Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft: is this master's degree worth it?
National picture across 42 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$52,713 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
$52,713Median year-4 earnings
$24,117Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$52,713Median reported earnings · year 4
$41,798Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
5thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
42Reporting programs
42With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $31,229
- Federal debt
- $17,170
- Reporting programs
- 9
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $30,146
- Federal debt
- $12,000
- Reporting programs
- 9
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $40,073
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Reporting programs
- 282
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $52,713
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 42
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$48,041National median$52,71375th percentile$57,723
42 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1CUNY Graduate School and University Center$77,5162University of Idaho$70,6053San Diego State University$67,5884CUNY Brooklyn College$64,9235East Texas A&M University$62,9246University of Houston$62,2817University of California, Los Angeles$59,0138Regent University$58,9729Florida State University$58,72410New York University$58,054Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1121 · 11 crosswalk linksActorsSOC 27-2011 · 7 crosswalk linksProducers and DirectorsSOC 27-2012 · 5 crosswalk linksEntertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers, All OtherSOC 27-2099 · 4 crosswalk linksChoreographersSOC 27-2032 · 2 crosswalk linksDancersSOC 27-2031 · 2 crosswalk linksWriters and AuthorsSOC 27-3043 · 2 crosswalk linksCostume AttendantsSOC 39-3092 · 1 crosswalk linksFashion DesignersSOC 27-1022 · 1 crosswalk linksMusic Directors and ComposersSOC 27-2041 · 1 crosswalk linksMusicians and SingersSOC 27-2042 · 1 crosswalk linksSet and Exhibit DesignersSOC 27-1027 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Graduate School and University CenterMaster's Degree | New York, NY | $77,516 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 2 | University of IdahoMaster's Degree | Moscow, ID | $70,605 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,831 |
| 3 | San Diego State UniversityMaster's Degree | San Diego, CA | $67,588 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,364 |
| 4 | CUNY Brooklyn CollegeMaster's Degree | Brooklyn, NY | $64,923 | Not available | Baseline needed | $3,103 |
| 5 | East Texas A&M UniversityMaster's Degree | Commerce, TX | $62,924 | Not available | Baseline needed | $11,841 |
| 6 | University of HoustonMaster's Degree | Houston, TX | $62,281 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,276 |
| 7 | University of California, Los AngelesMaster's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $59,013 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,548 |
| 8 | Regent UniversityMaster's Degree | Virginia Beach, VA | $58,972 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,923 |
| 9 | Florida State UniversityMaster's Degree | Tallahassee, FL | $58,724 | Not available | Baseline needed | $11,297 |
| 10 | New York UniversityMaster's Degree | New York, NY | $58,054 | Not available | Baseline needed | $37,050 |
| 11 | California Institute of the ArtsMaster's Degree | Valencia, CA | $57,920 | Not available | Baseline needed | $46,080 |
| 12 | Columbia University in the City of New YorkMaster's Degree | New York, NY | $57,723 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,590 |
| 13 | The University of AlabamaMaster's Degree | Tuscaloosa, AL | $57,026 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,420 |
| 14 | University of North Carolina School of the ArtsMaster's Degree | Winston Salem, NC | $56,064 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,906 |
| 15 | University of Northern ColoradoMaster's Degree | Greeley, CO | $54,468 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,760 |
| 16 | Emerson CollegeMaster's Degree | Boston, MA | $53,881 | Not available | Baseline needed | $49,180 |
| 17 | University of Southern CaliforniaMaster's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $53,569 | Not available | Baseline needed | $32,740 |
| 18 | University of Nevada-Las VegasMaster's Degree | Las Vegas, NV | $53,150 | Not available | Baseline needed | $10,359 |
| 19 | Ohio University-Main CampusMaster's Degree | Athens, OH | $53,128 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,637 |
| 20 | Loyola Marymount UniversityMaster's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $52,957 | Not available | Baseline needed | $48,381 |
| 21 | Carnegie Mellon UniversityMaster's Degree | Pittsburgh, PA | $52,930 | Not available | Baseline needed | $31,944 |
| 22 | University of Washington-Seattle CampusMaster's Degree | Seattle, WA | $52,495 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,091 |
| 23 | University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignMaster's Degree | Champaign, IL | $52,436 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,355 |
| 24 | DePaul UniversityMaster's Degree | Chicago, IL | $51,971 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,902 |
| 25 | The New SchoolMaster's Degree | New York, NY | $51,836 | Not available | Baseline needed | $58,741 |
| 26 | Hollins UniversityMaster's Degree | Roanoke, VA | $50,189 | Not available | Baseline needed | $20,896 |
| 27 | The University of Texas at AustinMaster's Degree | Austin, TX | $49,771 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,857 |
| 28 | Wayne State UniversityMaster's Degree | Detroit, MI | $49,640 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,766 |
| 29 | University of Missouri-Kansas CityMaster's Degree | Kansas City, MO | $49,306 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,310 |
| 30 | Villanova UniversityMaster's Degree | Villanova, PA | $49,302 | Not available | Baseline needed | $43,756 |
| 31 | Texas Tech UniversityMaster's Degree | Lubbock, TX | $48,879 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,070 |
| 32 | University of California, San DiegoMaster's Degree | La Jolla, CA | $48,041 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,470 |
| 33 | Savannah College of Art and DesignMaster's Degree | Savannah, GA | $47,617 | Not available | Baseline needed | $49,430 |
| 34 | Stephens CollegeMaster's Degree | Columbia, MO | $46,746 | Not available | Baseline needed | $23,459 |
| 35 | Northern Illinois UniversityMaster's Degree | Dekalb, IL | $42,708 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,391 |
| 36 | Chapman UniversityMaster's Degree | Orange, CA | $41,394 | Not available | Baseline needed | $46,555 |
| 37 | Pace UniversityMaster's Degree | New York, NY | $38,903 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,892 |
| 38 | Mary Baldwin UniversityMaster's Degree | Staunton, VA | $37,495 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,756 |
| 39 | Brown UniversityMaster's Degree | Providence, RI | $37,270 | Not available | Baseline needed | $25,184 |
| 40 | California State University, FullertonMaster's Degree | Fullerton, CA | $36,154 | Not available | Baseline needed | $6,555 |
| 41 | New York Film AcademyMaster's Degree | Burbank, CA | $30,262 | Not available | Baseline needed | $39,011 |
| 42 | American Conservatory TheaterMaster's Degree | , | $37,565 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.