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Visual & Performing Arts · Theater & Drama Rank #24 of 270

Theater & Dramaat University of South Dakota

Graduates earn $33,852/yr in their first year — about 60.0% above the national Theater & Drama average. Base-case 10-year earnings $458K; scenarios range from $432K to $455K depending on AI disruption.

Vermillion, SD Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
29 AT RISK
30
Optimistic
21
Pessimistic
Earnings
$33,852
1-year post-graduation
ROI
6.5x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$458K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Moderate
38% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of South Dakota

The strong financial outcomes for graduates of this Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft program defy common perceptions about creative degrees. This likely reflects a curriculum emphasizing highly practical, technical skills in stagecraft, which are broadly applicable beyond traditional theatre. In a regional market like South Dakota, skilled technicians and project managers in event production, corporate media, or educational institutions are often in high demand and can command competitive salaries. Graduates may also find success in related fields like exhibit design or specialized creative services. The program's smaller, public university setting might also mean more hands-on experience and direct faculty mentorship, fostering the adaptability and entrepreneurial spirit essential for success in creative industries. To maximize your earning potential, actively cultivate a diverse portfolio of technical projects and network broadly within the events and production sectors.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$432K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score21/100
Earnings Multiple11.4x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$458K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score29/100
Earnings Multiple12.1x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$455K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score30/100
Earnings Multiple12.1x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of South Dakota's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Theater & Drama graduates typically work

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.

1
Producers and directors
+4.9% 10-yr growth · 12,800 openings/yr
$83,480/yr
Moderate
2
Fashion designers
+2.0% 10-yr growth · 2,300 openings/yr
$80,690/yr
Moderate
3
Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary
+1.7% 10-yr growth · 9,000 openings/yr
$80,190/yr
Moderate
4
Writers and authors
+3.6% 10-yr growth · 13,400 openings/yr
$72,270/yr
Very High
5
Set and exhibit designers
+2.3% 10-yr growth · 2,500 openings/yr
$66,280/yr
Moderate
6
Music directors and composers
-0.3% 10-yr growth · 4,300 openings/yr
$63,670/yr
Very High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Theater & Drama

How University of South Dakota stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Saint Mary's College of California
CA · Private nonprofit
31
DW Score
$38K
1-yr earn
0.7x
ROI
University of Notre Dame
IN · Private nonprofit
29
DW Score
$38K
1-yr earn
1.5x
ROI
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
VA · Public
31
DW Score
$37K
1-yr earn
4.8x
ROI
Top score
The University of Texas at Austin
TX · Public
34
DW Score
$33K
1-yr earn
6.1x
ROI
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
PA · Public
34
DW Score
$33K
1-yr earn
6.9x
ROI
Also at University of South Dakota

Other top programs at University of South Dakota

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of South Dakota, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

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 →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Theater & Drama at University of South Dakota

What does a 29/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Theater & Drama at University of South Dakota?

At 29/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring Theater & Drama programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.