Theater & Drama at University of Memphis

Memphis, TN · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $19,055/yr (-10% vs median)

AI Risk Moderate (37% exposed)

Job Market Large (78,700 openings/yr)

ROI 10.1x earnings multiple (7.1x out-of-state)

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	$413K	$419K	$401K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	10.0x	10.1x	9.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	7.0x	7.1x	6.8x
Probability of Field Employment	36%	33%	27%
DegreeOutlook Score	19	19	16

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$41,376

Out-of-state: $59,136 (7.1x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$53,012

-28% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$19,000

12.0 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$25,644

35% growth from Year 1

With 93% of applicants admitted, University of Memphis prioritizes broad access, enrolling 13,645 students in Memphis, TN.

Producers and directors $83,480/yr

Fashion designers $80,690/yr

Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary $80,190/yr

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

How does University of Memphis's Theater & Drama program score?

This program scores 19/100 — 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 →