Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft bachelor's degree programs in California

Compare 25 reporting programs using the same federal field and bachelor's degree credential definition. Earnings are observed four years after completion.

25Programs reporting earnings

$41,192Median year-4 earnings

$16,852Median federal debt

22Programs reporting debt

OUTCOME SPREAD

Highest reported earnings in California

Each bar uses the same field, credential, state and earnings year.

1University of California, DavisDavis · $13,000 federal debt$56,823 2University of California, BerkeleyBerkeley · $15,112 federal debt$55,555 3Chapman UniversityOrange · $22,500 federal debt$51,611 4Pepperdine UniversityMalibu · $19,500 federal debt$50,594 5Loyola Marymount UniversityLos Angeles · $23,250 federal debt$49,135 6California State University, SacramentoSacramento · $16,221 federal debt$47,676 7San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco · $16,250 federal debt$44,848 8University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara · $16,852 federal debt$44,106 9California State University, NorthridgeNorthridge · $17,863 federal debt$43,240 10California State University, FullertonFullerton · $17,500 federal debt$42,455

CAREER CONTEXT IN CA

What related occupations pay in California

These are common occupational matches for this field, ranked by the strength of the federal education-to-occupation match.

25-1121Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary

State median wage: $99,410
Middle 50% wage range: $74,960–$143,070
State employment: 9,820
Projected growth: +2.2%
Annual openings: 8,000

10th–90th percentile: $60,420–$202,740

27-2012Producers and Directors

State median wage: $129,790
Middle 50% wage range: $83,110–$172,410
State employment: 34,110
Projected growth: +4.0%
Annual openings: 12,100

10th–90th percentile: $63,570–$306,850

27-3043Writers and Authors

State median wage: $86,480
Middle 50% wage range: $75,530–$127,870
State employment: 8,390
Projected growth: -0.3%
Annual openings: 11,900

10th–90th percentile: $56,730–$193,080

27-2032Choreographers

State median wage: $75,000
Middle 50% wage range: $51,020–$101,740
State employment: 410
Projected growth: +3.1%
Annual openings: 600

10th–90th percentile: $42,990–$138,630

27-1027Set and Exhibit Designers

State median wage: $105,030
Middle 50% wage range: $73,200–$134,030
State employment: 2,690
Projected growth: +1.4%
Annual openings: 2,200

10th–90th percentile: $47,400–$162,820

27-2041Music Directors and Composers

State median wage: $93,090
Middle 50% wage range: $66,810–$126,430
State employment: 2,510
Projected growth: +1.2%
Annual openings: 4,200

10th–90th percentile: $48,600–$175,670

39-3092Costume Attendants

State median wage: $72,030
Middle 50% wage range: $43,930–$109,520
State employment: 1,620
Projected growth: +5.9%
Annual openings: 1,700

10th–90th percentile: $38,190–$127,180

Career wages and employment are BLS estimates for everyone working in each occupation in California; they are not earnings or placement rates for graduates of these programs. Wage ranges show the distribution across workers, not an entry-to-experienced career path. Growth and annual openings are national 2025–35 projections. BLS reports openings in thousands; DegreeVerdict displays the corresponding job count. These figures provide labor-market context and are not used in DegreeVerdict payoff or ROI calculations.

ALL REPORTING PROGRAMS

Compare every available outcome

Sorted by observed year-4 earnings. Open a row for its exact college-and-degree profile.

#	College	City	Median year-4 earnings	Median federal debt
1	University of California, Davis	Davis	$56,823	$13,000
2	University of California, Berkeley	Berkeley	$55,555	$15,112
3	Chapman University	Orange	$51,611	$22,500
4	Pepperdine University	Malibu	$50,594	$19,500
5	Loyola Marymount University	Los Angeles	$49,135	$23,250
6	California State University, Sacramento	Sacramento	$47,676	$16,221
7	San Francisco State University	San Francisco	$44,848	$16,250
8	University of California, Santa Barbara	Santa Barbara	$44,106	$16,852
9	California State University, Northridge	Northridge	$43,240	$17,863
10	California State University, Fullerton	Fullerton	$42,455	$17,500
11	San Diego State University	San Diego	$41,812	$15,000
12	University of California, San Diego	La Jolla	$41,389	$14,650
13	California Institute of the Arts	Valencia	$41,192	$27,000
14	University of California, Irvine	Irvine	$40,773	$17,862
15	California Baptist University	Riverside	$40,432	Not available
16	University of Southern California	Los Angeles	$40,415	$12,000
17	California State University, San Bernardino	San Bernardino	$40,118	Not available
18	University of California, Los Angeles	Los Angeles	$39,023	$16,970
19	California State University, Long Beach	Long Beach	$38,270	$15,000
20	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo	San Luis Obispo	$36,697	Not available
21	Academy of Art University	San Francisco	$35,870	$31,000
22	California State University, Los Angeles	Los Angeles	$35,097	$11,000
23	California State University, Fresno	Fresno	$34,320	$12,456
24	New York Film Academy	Burbank	$32,057	$27,000
25	University of California, Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz	$30,524	$19,500

This is an observed-outcomes comparison, not a universal quality ranking. Missing and privacy-suppressed programs are excluded.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

A quick read on Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft in California

What do Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft bachelor's degree graduates earn in California?

Across 25 reporting programs, the median observed earnings figure is $41,192 four years after completion.

How much federal debt is reported for these programs?

The median is $16,852 among the 22 programs reporting federal debt.

Which California colleges report the highest earnings for this degree?

The table compares the same federal field, credential and earnings year. University of California, Davis has the highest reported figure among the programs shown.