Theater & Dramaat Manhattan School of Music
Graduates earn $29,400/yr in their first year — about 39.0% above the national Theater & Drama average. Base-case 10-year earnings $441K; scenarios range from $418K to $437K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Manhattan School of Music
Your exploration of Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at the Manhattan School of Music places you in an exceptionally unique position. Being embedded in New York City, the epicenter of American performing arts, provides an unparalleled advantage. This isn't just a degree; it's an immersive conservatory experience, offering intense, practical training designed to launch you directly into the professional world. The robust outcomes reflect direct access to a highly concentrated labor market, from Broadway and Off-Broadway productions to film, television, and commercial work. Graduates often leverage the school's reputation and faculty connections to secure early roles, whether performing, directing, writing, or contributing to technical production and design. Your peers and professors become an invaluable network, essential for navigating the highly competitive but high-reward NYC arts scene. To maximize your potential, immerse yourself in every opportunity for professional engagement and networking from day one.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Manhattan School of Music's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Theater & Drama
How Manhattan School of Music stacks up against other schools offering this major.
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.
Compare Theater & Drama trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Theater & Drama at Manhattan School of Music
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Theater & Drama at Manhattan School of Music?
A score of 25/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Theater & Drama. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.