Bachelor's · Visual and Performing Arts

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor's): earnings by school

308 schools report graduate earnings for this major.

Median across schools, 1 year out
$29,608
Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Median across schools, 4 years out
$40,033
Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical debt
$22,301
NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort

Across 257 schools reporting 4-year earnings, the middle half of programs pay graduates between $36,251 and $43,957. The school matters less than you might think for this major.

Schools, highest earnings first

School1 year4 yearsDebt
University of Notre Dame IN$62,573$64,880$19,000
Brandeis University MA—$58,676—
University of California-Davis CA$31,185$56,823—
University of California-Berkeley CA$43,297$55,555$9,273
Drake University IA$27,600$54,950$24,250
Miami University-Oxford OH—$54,215—
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus OH$37,117$54,000$22,331
Florida Southern College FL$24,244$51,925$27,000
University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown PA—$51,775—
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus PA—$51,775—
Chapman University CA$26,203$51,611$21,875
Western Connecticut State University CT$23,853$50,955$26,000
Pepperdine University CA—$50,594$18,350
Rhode Island College RI$27,645$50,335—
University of Utah UT—$49,802$15,750
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign IL$28,385$49,323$12,462
Northwestern University IL$38,299$49,316$20,500
Loyola Marymount University CA$26,193$49,135$17,750
The University of Texas at Austin TX$42,332$48,781$21,797
University of North Carolina School of the Arts NC$37,888$48,664$27,000
Manhattanville University NY—$48,629$27,000
Texas State University TX$35,335$48,502$22,151
University of Central Missouri MO$38,681$48,179—
Saint Edward's University TX$33,378$47,974$25,000
Binghamton University NY—$47,945—
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus CO$35,867$47,878—
California State University-Sacramento CA$28,133$47,676—
University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus OK$31,170$47,587$21,500
West Texas A & M University TX$30,837$47,175—
University of Puget Sound WA—$46,791—
Radford University VA$22,884$46,725—
North Central College IL$30,884$46,605$21,632
Ithaca College NY$32,918$46,563$23,500
Fordham University NY$31,594$46,317$26,975
University of Northern Colorado CO$36,051$46,089$18,875
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor MI$33,942$45,888$23,000
University of Evansville IN$35,633$45,838$27,000
Baylor University TX$33,376$45,706$21,500
Portland State University OR—$45,692—
University at Buffalo NY$23,497$45,677$21,000
University of South Florida FL$28,614$45,671—
George Mason University VA$29,817$45,656$25,000
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus NH$24,179$45,504$22,750
Nebraska Wesleyan University NE$30,407$45,420$26,322
James Madison University VA$28,206$45,225$21,150
St Olaf College MN—$45,023—
College of Charleston SC$37,437$44,991$22,625
Appalachian State University NC$21,688$44,986$24,214
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks PA$36,889$44,913$25,250
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA$36,889$44,913$25,250
Full Sail University FL$38,704$44,878$19,164
San Francisco State University CA$29,663$44,848$16,842
University of Nebraska-Lincoln NE$34,035$44,825—
Emerson College MA$33,442$44,760$24,250
Western Michigan University MI$33,073$44,694$24,228
University of Montevallo AL$25,125$44,624$25,900
Ramapo College of New Jersey NJ—$44,565—
University of Arizona AZ$31,928$44,471$21,214
Pacific Lutheran University WA—$44,459$25,000
Hofstra University NY$29,194$44,388$23,177
Florida State University FL$26,612$44,115$11,502
University of California-Santa Barbara CA$30,366$44,106$12,734
DePaul University IL$30,136$44,095$22,667
Syracuse University NY$31,467$44,045$23,250
Virginia Commonwealth University VA$28,887$43,957$19,500
Central Michigan University MI$28,529$43,916$27,000
Long Island University NY$24,707$43,904$25,500
Suffolk University MA$34,785$43,553$21,800
Lindenwood University MO$26,411$43,329$24,250
California State University-Northridge CA$25,667$43,240$18,500
Ball State University IN$29,486$43,082$21,985
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities MN$31,902$43,055$19,500
University of Georgia GA$42,647$43,046$22,412
University of Central Florida FL$30,871$42,954$18,050
Metropolitan State University of Denver CO—$42,870$15,000
Michigan State University MI$35,529$42,820$24,150
Ohio University-Eastern Campus OH$26,309$42,796$19,124
Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus OH$26,309$42,796$19,124
Ohio University-Southern Campus OH$26,309$42,796$19,124
Ohio University-Lancaster Campus OH$26,309$42,796$19,124
Ohio University-Main Campus OH$26,309$42,796$19,124
Ohio University-Zanesville Campus OH$26,309$42,796$19,124
Rutgers University-Camden NJ$35,675$42,712$22,875
Rutgers University-New Brunswick NJ$35,675$42,712$22,875
Rutgers University-Newark NJ$35,675$42,712$22,875
DeSales University PA$25,454$42,571$27,000
Texas Christian University TX$32,667$42,483$25,000
California State University-Fullerton CA$23,349$42,455$15,000
University of Minnesota-Duluth MN$33,797$42,438$24,519
University of North Texas TX$31,638$42,362$19,347
New York University NY$33,701$42,348$21,500
University of Houston TX—$42,301—
Loyola University Chicago IL$30,943$42,195—
Muhlenberg College PA$34,429$42,092$27,000
CUNY New York City College of Technology NY$43,543$41,880—
San Diego State University CA$27,400$41,812$15,000
Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi TX$34,346$41,773$22,195
Arizona State University Campus Immersion AZ$36,150$41,745$19,125
University of Maryland-College Park MD$36,746$41,742$15,750
University of the Incarnate Word TX—$41,720$24,617
University of Florida FL$27,237$41,707$14,860
Oklahoma City University OK$32,075$41,540$24,250
Stephen F Austin State University TX$34,203$41,450$24,250
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville TN$21,458$41,414—
East Carolina University NC$25,739$41,394$27,000
University of California-San Diego CA$30,971$41,389$14,644
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill NC$32,384$41,362—
Indiana University-Bloomington IN$35,282$41,328$24,066
CUNY Brooklyn College NY$33,701$41,233—
California Institute of the Arts CA$26,888$41,192$20,250
University of North Carolina at Greensboro NC$28,624$41,108$21,412
Winthrop University SC$29,040$40,948$27,000
West Virginia University WV$24,309$40,942$20,466
University of California-Irvine CA$27,442$40,773$11,000
Western Washington University WA$27,901$40,616$18,271
Shenandoah University VA$20,093$40,457$27,000
California Baptist University CA—$40,432—
University of Southern California CA$28,161$40,415$18,750
Skidmore College NY—$40,351—
Utah State University UT$30,212$40,338$18,842
Utah Valley University UT$33,068$40,289—
Illinois State University IL$34,913$40,258$21,500
Vassar College NY—$40,165—
Point Park University PA$28,113$40,121—
California State University-San Bernardino CA$26,291$40,118$12,113
Marymount Manhattan College NY$31,917$40,086$26,000
University of New Mexico-Main Campus NM$20,599$40,085—
Carnegie Mellon University PA$39,921$40,073$19,881
University of Nevada-Las Vegas NV$38,318$40,033$20,686
Columbia College Chicago IL$27,894$39,986$26,000
SUNY at Purchase College NY$27,404$39,974$19,500
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale IL—$39,926—
SUNY Buffalo State University NY$32,738$39,863—
University of Northern Iowa IA$26,323$39,816—
SUNY at Fredonia NY$29,479$39,770$25,500
Towson University MD$27,051$39,753$19,705
University of North Carolina at Charlotte NC$28,026$39,725$21,500
Millersville University of Pennsylvania PA$39,713——
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville IL$29,180$39,698—
Wagner College NY$24,750$39,664$27,000
Webster University MO$34,383$39,604$25,250
Kansas State University KS—$39,598—
Auburn University AL—$39,566—
State University of New York at New Paltz NY$25,372$39,521$20,772
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater WI—$39,521—
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire WI$39,516——
Sonoma State University CA$39,456——
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee WI$29,487$39,452$19,389
Oakland University MI$32,552$39,442$25,000
Boston University MA$37,373$39,322$20,468
Montclair State University NJ$34,873$39,248$20,542
The New School NY$33,299$39,248$16,750
Belhaven University MS—$39,109—
Arcadia University PA—$39,087$23,500
University of California-Los Angeles CA$25,578$39,023$13,000
University of Central Oklahoma OK$29,602$38,914$22,836
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley TX$24,628$38,865$14,687
Millikin University IL$28,035$38,666$21,000
Rowan University NJ$26,769$38,597$22,375
Drew University NJ$22,299$38,562—
University of Wisconsin-River Falls WI$38,558——
Old Dominion University VA$24,821$38,537—
Southern Oregon University OR$29,451$38,487$20,500
University of Kentucky KY$25,183$38,475$20,500
University of Memphis TN$29,109$38,440$18,250
Northern Arizona University AZ$35,903$38,380$12,500
University at Albany NY$38,356——
Kennesaw State University GA$24,796$38,348$22,291
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College LA$26,767$38,317$21,281
California State University-Long Beach CA$30,328$38,270$15,000
Georgia Southern University GA$27,714$38,107—
Otterbein University OH$41,684$38,023$20,197
Missouri State University-Springfield MO$31,801$37,959$25,095
Roosevelt University IL$28,663$37,748$25,250
Adelphi University NY$25,972$37,630—
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point WI$31,924$37,507$25,000
Ohio State University-Lima Campus OH$30,596$37,445$27,000
Ohio State University-Main Campus OH$30,596$37,445$27,000
Pace University NY$32,708$37,213$25,500
Saint Mary's College of California CA$37,195—$24,500
University of Alabama at Birmingham AL$32,220$37,173$22,000
Grand Canyon University AZ$27,522$37,142—
University of Wisconsin-Parkside WI—$37,110—
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus OH$32,034$37,094$28,000
Temple University PA$26,778$36,994$25,250
Brenau University GA$27,351$36,910$15,750
Anderson University SC$25,817$36,872—
American University DC$36,862——
University of Illinois Chicago IL$36,072$36,792$16,625
Northern Illinois University IL$31,741$36,777$25,000
Dean College MA$29,919$36,724$27,000
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo CA—$36,697—
Eastern Michigan University MI$30,767$36,621$27,125
Central Connecticut State University CT$36,599——
Flagler College FL$27,292$36,506$23,812
The University of Texas at Arlington TX$29,300$36,457$16,962
Kent State University at Trumbull OH$30,064$36,429$24,750
Kent State University at Kent OH$30,064$36,429$24,750
Sam Houston State University TX$34,554$36,389$22,752
University of Southern Indiana IN—$36,348—
Northeastern University Oakland CA$36,309——
Northeastern University MA$36,309——
Northeastern University Professional Programs MA$36,309——
Baldwin Wallace University OH$25,344$36,251$27,000
Northwestern State University of Louisiana LA$27,678$36,229$25,437
Cleveland State University OH$23,907$36,174$26,093
Nazareth University NY$28,541$36,117$27,000
University of North Carolina Wilmington NC$32,494$35,956—
Academy of Art University CA$27,306$35,870—
Southern Methodist University TX$44,127$35,844$21,500
Plymouth State University NH—$35,646—
Northern Kentucky University KY$28,374$35,624$18,669
University of Idaho ID—$35,407—
Keene State College NH$35,315——
Indiana University of Pennsylvania PA$29,294$35,286—
Xavier University OH$35,273——
Stephens College MO$25,364$35,235$20,250
Savannah College of Art and Design GA$28,101$35,177$23,167
CUNY Hunter College NY$35,166——
Wright State University-Main Campus OH—$35,148$22,250
California State University-Los Angeles CA$31,881$35,097—
University of Wyoming WY—$35,028$23,154
Western Kentucky University KY$32,317$34,987$24,195
Columbus State University GA$28,268$34,931$27,000
Seton Hill University PA—$34,890—
Molloy University NY$26,761$34,822$27,000
University of Maryland-Baltimore County MD$26,248$34,778—
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania PA—$34,674—
University of Miami FL$41,119$34,667$13,500
Colorado State University-Fort Collins CO$34,456$34,552$19,000
Western Carolina University NC—$34,516$25,000
Ohio Northern University OH—$34,445$23,925
California State University-Fresno CA$32,672$34,320—
University of Nebraska at Omaha NE$34,293——
Le Moyne College NY—$34,283—
University of Rhode Island RI$29,967$33,972$21,250
Georgia College & State University GA—$33,965—
Coastal Carolina University SC$24,374$33,962$25,519
Florida International University FL$26,752$33,896—
Central Washington University WA$32,623$33,800$22,500
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus NJ—$33,749$22,301
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus NJ—$33,749$22,301
SUNY College at Potsdam NY—$33,581—
Middle Tennessee State University TN$31,517$33,179$14,000
University of Southern Maine ME—$33,005—
CUNY City College NY$32,456$32,769—
Wayne State University MI$31,724$32,525$20,500
The University of Alabama AL$32,350——
Minnesota State University-Mankato MN$44,151$32,199$22,819
Kean University NJ$33,828$32,107—
New York Film Academy CA$22,030$32,057$27,000
American Musical and Dramatic Academy NY$26,244$32,008$27,000
Manhattan School of Music NY$31,407—$26,500
Pennsylvania Western University PA$31,344—$27,000
CUNY Queens College NY$24,790$31,239—
Illinois Wesleyan University IL$21,777$31,172$27,000
Ouachita Baptist University AR—$31,155—
University of Hartford CT$31,111——
Viterbo University WI$29,830$31,051$27,000
Western Oregon University OR—$31,048—
University of Kansas KS$30,974——
University of Southern Mississippi MS$22,070$30,864$25,000
Berklee College of Music MA$30,651—$23,750
Austin Peay State University TN$30,568——
Liberty University VA$30,537—$25,125
University of California-Santa Cruz CA$29,817$30,524$17,500
University of Toledo OH—$30,451—
New Mexico State University-Main Campus NM—$30,355—
University of Iowa IA—$30,231$20,907
Texas Tech University TX$26,301$30,074$24,481
Frostburg State University MD—$29,679—
California State University-Dominguez Hills CA$29,613——
Alabama State University AL—$29,142—
Niagara University NY$28,883—$28,000
University of New Orleans LA$30,532$28,807$20,212
University of South Dakota SD$28,760——
The University of Tampa FL$22,912$28,709$24,750
East Tennessee State University TN—$28,062—
University of Colorado Boulder CO$27,927—$21,943
Rollins College FL$27,556——
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University FL$27,306——
Boise State University ID$26,993——
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona CA$26,813—$13,000
Brigham Young University UT$26,495$26,782—
Loyola University New Orleans LA$26,750—$25,500
University of Oregon OR$26,316——
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse WI$26,022——
University of Mississippi MS$25,884——
Vanguard University of Southern California CA$25,181——
Texas Woman's University TX$24,484——
University of Connecticut CT$23,929—$15,214
University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus CT$23,929—$15,214
University of Connecticut-Avery Point CT$23,929—$15,214
University of Connecticut-Stamford CT$23,929—$15,214
University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus CT$23,929—$15,214
University of Arkansas AR$23,650——
Greensboro College NC$23,603——
Bennington College VT$25,445$23,575$27,000
Universidad del Sagrado Corazon PR—$23,261—
The University of Montana MT$23,199—$21,423

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