HUMANITIES Specialization

Drama & Theatre

Drama & Theatre graduates earn $39,775 four years out. The middle 50% of earners fall between $25,491 and $55,399. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and how far you advance in the field.

About Drama & Theatre

This page covers Drama & Theatre as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Visual & Performing Arts and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.

Drama & Theatre is a focused area of study within Visual & Performing Arts. Pick this and you can expect to earn around $39,775 four years out, a modest return for a focused credential. You will not have trouble finding it: 1,116 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 16,853 students complete it each year, most walking away with a bachelor's. The focus is on writing, analysis, and communication that transfer across industries.


Median Earnings · 1yr
$20,780
Median Earnings · 4yr
$39,775
Colleges Offering
1,116
Graduates / Year
16,853
Avg Net Price / yr
$31,056

How Much Do Drama & Theatre Graduates Earn?

Four years after finishing Drama & Theatre, a typical graduate earns $39,775, significantly below average for bachelor's degree holders. Half of earners land somewhere between $25,491 and $55,399, so where you end up depends on the job and the employer. Do not judge the field on a starting paycheck alone: pay tends to jump in the first few years, climbing from $20,780 at one year out to $39,775 by year four. Source: College Scorecard.

What that figure means in practice depends on what the degree cost to get, which is a matter of lifetime earnings against total outlay.

$20,780
1 Year After Graduation

Starting salaries only. Earnings in this field grow substantially in the first 3 to 5 years.

$39,775
4-Year National Median

Significantly below average. Graduate credentials or high-demand roles can raise this considerably.

$40,033
4-Year Institutional Median

Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.


Earnings Range

Not every Drama & Theatre graduate ends up in the same place. Earnings spread out a moderate amount, so know what pushes people to one end or the other. Career path divergence explains most of the range. Law, consulting, and tech-adjacent roles pull the top end up; writing, education, and nonprofit roles tend to sit near the bottom.


Is the Cost Worth It?

At median 4-year earnings of $39,775 and an estimated $124,224 four-year net cost, earnings breakeven against a baseline wage takes approximately 12.7 years. Compare specific programs before committing to a high-cost option.

Based on outcomes from 882 schools. Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.

Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown

Of the 16,853 students who complete Drama & Theatre programs each year, the majority (76%) earn a bachelor's degree. The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.

Bachelor's 76%
Master's 11%
Associate's 9%

What Can You Do With a Drama & Theatre Degree?

This degree does not lock you into one job. Drama & Theatre graduates show up in 8 different occupations, and Producer & Director pays the most at $90,360/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.

The best-paid of these is what a Producer & Director earns and how fast the role is growing, though entry requirements vary across the list.

↗ +4.0% Zone 4: Considerable preparation
$90,360
$63K $135K 25th–75th pct.
Bachelor's degree 12,100 openings/yr 143K employed nationally
Active Listening Speaking Critical Thinking Reading Comprehension Judgment and Decision Making
Day-to-day responsibilities

Produce or direct stage, television, radio, video, or film productions for entertainment, information, or instruction. Responsible for creative decisions, such as interpretation of script, choice of actors or guests, set design, sound, special effects, and choreography.

  • Plan details such as framing, composition, camera movement, sound, and actor movement for each shot or scene.
  • Communicate to actors the approach, characterization, and movement needed for each scene in such a way that rehearsals and takes are minimized.
  • Direct live broadcasts, films and recordings, or non-broadcast programming for public entertainment or education.
↗ +0.1% Zone 3: Medium preparation
$80,960
$52K $106K 25th–75th pct.
Bachelor's degree 2,500 openings/yr 21K employed nationally
Active Listening Speaking Critical Thinking Judgment and Decision Making Time Management
Day-to-day responsibilities

Design clothing and accessories. Create original designs or adapt fashion trends.

  • Sketch rough and detailed drawings of apparel or accessories, and write specifications such as color schemes, construction, material types, and accessory requirements.
  • Examine sample garments on and off models, modifying designs to achieve desired effects.
  • Confer with sales and management executives or with clients to discuss design ideas.
↗ +2.2% Zone 5: Extensive preparation
$78,620
$62K $104K 25th–75th pct.
Master's degree 8,000 openings/yr 94K employed nationally
Speaking Instructing Learning Strategies Reading Comprehension Active Listening
Day-to-day responsibilities

Teach courses in drama, music, and the arts including fine and applied art, such as painting and sculpture, or design and crafts. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

  • Explain and demonstrate artistic techniques.
  • Evaluate and grade students' class work, performances, projects, assignments, and papers.
  • Prepare students for performances, exams, or assessments.
↘ -0.3% Zone 4: Considerable preparation
$76,910
$58K $102K 25th–75th pct.
Bachelor's degree 11,900 openings/yr 48K employed nationally
Writing Writing Reading Comprehension Reading Comprehension Active Listening
Day-to-day responsibilities

Originate and prepare written material, such as scripts, stories, advertisements, and other material.

  • Develop advertising campaigns for a wide range of clients, working with an advertising agency's creative director and art director to determine the best way to present advertising information.
  • Vary language and tone of messages based on product and medium.
  • Present drafts and ideas to clients.
↗ +1.4% Zone 5: Extensive preparation
$75,240
$53K $104K 25th–75th pct.
Bachelor's degree 2,200 openings/yr 11K employed nationally
Reading Comprehension Active Listening Operations Analysis Time Management Speaking
Day-to-day responsibilities

Design special exhibits and sets for film, video, television, and theater productions. May study scripts, confer with directors, and conduct research to determine appropriate architectural styles.

  • Develop set designs, based on evaluation of scripts, budgets, research information, and available locations.
  • Prepare rough drafts and scale working drawings of sets, including floor plans, scenery, and properties to be constructed.
  • Prepare preliminary renderings of proposed exhibits, including detailed construction, layout, and material specifications, and diagrams relating to aspects such as special effects or lighting.
↗ +1.2% Zone 4: Considerable preparation
$73,710
$53K $104K 25th–75th pct.
Bachelor's degree 4,200 openings/yr 13K employed nationally
Active Listening Speaking Judgment and Decision Making Critical Thinking Reading Comprehension
Day-to-day responsibilities

Conduct, direct, plan, and lead instrumental or vocal performances by musical artists or groups, such as orchestras, bands, choirs, and glee clubs; or create original works of music.

  • Use gestures to shape the music being played, communicating desired tempo, phrasing, tone, color, pitch, volume, and other performance aspects.
  • Direct groups at rehearsals and live or recorded performances to achieve desired effects such as tonal and harmonic balance dynamics, rhythm, and tempo.
  • Study scores to learn the music in detail, and to develop interpretations.
↗ +2.2% Zone 3: Medium preparation
No formal educational credential 1,600 openings/yr 8K employed nationally
Active Listening Critical Thinking Coordination Social Perceptiveness Time Management
Day-to-day responsibilities

Perform dances. May perform on stage, for broadcasting, or for video recording.

  • Study and practice dance moves required in roles.
  • Harmonize body movements to rhythm of musical accompaniment.
  • Train, exercise, and attend dance classes to maintain high levels of technical proficiency, physical ability, and physical fitness.
↗ +0.3% Zone 4: Considerable preparation
No formal educational credential 17,400 openings/yr 36K employed nationally
Speaking Monitoring Active Listening Social Perceptiveness Reading Comprehension
Day-to-day responsibilities

Play one or more musical instruments or sing. May perform on stage, for broadcasting, or for sound or video recording.

  • Perform before live audiences in concerts, recitals, educational presentations, and other social gatherings.
  • Sing a cappella or with musical accompaniment.
  • Interpret or modify music, applying knowledge of harmony, melody, rhythm, and voice production to individualize presentations and maintain audience interest.

Top Colleges for Drama & Theatre

Not sure where to study Drama & Theatre? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.

Ranked by score, that list starts with the cost and outcomes at American Musical and Dramatic Academy, and the rest follow the same measures.

# College Graduates Acceptance Net Price/yr Earnings 10yr
1 American Musical and Dramatic Academy New York, NY · Nonprofit 652 24.5% $41,416 $26,975
2 New York University New York, NY · Nonprofit 545 9.2% $37,050 $82,509
3 Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, GA · Nonprofit 283 83% $49,430 $45,954
4 University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA · Nonprofit 190 9.8% $32,740 $92,498
5 Texas State University San Marcos, TX · Public 175 89.3% $16,805 $56,906
6 Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL · Nonprofit 145 89.5% $26,598 $42,195
7 DePaul University Chicago, IL · Nonprofit 139 75.9% $30,902 $68,751
8 SUNY at Purchase College Purchase, NY · Public 139 74.1% $18,913 $45,092
9 Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA · Nonprofit 138 45.1% $48,381 $78,349
10 Chapman University Orange, CA · Nonprofit 132 65.4% $46,555 $70,070
11 Northwestern University Evanston, IL · Nonprofit 126 7.7% $29,167 $89,363
12 Marymount Manhattan College New York, NY · Nonprofit 125 82.6% $36,861 $49,131
13 Emerson College Boston, MA · Nonprofit 123 51.3% $49,180 $62,832
14 Florida State University Tallahassee, FL · Public 120 24.2% $11,297 $61,675
15 California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA · Public 112 90.5% $6,555 $62,951
16 University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA · Public 111 28.6% $14,251 $80,735
17 University of North Carolina School of the Arts Winston Salem, NC · Public 110 30% $14,906 $38,357
18 Muhlenberg College Allentown, PA · Nonprofit 106 72% $28,905 $69,107
19 University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Cincinnati, OH · Public 102 85.3% $25,648 $54,810
20 American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New York New York, NY · Nonprofit 99 92% $55,553 $27,019

Ranked by Drama & Theatre graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats. Read our methodology →

Plan Your Path

Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Drama & Theatre program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find schools that match your profile.

Drama & Theatre Degree: Pros & Cons

Drama & Theatre carries financial trade-offs prospective students should weigh carefully. The 3 strengths and 4 concerns below are drawn from College Scorecard earnings, BLS job growth data, and IPEDS completion counts.

PROS
  • Strong salary growth Median earnings climb from $20,780 at graduation to $39,775 four years later, a clear sign of career momentum in this field.
  • Strong hiring volume Related occupations generate more than 59,900 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
  • Wide availability Offered at 1,116 colleges nationwide, with options at every price point and institution type.
CONS
  • Below-average earnings Four-year median of $39,775 falls below the national median for bachelor's degree holders.
  • Advanced degree often expected Top roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
  • Declining roles in some areas 1 related career show negative 10-year employment projections. Research specific roles before committing.
  • Long earnings breakeven At median salary and average net price, recovering education costs versus a baseline wage takes roughly 12.7 years.

Drama & Theatre Degree: Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Drama & Theatre graduates earn?
$39,775 four years after finishing the program. Half of graduates land between $25,491 and $55,399, so employer, role, and location move that number more than the degree itself. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the starting salary for a Drama & Theatre degree?
$20,780 in the first year out. That grows to $39,775 by year four, so do not judge this field on the entry-level number alone. Most of the gain shows up once you clear the first few years and move past entry-level roles. Source: College Scorecard.
What jobs can you get with a Drama & Theatre degree?
Producer & Director is one path, and it pays a median of $90,360 a year. It is not the only one: the Career Paths section below lists every occupation graduates actually go into, with wages and 10-year growth for each.
How long does a Drama & Theatre program take?
Four years of full-time study for a Drama & Theatre bachelor's degree, the standard timeline for this field. If you want a faster route into the workforce, community colleges offer a two-year associate option instead.
How many colleges offer Drama & Theatre?
1,116 colleges and universities, so you are not short on options. That range runs from community colleges granting certificates and associate degrees to research universities with full doctoral tracks. Source: IPEDS.
Is a Drama & Theatre degree worth it?
$39,775 median earnings four years out against $31,056 a year in average net price. That is a slow payback, so cost matters more than usual here: a cheaper school changes the answer. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific schools before deciding. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the difference between Drama & Theatre and Visual & Performing Arts?
Drama & Theatre is the narrower of the two: Visual & Performing Arts covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Drama & Theatre-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. Pick the specialization once you already know this is the direction you want; it gets you a more targeted credential, not a broader one.
What skills do employers look for in Drama & Theatre graduates?
Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Drama & Theatre graduates consistently look for writing, critical analysis, and cross-cultural communication. Employers value the ability to synthesize complex information clearly, skills that transfer into communications, law, consulting, and content roles. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.
What is the job outlook for Drama & Theatre graduates?
Outlook is slow overall: related occupations average +1.4% projected job growth over the next 10 years. Producer & Director is among the strongest-growth roles at +4.0%. That average hides real differences by role and location, so check the Career Paths section below for the projection on each specific occupation before you count on any single number.

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