Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

14,614 students earn a drama/theatre arts and stagecraft credential each year across 972 US colleges. Earnings below are the median for each school's graduates one and five years after finishing; debt is the median federal loan balance at completion.

Typical earnings, 1 year out: $20,798
Typical earnings, 5 years out: $34,577

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Most graduates Highest earnings

Bachelor's programs — top 100 of 775 colleges by graduates

CollegeGrads / yearEarnings 1 yearEarnings 5 yearsDebt

1New York UniversityNew York, New York421$20,9161 year out$31,599$21,762 2American Musical and Dramatic AcademyNew York, New York225$17,4101 year out$22,591$27,000 3Savannah College of Art and DesignSavannah, Georgia220$20,5321 year out$33,955$27,000 4Texas State UniversitySan Marcos, Texas168$26,0451 year out$40,459$21,500 5University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, California150$21,4731 year out$30,649$12,000 6Columbia College ChicagoChicago, Illinois140$17,9291 year out$33,746$26,977 7SUNY at Purchase CollegePurchase, New York139$18,0901 year out$42,645$26,000 8Marymount Manhattan CollegeNew York, New York125$19,5621 year out$32,284$27,000 9Loyola Marymount UniversityLos Angeles, California121$21,8691 year out$46,410$23,250 10Muhlenberg CollegeAllentown, Pennsylvania106$17,1501 year out$37,505$27,000 11Chapman UniversityOrange, California105$24,6441 year out$44,595$22,500 12Emerson CollegeBoston, Massachusetts102$19,5601 year out$33,947$25,000 13DePaul UniversityChicago, Illinois100$22,0211 year out$33,700$26,348 14California State University-FullertonFullerton, California99$18,1821 year out$34,683$17,500 15University of California-IrvineIrvine, California96$20,4611 year out$27,561$17,862 16New York Film AcademyBurbank, California92$18,1811 year out—$27,000 17University of North Carolina School of the ArtsWinston Salem, North Carolina90$21,2291 year out$32,642$24,592 18Northwestern UniversityEvanston, Illinois89$19,2451 year out$47,619$17,000 19University of Central FloridaOrlando, Florida82$23,7081 year out$34,631$21,585 20California State University-Long BeachLong Beach, California80$19,2311 year out$26,450$15,000 21Florida State UniversityTallahassee, Florida75$18,4311 year out$32,238$21,000 22Ball State UniversityMuncie, Indiana72$23,7481 year out$32,171$24,984 23The New SchoolNew York, New York70$17,1131 year out$24,596$25,000 24Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania70$19,2691 year out$37,446$26,000 25Berklee College of MusicBoston, Massachusetts69—1 year out—$27,000 26Montclair State UniversityMontclair, New Jersey68$18,4741 year out$35,768$25,022 27University of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, North Carolina65$18,1541 year out$30,986$25,914 28Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh, Pennsylvania64$32,9671 year out$26,137$25,000 29University of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles, California63$19,6731 year out$28,993$16,970 30University of California-San DiegoLa Jolla, California63$18,0261 year out$39,424$14,650 31Long Island UniversityBrookville, New York63$18,6711 year out—$26,000 32James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, Virginia63$24,3061 year out$30,339$18,500 33University of Notre DameNotre Dame, Indiana61$37,5311 year out$62,555$19,000 34Syracuse UniversitySyracuse, New York61$20,9881 year out$41,457$27,000 35University of Cincinnati-Main CampusCincinnati, Ohio61$25,0701 year out$35,509$25,980 36Pace UniversityNew York, New York59$16,6591 year out$27,786$27,000 37Full Sail UniversityWinter Park, Florida58$20,2261 year out$30,344$20,500 38The University of Texas at AustinAustin, Texas57$33,2611 year out—$26,000 39Illinois State UniversityNormal, Illinois56$28,9581 year out$39,893$24,246 40University of IowaIowa City, Iowa55$22,2251 year out$42,847$26,622 41Ithaca CollegeIthaca, New York55$18,2431 year out$38,424$26,000 42Kent State University at KentKent, Ohio55$24,5651 year out$30,381$26,000 43University of FloridaGainesville, Florida54$16,3181 year out$35,412$15,142 44University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, Michigan54$17,5771 year out$29,295$20,798 45SUNY at FredoniaFredonia, New York54$20,4531 year out$35,448$27,000 46Point Park UniversityPittsburgh, Pennsylvania54$23,1471 year out$27,333$27,000 47University of Northern ColoradoGreeley, Colorado53$24,7611 year out$31,299$24,000 48Roosevelt UniversityChicago, Illinois52$21,0011 year out$15,396$26,000 49Boston UniversityBoston, Massachusetts51$21,5081 year out$35,979$26,958 50University of Nevada-Las VegasLas Vegas, Nevada50$22,4291 year out$38,242$19,657 51Sam Houston State UniversityHuntsville, Texas50$21,8581 year out$42,548$22,250 52San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, California49$20,5381 year out$28,363$15,000 53Shenandoah UniversityWinchester, Virginia49$17,8181 year out$29,435$27,000 54Northern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights, Kentucky48$19,9291 year out$30,382$21,175 55University of New OrleansNew Orleans, Louisiana47$21,5041 year out$35,929$21,987 56Coastal Carolina UniversityConway, South Carolina47$16,8621 year out$30,787$27,000 57University of UtahSalt Lake City, Utah47$20,7011 year out—$20,316 58Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, Virginia47$22,4471 year out$29,450$21,875 59Western Washington UniversityBellingham, Washington47$24,2581 year out$32,409$20,500 60California State University-NorthridgeNorthridge, California46$17,5241 year out$33,395$17,863 61University of North TexasDenton, Texas46$28,2361 year out$40,282$25,000 62Rutgers University-New BrunswickNew Brunswick, New Jersey45$24,7701 year out—$23,000 63Ohio University-Main CampusAthens, Ohio43$15,6021 year out$35,540$22,750 64University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusNorman, Oklahoma43$26,7531 year out$28,352$21,000 65Millikin UniversityDecatur, Illinois42$24,0131 year out$35,442$27,000 66Towson UniversityTowson, Maryland42$19,8711 year out$34,983$17,500 67Wagner CollegeStaten Island, New York42$17,4781 year out$28,580$27,000 68Southern Oregon UniversityAshland, Oregon42$20,6681 year out—$21,750 69University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesMinneapolis, Minnesota41$19,9821 year out$33,470$23,250 70Elon UniversityElon, North Carolina40$24,3451 year out$43,297—71University of ArizonaTucson, Arizona38$26,0481 year out$29,220$23,725 72San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, California38$23,0041 year out$31,222$16,250 73University of Maryland-College ParkCollege Park, Maryland38$17,9851 year out$38,656$20,681 74Oklahoma City UniversityOklahoma City, Oklahoma38$20,6961 year out—$27,000 75The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, Texas38$26,4741 year out—$27,000 76Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempe, Arizona37$25,3011 year out$33,590$19,606 77Hofstra UniversityHempstead, New York37$15,4741 year out$28,590$26,000 78California Institute of the ArtsValencia, California36$22,6731 year out$35,299$27,000 79Indiana University-BloomingtonBloomington, Indiana36$20,8151 year out$35,778$22,000 80Western Michigan UniversityKalamazoo, Michigan36$21,5851 year out$27,085$26,950 81CUNY City CollegeNew York, New York36$15,0981 year out$25,104$17,739 82Stephen F Austin State UniversityNacogdoches, Texas36$29,9451 year out$43,334$26,000 83California State University-Los AngelesLos Angeles, California35$16,6451 year out—$11,000 84State University of New York at New PaltzNew Paltz, New York35$21,8001 year out$23,543$23,453 85The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyEdinburg, Texas35$16,7061 year out$28,318$16,001 86Brigham Young UniversityProvo, Utah35$21,0471 year out$37,754$22,904 87Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, Virginia35$36,5571 year out$35,675$24,637 88Fordham UniversityBronx, New York34$14,1331 year out$43,045$27,000 89Molloy UniversityRockville Centre, New York34$17,0501 year out—$27,000 90George Mason UniversityFairfax, Virginia34$22,9841 year out—$27,000 91University of California-Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, California33$20,5031 year out—$16,852 92Illinois Wesleyan UniversityBloomington, Illinois33$19,4901 year out$30,435$27,000 93Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb, Illinois33$23,5171 year out$38,201$27,000 94The University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, Alabama32$19,5431 year out$27,525$26,750 95California State University-San BernardinoSan Bernardino, California32—1 year out——96Western Connecticut State UniversityDanbury, Connecticut32$24,1501 year out$28,374$27,000 97DeSales UniversityCenter Valley, Pennsylvania32$17,3771 year out$34,759$27,000 98Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusUniversity Park, Pennsylvania32$27,8861 year out$33,750$27,000 99Texas Christian UniversityFort Worth, Texas32$21,2211 year out$36,422$27,000 100California State University-SacramentoSacramento, California31$23,0001 year out$34,162$16,221

Associate programs — top 100 of 188 colleges by graduates

CollegeGrads / yearEarnings 1 yearEarnings 5 yearsDebt

1American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New YorkNew York, New York80$12,4451 year out$18,854$12,000 2American Musical and Dramatic AcademyNew York, New York61$15,9091 year out—$12,000 3KD Conservatory College of Film and Dramatic ArtsDallas, Texas46$22,8451 year out$22,055$17,316 4Citrus CollegeGlendora, California35—1 year out——5Moorpark CollegeMoorpark, California29—1 year out——6Santa Monica CollegeSanta Monica, California28—1 year out——7Diablo Valley CollegePleasant Hill, California24—1 year out——8New York Film AcademyBurbank, California20$6,8141 year out—$15,000 9Fullerton CollegeFullerton, California19—1 year out——10Tyler Junior CollegeTyler, Texas18—1 year out——11College of the CanyonsSanta Clarita, California17—1 year out——12CUNY LaGuardia Community CollegeLong Island City, New York17$15,3141 year out$31,640—13Snow CollegeEphraim, Utah17—1 year out——14Orange Coast CollegeCosta Mesa, California16—1 year out——15Los Angeles Valley CollegeValley Glen, California14—1 year out——16Pasadena City CollegePasadena, California14—1 year out——17Long Beach City CollegeLong Beach, California13—1 year out——18Saint Johns River State CollegePalatka, Florida13—1 year out——19Hudson Valley Community CollegeTroy, New York13—1 year out——20East Los Angeles CollegeMonterey Park, California12—1 year out——21Fresno City CollegeFresno, California12—1 year out——22Modesto Junior CollegeModesto, California12—1 year out——23Riverside City CollegeRiverside, California12—1 year out——24Santa Rosa Junior CollegeSanta Rosa, California12—1 year out——25Bakersfield CollegeBakersfield, California11—1 year out——26Grossmont CollegeEl Cajon, California11—1 year out——27Sierra CollegeRocklin, California11—1 year out——28Valencia CollegeOrlando, Florida11—1 year out——29Antelope Valley Community College DistrictLancaster, California10—1 year out——30Cypress CollegeCypress, California10—1 year out——31Mt San Antonio CollegeWalnut, California10—1 year out——32San Joaquin Delta CollegeStockton, California10—1 year out——33Santa Barbara City CollegeSanta Barbara, California10—1 year out——34Chaffey CollegeRancho Cucamonga, California9—1 year out——35College of the SequoiasVisalia, California9—1 year out——36Connecticut State Community CollegeNew Britain, Connecticut9—1 year out——37CUNY Queensborough Community CollegeBayside, New York9—1 year out——38Monroe Community CollegeRochester, New York9—1 year out——39Montgomery County Community CollegeBlue Bell, Pennsylvania9—1 year out——40Casper CollegeCasper, Wyoming9—1 year out——41Western Wyoming Community CollegeRock Springs, Wyoming9—1 year out——42Mesa Community CollegeMesa, Arizona8—1 year out——43American River CollegeSacramento, California8—1 year out——44Cerritos CollegeNorwalk, California8—1 year out——45Los Medanos CollegePittsburg, California8—1 year out——46Rio Hondo CollegeWhittier, California8—1 year out——47Southwestern CollegeChula Vista, California8—1 year out——48Yuba CollegeMarysville, California8—1 year out——49Sinclair Community CollegeDayton, Ohio8—1 year out——50Community College of Allegheny CountyPittsburgh, Pennsylvania8—1 year out——51Northampton County Area Community CollegeBethlehem, Pennsylvania8—1 year out——52Austin Community College DistrictAustin, Texas8—1 year out——53Houston City CollegeHouston, Texas8—1 year out——54Suffolk County Community CollegeSelden, New York8—1 year out——55College of the DesertPalm Desert, California7—1 year out——56MiraCosta CollegeOceanside, California7—1 year out——57Oklahoma City Community CollegeOklahoma City, Oklahoma7—1 year out——58Blinn College DistrictBrenham, Texas7—1 year out——59College of the MainlandTexas City, Texas7—1 year out——60Cuesta CollegeSan Luis Obispo, California6—1 year out——61Foothill CollegeLos Altos Hills, California6—1 year out——62Golden West CollegeHuntington Beach, California6—1 year out——63Merced CollegeMerced, California6—1 year out——64Ohlone CollegeFremont, California6—1 year out——65Saddleback CollegeMission Viejo, California6—1 year out——66West Valley CollegeSaratoga, California6—1 year out——67College of Southern NevadaLas Vegas, Nevada6—1 year out——68Central New Mexico Community CollegeAlbuquerque, New Mexico6—1 year out——69Nassau Community CollegeGarden City, New York6—1 year out——70Lone Star College SystemThe Woodlands, Texas6—1 year out——71Brightpoint Community CollegeChester, Virginia6—1 year out——72Folsom Lake CollegeFolsom, California6—1 year out——73Eastern Arizona CollegeThatcher, Arizona5—1 year out——74Scottsdale Community CollegeScottsdale, Arizona5—1 year out——75Chabot CollegeHayward, California5—1 year out——76Crafton Hills CollegeYucaipa, California5—1 year out——77Palomar CollegeSan Marcos, California5—1 year out——78Sacramento City CollegeSacramento, California5—1 year out——79Red Rocks Community CollegeLakewood, Colorado5—1 year out——80Gordon State CollegeBarnesville, Georgia5—1 year out——81Century CollegeWhite Bear Lake, Minnesota5—1 year out——82Northern Oklahoma CollegeTonkawa, Oklahoma5—1 year out——83Tulsa Community CollegeTulsa, Oklahoma5—1 year out——84Salt Lake Community CollegeSalt Lake City, Utah5—1 year out——85Weber State UniversityOgden, Utah5—1 year out——86Paradise Valley Community CollegePhoenix, Arizona5—1 year out——87Estrella Mountain Community CollegeAvondale, Arizona5—1 year out——88Glendale Community CollegeGlendale, Arizona4—1 year out——89Hartnell CollegeSalinas, California4—1 year out——90Irvine Valley CollegeIrvine, California4—1 year out——91Laney CollegeOakland, California4—1 year out——92Los Angeles City CollegeLos Angeles, California4—1 year out——93Mt San Jacinto Community College DistrictSan Jacinto, California4—1 year out——94Shasta CollegeRedding, California4—1 year out——95Solano Community CollegeFairfield, California4—1 year out——96Ventura CollegeVentura, California4—1 year out——97Florida State College at JacksonvilleJacksonville, Florida4—1 year out——98Vincennes UniversityVincennes, Indiana4—1 year out——99Des Moines Area Community CollegeAnkeny, Iowa4—1 year out——100Metropolitan Community College AreaOmaha, Nebraska4—1 year out——

Certificate programs — 81 colleges

CollegeGrads / yearEarnings 1 yearEarnings 5 yearsDebt

1American Musical and Dramatic AcademyNew York, New York364$17,3821 year out$20,429$12,000 2New York Film AcademyBurbank, California112$15,3551 year out$24,948$9,500 3Valencia CollegeOrlando, Florida68—1 year out——4Santa Rosa Junior CollegeSanta Rosa, California62—1 year out——5Neighborhood Playhouse School of the TheaterNew York City, New York32$10,4921 year out$20,240$17,500 6University of Cincinnati-Main CampusCincinnati, Ohio31—1 year out——7Los Angeles City CollegeLos Angeles, California20—1 year out——8Red Rocks Community CollegeLakewood, Colorado20—1 year out——9American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New YorkNew York, New York19$14,3351 year out—$17,170 10University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadison, Wisconsin19—1 year out——11Mesa Community CollegeMesa, Arizona18—1 year out——12Circle in the Square Theatre SchoolNew York, New York15—1 year out$16,830$20,000 13Missouri State University-SpringfieldSpringfield, Missouri13—1 year out——14Moorpark CollegeMoorpark, California11—1 year out——15National Conservatory of Dramatic ArtsWashington, District of Columbia10—1 year out——16Santa Barbara City CollegeSanta Barbara, California9—1 year out——17Bossier Parish Community CollegeBossier City, Louisiana9—1 year out——18Cabrillo CollegeAptos, California7—1 year out——19Grossmont CollegeEl Cajon, California7—1 year out——20Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania7—1 year out——21East Los Angeles CollegeMonterey Park, California6—1 year out——22Riverside City CollegeRiverside, California6—1 year out——23Santa Monica CollegeSanta Monica, California6—1 year out——24Community College of DenverDenver, Colorado6—1 year out——25University of GeorgiaAthens, Georgia6—1 year out——26University of KentuckyLexington, Kentucky6—1 year out——27Santa Ana CollegeSanta Ana, California5—1 year out——28Missouri Southern State UniversityJoplin, Missouri5—1 year out——29Yavapai CollegePrescott, Arizona4—1 year out——30Diablo Valley CollegePleasant Hill, California4—1 year out——31Fullerton CollegeFullerton, California4—1 year out——32Chesapeake CollegeWye Mills, Maryland4—1 year out——33Visible Music CollegeMemphis, Tennessee4—1 year out——34Portland Actors ConservatoryPortland, Oregon4—1 year out——35Scottsdale Community CollegeScottsdale, Arizona3—1 year out——36American River CollegeSacramento, California3—1 year out——37Mt San Antonio CollegeWalnut, California3—1 year out——38Saint Johns River State CollegePalatka, Florida3—1 year out——39Des Moines Area Community CollegeAnkeny, Iowa3—1 year out——40Ohio University-Main CampusAthens, Ohio3—1 year out——41Mt Hood Community CollegeGresham, Oregon3—1 year out——42University of Wisconsin-Eau ClaireEau Claire, Wisconsin3—1 year out——43Purdue University-Main CampusWest Lafayette, Indiana3—1 year out——44Las Positas CollegeLivermore, California3—1 year out——45Los Angeles Valley CollegeValley Glen, California2—1 year out——46MiraCosta CollegeOceanside, California2—1 year out——47Ohlone CollegeFremont, California2—1 year out——48Sierra CollegeRocklin, California2—1 year out——49Florida State College at JacksonvilleJacksonville, Florida2—1 year out——50University of FloridaGainesville, Florida2—1 year out——51Gulf Coast State CollegePanama City, Florida2—1 year out——52Wichita State UniversityWichita, Kansas2—1 year out——53Metropolitan Community College AreaOmaha, Nebraska2—1 year out——54Community College of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania2—1 year out——55Pellissippi State Community CollegeKnoxville, Tennessee2—1 year out——56Salt Lake Community CollegeSalt Lake City, Utah2—1 year out——57Husson UniversityBangor, Maine2—1 year out——58University of North AlabamaFlorence, Alabama1—1 year out——59Phoenix CollegePhoenix, Arizona1—1 year out——60College of the CanyonsSanta Clarita, California1—1 year out——61Citrus CollegeGlendora, California1—1 year out——62City College of San FranciscoSan Francisco, California1—1 year out——63Cypress CollegeCypress, California1—1 year out——64Foothill CollegeLos Altos Hills, California1—1 year out——65Irvine Valley CollegeIrvine, California1—1 year out——66Modesto Junior CollegeModesto, California1—1 year out——67San Diego City CollegeSan Diego, California1—1 year out——68Community College of AuroraAurora, Colorado1—1 year out——69Northwest Florida State CollegeNiceville, Florida1—1 year out——70Seminole State College of FloridaSanford, Florida1—1 year out——71Parkland CollegeChampaign, Illinois1—1 year out——72Berkshire Community CollegePittsfield, Massachusetts1—1 year out——73University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst, Massachusetts1—1 year out——74State University of New York at PlattsburghPlattsburgh, New York1—1 year out——75University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash CollegeBlue Ash, Ohio1—1 year out——76Owens Community CollegePerrysburg, Ohio1—1 year out——77Community College of Allegheny CountyPittsburgh, Pennsylvania1—1 year out——78Indiana University of PennsylvaniaIndiana, Pennsylvania1—1 year out——79York Technical CollegeRock Hill, South Carolina1—1 year out——80Paradise Valley Community CollegePhoenix, Arizona1—1 year out——81Folsom Lake CollegeFolsom, California1—1 year out——

US Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data (4-digit CIP). Graduates are conferrals in the most recent IPEDS year; earnings cover federally-aided completers who are working and not enrolled; medians for small programs are privacy-suppressed (—).