14 11–14	$17,929/yr	1.6x
249	Webster University Saint Louis, MO	14 12–14	$13,182/yr	2.0x
250	Emerson College Boston, MA	13 10–14	$19,560/yr	0.5x
251	Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL	13 10–14	$19,490/yr	0.4x
252	Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY	13 10–14	$19,339/yr	0.4x
253	Cornish College of the Arts Seattle, WA	13 10–14	$19,045/yr	0.4x
254	Ithaca College Ithaca, NY	13 10–14	$18,243/yr	0.9x
255	Shenandoah University Winchester, VA	13 10–14	$17,818/yr	1.0x
256	DeSales University Center Valley, PA	13 10–13	$17,377/yr	0.9x
257	Muhlenberg College Allentown, PA	13 10–13	$17,150/yr	0.6x
258	Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus Teaneck, NJ	13 11–14	$16,666/yr	1.5x
259	Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus Madison, NJ	13 11–14	$16,666/yr	1.5x
260	Baldwin Wallace University Berea, OH	13 10–13	$16,055/yr	1.0x
261	Saint Edward's University Austin, TX	13 11–13	$15,925/yr	1.2x
262	Otterbein University Westerville, OH	13 11–13	$12,546/yr	1.7x
263	Wagner College Staten Island, NY	12 10–13	$17,478/yr	0.4x
264	American Musical and Dramatic Academy New York, NY	12 10–13	$17,410/yr	0.2x
265	The New School New York, NY	12 10–13	$17,113/yr	0.1x
266	Pace University New York, NY	12 10–13	$16,659/yr	0.4x
267	Hofstra University Hempstead, NY	12 10–12	$15,474/yr	0.3x
268	Adelphi University Garden City, NY	12 10–12	$14,867/yr	0.6x
269	Fordham University Bronx, NY	12 10–12	$14,133/yr	0.7x
270	University of the Arts Philadelphia, PA	12 10–12	$12,085/yr	0.7x

Highest Earning Theater & Drama Programs

Schools where Theater & Drama graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.

School	1-Year Earnings	DW Score
Saint Mary's College of California	$38,160/yr	31
University of Notre Dame	$37,531/yr	29
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	$36,557/yr	31
University of South Dakota	$33,852/yr	29
The University of Texas at Austin	$33,261/yr	34
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania	$33,169/yr	34
Carnegie Mellon University	$32,967/yr	22
University of Colorado Boulder	$32,142/yr	25
Stephen F Austin State University	$29,945/yr	32
Dean College	$29,639/yr	20

Best ROI for Theater & Drama

Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Theater & Drama.

School	ROI Multiple	Earnings	DW Score
Western Carolina University	18.4x	$21,824/yr	31
Southern Utah University	16.9x	$27,335/yr	39
Utah Valley University	15.3x	$23,896/yr	32
CUNY Queens College	14.8x	$11,604/yr	30
Brigham Young University	13.5x	$21,047/yr	29
Ohio University-Eastern Campus	13.4x	$15,602/yr	26
Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus	13.4x	$15,602/yr	26
Ohio University-Southern Campus	13.4x	$15,602/yr	26
Ohio University-Lancaster Campus	13.4x	$15,602/yr	26
Ohio University-Zanesville Campus	13.4x	$15,602/yr	26

Want to compare two Theater & Drama programs side by side? Use the comparison tool →

Related Majors

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Consider the Trade Route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Theater & Drama offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Theater & Drama graduates earn?

Across 270 schools, Theater & Drama graduates earn an average of $21,147 per year in their first year after graduation. Earnings range from $7,652 to $38,160 depending on the school.

What is the AI automation risk for Theater & Drama?

Theater & Drama is rated "Moderate" for AI automation risk, with an average of 38% of job tasks exposed to large language models and AI tools. This means some career tasks in this field could be augmented or replaced by AI over the next decade.

Which school has the best Theater & Drama program?

Based on our DegreeOutlook Score (combining earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and ROI), Southern Utah University ranks #1 for Theater & Drama with a score of 39/100 and graduate earnings of $27,335/yr.

What's the outlook for a Theater & Drama degree?

On average, Theater & Drama graduates earn 4.9x their in-state tuition over 10 years. ROI varies significantly by school — choose carefully.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →