Program Analysis
At $22,884 per year, Theater & Drama graduates from Western Kentucky University earn slightly above the $21,147 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
The earnings-to-cost ratio of 9.1x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.
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 3% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $21,500 represents roughly 11 months of the $22,884 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
At #68 of 270 nationally, this is a top-5% Theater & Drama program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.