American Musical and Dramatic AcademyPrivate nonprofit, 4-year · New York, NY · Certificate, Bachelor's, Associate, Master's
614 awards$31,701 median 4 years out
Fields of study · Visual and Performing Arts
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
CIP 50.05. 1,119 colleges reported awards in this field, totaling 15,930 awards in the latest award year.
Award levels
Where this field is awarded, and what graduates earned
Earnings are national medians for graduates of this field at this level, measured four years after they finished, among students who received federal aid and were working. They describe past graduates across all schools, not one school and not you.
| Level | Colleges | Awards | Median earnings | Middle range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 146 | 1,183 | $31,337 | $18,119 to $45,968 |
| Associate | 247 | 1,636 | $31,773 | $20,802 to $44,730 |
| Bachelor's | 853 | 11,412 | $39,775 | $25,491 to $55,399 |
| Graduate certificate | 22 | 36 | $62,409 | Not reported |
| Master's | 177 | 1,571 | $49,978 | $29,233 to $69,322 |
| Doctorate | 37 | 92 | $64,704 | $49,465 to $87,221 |
Year, scope, and limits
- Cohort or year
- Most recent reported cohorts
- Scope
- Reported for this field of study
National median earnings for this field and credential level, 4 years after completion, across every institution that awards it.
Colleges
Colleges that awarded Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft credentials
Listed by awards conferred in the latest award year, which shows size rather than quality. A larger program is not a better program. 16 of these colleges report at least one credential in this field that can be finished fully online.
New York UniversityPrivate nonprofit, 4-year · New York, NY · Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate
574 awards$42,348 median 4 years out
New York Film AcademyPrivate for-profit, 4-year · Burbank, CA · Certificate, Bachelor's, Master's, Associate
257 awards$28,809 median 4 years out
University of Southern CaliforniaPrivate nonprofit, 4-year · Los Angeles, CA · Bachelor's, Master's
233 awards$40,415 median 4 years out
Savannah College of Art and DesignPrivate nonprofit, 4-year · Savannah, GA · Bachelor's, Master's
162 awards$35,177 median 4 years out
Columbia College ChicagoPrivate nonprofit, 4-year · Chicago, IL · Bachelor's, Master's, Graduate certificate
159 awards$39,986 median 4 years out
Texas State UniversityPublic, 4-year · San Marcos, TX · Bachelor's, Master's, Graduate certificate
148 awards$48,502 median 4 years out
Emerson CollegePrivate nonprofit, 4-year · Boston, MA · Bachelor's, Master's
141 awards$44,760 median 4 years out
Loyola Marymount UniversityPrivate nonprofit, 4-year · Los Angeles, CA · Bachelor's, Master's
140 awards$49,135 median 4 years out
American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New YorkPrivate nonprofit, 2-year · New York, NY · Associate, Certificate
126 awards$30,146 median 4 years out
New York Conservatory for Dramatic ArtsPrivate for-profit, 2-year · New York, NY · Associate, Certificate
124 awards$30,154 median 4 years out
Marymount Manhattan CollegePrivate nonprofit, 4-year · New York, NY · Bachelor's
118 awards$40,086 median 4 years out
SUNY at Purchase CollegePublic, 4-year · Purchase, NY · Bachelor's, Graduate certificate, Master's
117 awards$39,974 median 4 years out
University of North Carolina School of the ArtsPublic, 4-year · Winston Salem, NC · Bachelor's, Master's
117 awards$48,664 median 4 years out
Northwestern UniversityPrivate nonprofit, 4-year · Evanston, IL · Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate, Certificate
112 awards$49,316 median 4 years out
University of Cincinnati-Main CampusPublic, 4-year · Cincinnati, OH · Bachelor's, Certificate, Master's
110 awards$54,000 median 4 years out
DePaul UniversityPrivate nonprofit, 4-year · Chicago, IL · Bachelor's, Master's
109 awards$44,095 median 4 years out
Chapman UniversityPrivate nonprofit, 4-year · Orange, CA · Bachelor's, Master's
107 awards$51,611 median 4 years out
Pace UniversityPrivate nonprofit, 4-year · New York, NY · Bachelor's, Master's
102 awards$37,213 median 4 years out
University of California-IrvinePublic, 4-year · Irvine, CA · Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate
101 awards$40,773 median 4 years out
Florida State UniversityPublic, 4-year · Tallahassee, FL · Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate
99 awards$44,115 median 4 years out
American Academy of Dramatic Arts-Los AngelesPrivate nonprofit, 2-year · Los Angeles, CA · Associate, Certificate
85 awards$30,146 median 4 years out
California State University-FullertonPublic, 4-year · Fullerton, CA · Bachelor's, Master's
84 awards$42,455 median 4 years out
University of California-San DiegoPublic, 4-year · La Jolla, CA · Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate
83 awards$41,389 median 4 years out
Showing 24 of 1,119 colleges. Filter the full directory by this family →
310 of these programs have a published earnings figure. The rest are suppressed or not reported, usually because too few graduates were in the cohort to publish safely. A blank is not a low number.
Year, scope, and limits
- Cohort or year
- 2023-24 award year
- Scope
- Reported for this field of study
Awards conferred in this field and at this level during the award year.
Related work
Kinds of work this field leads toward
These occupations are commonly linked to CIP 50.05. Wages are national medians across everyone in the occupation, not just recent graduates of this field, and they are not a placement record. Many people in these jobs studied something else.
| Occupation | Group | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | Educational instruction and library | $78,620 | 93,560 |
| Fashion Designers | Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media | $80,960 | 21,450 |
| Set and Exhibit Designers | Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media | $75,240 | 10,630 |
| Actors | Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media | Not reported | 55,000 |
| Producers and Directors | Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media | $90,360 | 143,120 |
| Dancers | Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media | Not reported | 8,130 |
| Choreographers | Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media | $55,310 | 2,860 |
| Music Directors and Composers | Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media | $73,710 | 12,540 |
| Musicians and Singers | Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media | Not reported | 36,180 |
| Entertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers, All Other | Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media | Not reported | 16,550 |
| Writers and Authors | Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media | $76,910 | 47,940 |
| Costume Attendants | Personal care and service | $50,400 | 6,510 |
Year, scope, and limits
- Cohort or year
- May 2025
- Scope
- Reported for this occupation, nationally
National median wage across all workers in the occupation, not only recent graduates of one field. Wages vary by state, industry, and experience. A wage at or above 239,200 dollars a year is published only as at or above that figure.
Nearby fields
Other fields in Visual and Performing Arts
Limits
What this page cannot tell you
- Awards conferred describe last year's graduates. A program can start, change, or close, so confirm the exact program, level, and start term with the college.
- Earnings vary by state, employer, and role. One median hides a wide spread.
- Program availability does not mean the program is offered every term or in your state.
- Nothing here is a chance of admission or a promise of a job.