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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Highest earnings Most graduates

Bachelor's programs — top 100 of 775 colleges by graduate earnings

CollegeGrads / yearEarnings 1 yearEarnings 5 yearsDebt

1Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaMoraga, California21$38,1601 year out—$27,304 2University of Notre DameNotre Dame, Indiana61$37,5311 year out$62,555$19,000 3Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, Virginia35$36,5571 year out$35,675$24,637 4University of South DakotaVermillion, South Dakota8$33,8521 year out$28,318—5The University of Texas at AustinAustin, Texas57$33,2611 year out—$26,000 6Slippery Rock University of PennsylvaniaSlippery Rock, Pennsylvania11$33,1691 year out——7Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh, Pennsylvania64$32,9671 year out$26,137$25,000 8University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, Colorado27$32,1421 year out$25,072—9Stephen F Austin State UniversityNacogdoches, Texas36$29,9451 year out$43,334$26,000 10Dean CollegeFranklin, Massachusetts31$29,6391 year out$29,006$27,000 11Manhattan School of MusicNew York, New York21$29,4001 year out—$27,000 12Illinois State UniversityNormal, Illinois56$28,9581 year out$39,893$24,246 13Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, Texas23$28,9331 year out—$26,500 14Metropolitan State University of DenverDenver, Colorado20$28,9011 year out$34,879$28,281 15Carthage CollegeKenosha, Wisconsin9$28,7271 year out——16Gustavus Adolphus CollegeSaint Peter, Minnesota9$28,6011 year out——17University of North TexasDenton, Texas46$28,2361 year out$40,282$25,000 18Colorado State University-Fort CollinsFort Collins, Colorado20$28,1721 year out——19Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusUniversity Park, Pennsylvania32$27,8861 year out$33,750$27,000 20Pennsylvania State University-Penn State BerksReading, Pennsylvania0$27,8861 year out$33,750$27,000 21Southern Utah UniversityCedar City, Utah19$27,3351 year out$48,419$19,284 22University of the Incarnate WordSan Antonio, Texas13$27,2951 year out——23University of Southern IndianaEvansville, Indiana8$27,0101 year out$23,461$20,937 24Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleCarbondale, Illinois9$27,0041 year out$35,096$23,500 25Missouri Western State UniversitySaint Joseph, Missouri0$26,9291 year out——26University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusNorman, Oklahoma43$26,7531 year out$28,352$21,000 27University of Minnesota-DuluthDuluth, Minnesota15$26,7511 year out$35,394$27,000 28University of Alabama at BirminghamBirmingham, Alabama26$26,6701 year out—$25,250 29The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, Texas38$26,4741 year out—$27,000 30University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, North Carolina23$26,4571 year out—$15,613 31University of WyomingLaramie, Wyoming20$26,0531 year out—$21,500 32University of ArizonaTucson, Arizona38$26,0481 year out$29,220$23,725 33Texas State UniversitySan Marcos, Texas168$26,0451 year out$40,459$21,500 34California State University-Dominguez HillsCarson, California22$25,9201 year out—$13,164 35University at BuffaloBuffalo, New York28$25,8101 year out$37,364$26,637 36Pacific Lutheran UniversityTacoma, Washington16$25,7541 year out—$24,125 37University of ArkansasFayetteville, Arkansas19$25,4991 year out$34,120—38Portland State UniversityPortland, Oregon8$25,3521 year out$42,373$39,773 39University of Wisconsin-ParksideKenosha, Wisconsin19$25,3061 year out—$27,000 40Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempe, Arizona37$25,3011 year out$33,590$19,606 41University of OregonEugene, Oregon20$25,2641 year out$41,344—42Lindenwood UniversitySaint Charles, Missouri18$25,0831 year out$37,528$27,000 43University of Cincinnati-Main CampusCincinnati, Ohio61$25,0701 year out$35,509$25,980 44CUNY Hunter CollegeNew York, New York28$25,0591 year out——45Texas A & M University-Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi, Texas21$25,0501 year out$36,799$22,658 46West Texas A & M UniversityCanyon, Texas17$25,0361 year out$40,814$22,328 47Youngstown State UniversityYoungstown, Ohio11$24,9331 year out——48Oklahoma State University-Main CampusStillwater, Oklahoma18$24,8711 year out——49University of New Hampshire-Main CampusDurham, New Hampshire23$24,8301 year out$31,491$27,000 50Rutgers University-New BrunswickNew Brunswick, New Jersey45$24,7701 year out—$23,000 51Rutgers University-CamdenCamden, New Jersey10$24,7701 year out—$23,000 52Rutgers University-NewarkNewark, New Jersey6$24,7701 year out—$23,000 53University of Northern ColoradoGreeley, Colorado53$24,7611 year out$31,299$24,000 54University of South FloridaTampa, Florida22$24,7321 year out$35,949$26,849 55Central Washington UniversityEllensburg, Washington23$24,6741 year out$32,946$24,752 56Minnesota State University-MankatoMankato, Minnesota13$24,6711 year out$27,720$24,853 57Chapman UniversityOrange, California105$24,6441 year out$44,595$22,500 58Kent State University at KentKent, Ohio55$24,5651 year out$30,381$26,000 59Kent State University at TrumbullWarren, Ohio0$24,5651 year out$30,381$26,000 60Rhode Island CollegeProvidence, Rhode Island16$24,5261 year out$37,031$24,523 61University of Wisconsin-WhitewaterWhitewater, Wisconsin5$24,4121 year out$43,748$29,776 62Elon UniversityElon, North Carolina40$24,3451 year out$43,297—63James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, Virginia63$24,3061 year out$30,339$18,500 64Western Washington UniversityBellingham, Washington47$24,2581 year out$32,409$20,500 65Western Connecticut State UniversityDanbury, Connecticut32$24,1501 year out$28,374$27,000 66Millikin UniversityDecatur, Illinois42$24,0131 year out$35,442$27,000 67American UniversityWashington, District of Columbia16$23,9791 year out$46,621$24,989 68Ohio State University-Main CampusColumbus, Ohio20$23,9201 year out$38,039$25,250 69Ohio State University-Lima CampusLima, Ohio2$23,9201 year out$38,039$25,250 70Utah Valley UniversityOrem, Utah26$23,8961 year out$40,910$16,510 71University of West FloridaPensacola, Florida15$23,8521 year out$32,625—72Southern Methodist UniversityDallas, Texas14$23,8311 year out$34,577$24,000 73Ball State UniversityMuncie, Indiana72$23,7481 year out$32,171$24,984 74University of Central FloridaOrlando, Florida82$23,7081 year out$34,631$21,585 75Rollins CollegeWinter Park, Florida14$23,6641 year out$29,650—76Nebraska Wesleyan UniversityLincoln, Nebraska25$23,6491 year out—$27,000 77Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb, Illinois33$23,5171 year out$38,201$27,000 78Nazareth UniversityRochester, New York29$23,5111 year out$24,533$27,000 79University of EvansvilleEvansville, Indiana20$23,4071 year out—$23,727 80Utah State UniversityLogan, Utah24$23,3411 year out$39,901$15,601 81Suffolk UniversityBoston, Massachusetts9$23,1891 year out—$27,000 82Point Park UniversityPittsburgh, Pennsylvania54$23,1471 year out$27,333$27,000 83Flagler CollegeSaint Augustine, Florida9$23,0991 year out——84Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaff, Arizona19$23,0431 year out$49,036$21,966 85San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, California38$23,0041 year out$31,222$16,250 86California State University-SacramentoSacramento, California31$23,0001 year out$34,162$16,221 87George Mason UniversityFairfax, Virginia34$22,9841 year out—$27,000 88Western Kentucky UniversityBowling Green, Kentucky21$22,8841 year out—$21,821 89SUNY College at PotsdamPotsdam, New York10$22,8731 year out$39,609$26,208 90University of Washington-Seattle CampusSeattle, Washington23$22,7781 year out$44,955$15,638 91California Institute of the ArtsValencia, California36$22,6731 year out$35,299$27,000 92University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley, California30$22,6101 year out—$15,112 93Plymouth State UniversityPlymouth, New Hampshire13$22,4891 year out—$27,000 94Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, Virginia47$22,4471 year out$29,450$21,875 95Miami University-OxfordOxford, Ohio16$22,4341 year out——96University of Nevada-Las VegasLas Vegas, Nevada50$22,4291 year out$38,242$19,657 97Missouri State University-SpringfieldSpringfield, Missouri26$22,3691 year out$37,897$25,250 98Florida Southern CollegeLakeland, Florida29$22,3361 year out—$27,000 99University of Northern IowaCedar Falls, Iowa15$22,2891 year out$41,807$24,875 100University of IowaIowa City, Iowa55$22,2251 year out$42,847$26,622

Associate programs — top 100 of 188 colleges by graduate earnings

CollegeGrads / yearEarnings 1 yearEarnings 5 yearsDebt

1KD Conservatory College of Film and Dramatic ArtsDallas, Texas46$22,8451 year out$22,055$17,316 2American Musical and Dramatic AcademyNew York, New York61$15,9091 year out—$12,000 3CUNY LaGuardia Community CollegeLong Island City, New York17$15,3141 year out$31,640—4American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New YorkNew York, New York80$12,4451 year out$18,854$12,000 5New York Film AcademyBurbank, California20$6,8141 year out—$15,000 6Citrus CollegeGlendora, California35—1 year out——7Moorpark CollegeMoorpark, California29—1 year out——8Santa Monica CollegeSanta Monica, California28—1 year out——9Diablo Valley CollegePleasant Hill, California24—1 year out——10Fullerton CollegeFullerton, California19—1 year out——11Tyler Junior CollegeTyler, Texas18—1 year out——12College of the CanyonsSanta Clarita, California17—1 year out——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 3American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New YorkNew York, New York19$14,3351 year out—$17,170 4Neighborhood Playhouse School of the TheaterNew York City, New York32$10,4921 year out$20,240$17,500 5Valencia CollegeOrlando, Florida68—1 year out——6Santa Rosa Junior CollegeSanta Rosa, California62—1 year out——7University of Cincinnati-Main CampusCincinnati, Ohio31—1 year out——8Los Angeles City CollegeLos Angeles, California20—1 year out——9Red Rocks Community CollegeLakewood, Colorado20—1 year out——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 (—).