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Theater & Drama at Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Fort Collins, CO · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
29 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
29
Optimistic
29
Base Case
22
Pessimistic
Earnings $28,172/yr (33% vs median)
AI Risk Moderate (37% exposed)
Job Market Large (78,700 openings/yr)
ROI 8.5x earnings multiple (3.2x out-of-state)
Ranked #18 of 270 Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft programs Top 10%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Theater & Drama graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $432K $436K $414K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 8.4x 8.5x 8.0x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.2x 3.2x 3.1x
Probability of Field Employment 36% 33% 27%
DegreeOutlook Score 29 29 22

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$51,584
Out-of-state: $135,004 (3.2x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$81,328
-58% less than sticker · See by income

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $28,172 put Colorado State University-Fort Collins's Theater & Drama program 33% above the national median of $21,147 — one of the higher-earning programs in this field.

At 8.5x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.

AI risk is moderate — 37% task exposure — and the 4% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

A #18 ranking out of 270 Theater & Drama programs nationally puts Colorado State University-Fort Collins in the top 10% — a strong but not elite position.

About Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Colorado State University-Fort Collins accepts 90% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, with 25,148 students enrolled in Fort Collins, CO.

See all programs and financial aid at Colorado State University-Fort Collins →

Top Career Paths

Producers and directors $83,480/yr
Fashion designers $80,690/yr
Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary $80,190/yr
View all 12 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 270 schools offering Theater & Drama →

Theater & Drama at Other Schools

Saint Mary's College of California ($38,160) University of Notre Dame ($37,531) Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ($36,557) University of South Dakota ($33,852) The University of Texas at Austin ($33,261) Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania ($33,169) Carnegie Mellon University ($32,967) University of Colorado Boulder ($32,142)

Other Majors at Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Computer and Information Sciences, General ($78,856) Construction Engineering Technologies ($78,423) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($78,038) Civil Engineering ($73,326) Information Science/Studies ($67,827) Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering ($66,109) Chemical Engineering ($62,468) Mechanical Engineering ($60,720)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Theater & Drama trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Colorado State University-Fort Collins's Theater & Drama program score?
This program scores 29/100 — on the lower end for Theater & Drama. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →