Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 268 college programs, at a typical net price.
On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.
What Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft pays
Career outlook for Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft graduates
The job market for the occupations Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Musicians and singers | 169,800 | +1.1% | — | No formal educational credential |
| Producers and directors | 167,000 | +4.9% | $83,480 | Bachelor's degree |
| Writers and authors | 135,400 | +3.6% | $72,270 | Bachelor's degree |
| Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary | 122,800 | +1.7% | $80,190 | Master's degree |
| Actors | 57,000 | +0.3% | — | Some college, no degree |
| Music directors and composers | 47,300 | -0.3% | $63,670 | Bachelor's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft vs similar majors
How Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft stacks up against the closest fields in Visual & Performing Arts on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Visual & Performing Arts · this major | Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | Design and Applied Arts | Visual and Performing Arts, Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 12 F | 20 F | 24 F | 17 F |
| ROI verdict | Poor return | Poor return | Poor return | Poor return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $35,032 | $49,346 | $48,751 | $46,078 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $21,521 | $33,236 | $33,324 | $28,029 |
| ROI vs cost | -221% | -48% | -54% | -87% |
| Typical debt | $27,705 | $33,258 | $24,245 | $35,747 |
| Colleges offering it | 268 | 58 | 416 | 10 |
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA | Certificate | $61,569 | — | +490% | Strong return |
| 2 | Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA | Associate's | $55,622 | — | +312% | Strong return |
| 3 | CUNY Queens College Queens, NY | Associate's | $47,566 | — | +206% | Strong return |
| 4 | University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN | Associate's | $62,555 | $19,000 | +190% | Strong return |
| 5 | CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn, NY | Certificate | $52,804 | $41,000 | +185% | Strong return |
| 6 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA | Certificate | $61,519 | — | +76% | Strong return |
| 7 | Kean University Union, NJ | Associate's | $50,604 | $25,836 | +63% | Break-even |
| 8 | University of Houston Houston, TX | Certificate | $54,968 | $27,581 | +48% | Break-even |
| 9 | Southern Utah University Cedar City, UT | Associate's | $48,419 | $19,000 | +23% | Break-even |
| 10 | St Olaf College Northfield, MN | Associate's | $51,796 | $21,000 | +23% | Break-even |
| 11 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC | Certificate | $50,373 | — | +23% | Break-even |
| 12 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX | Certificate | $54,170 | — | +16% | Break-even |
| 13 | Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ | Associate's | $49,036 | $21,966 | +11% | Break-even |
| 14 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA | Certificate | $62,017 | $79,859 | +9% | Break-even |
| 15 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Denver, CO | Associate's | $48,103 | $24,250 | -5% | Poor return |
| 16 | New York University New York, NY | Certificate | $59,636 | $97,383 | -20% | Poor return |
| 17 | University of New Orleans New Orleans, LA | Certificate | $48,464 | — | -30% | Poor return |
| 18 | Brandeis University Waltham, MA | Associate's | $49,873 | — | -32% | Poor return |
| 19 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | Certificate | $55,652 | $108,033 | -38% | Poor return |
| 20 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL | Associate's | $47,619 | $17,000 | -59% | Poor return |
| 21 | Georgia College & State University Milledgeville, GA | Associate's | $46,556 | — | -62% | Poor return |
| 22 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL | Associate's | $46,366 | $25,000 | -65% | Poor return |
| 23 | American University Washington, DC | Associate's | $46,621 | $24,989 | -83% | Poor return |
| 24 | Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA | Associate's | $46,410 | $20,000 | -86% | Poor return |
| 25 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL | Certificate | $45,573 | $50,319 | -91% | Poor return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.