Program Analysis
At $23,000 per year, Theater & Drama graduates from California State University-Sacramento earn slightly above the $21,147 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 14.9x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Theater & Drama programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Theater & Drama's typical career paths, with 37% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 5% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $16,396 represents roughly 9 months of the $23,000 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
At #41 of 270 nationally, this is a top-5% Theater & Drama program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.
Earnings grow from $23,000 to $34,162 over five years — a 49% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.