Theatre Arts: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Theatre Arts is a comprehensive academic discipline centered on the exploration and practice of dramatic expression through performance, production, and critical analysis. This program equips students with a deep understanding of theatrical traditions, creative storytelling, and the collaborative processes that bring live and recorded performances to life.
- Dramatic Literature: In-depth study of seminal scripts and playwrights across historical periods and global cultures, emphasizing narrative structure, character development, and thematic depth.
- Dramatic Styles and Types: Examination of diverse theatrical genres—including tragedy, comedy, realism, absurdism, and experimental forms—alongside their cultural and historical contexts.
- Production Principles: Training in the technical and organizational aspects of staging performances, including set design, lighting, sound, costume, and stage management for both live and filmed formats.
- Performance Techniques: Development of acting skills through movement, voice, improvisation, and character interpretation, grounded in both classical and contemporary methodologies.
- Directing and Stagecraft: Instruction in the artistic and logistical responsibilities of directing, including rehearsal strategies, ensemble collaboration, and the integration of visual and auditory elements.
Theatre Arts Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Theatre Arts Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Theatre Arts degrees, including Producers and Directors, Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary and Actors. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 297,000 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Producers and Directors 27-2012 | $83,480 | $43,060 - $198,530 | 145,270 | $40.13 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1121 | $80,190 | $47,040 - $194,530 | 97,890 | N/A |
| Actors 27-2011 | N/A | N/A | 38,800 | $23.33 |
| Entertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers, All Other 27-2099 | N/A | N/A | 15,040 | $20.99 |
Theatre Arts Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $51,520 in Arkansas to $114,065 in California—a 121% difference. The highest-paying states include California, New York, and New Jersey. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 297,000 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Theatre Arts by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering Theatre Arts programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Theatre Arts is found at New York University (NYU) (454 graduates), American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) (243 graduates), Texas State University (TXST) (135 graduates), Northwestern University (102 graduates), and Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) (99 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 5,386 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York University (NYU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
454 | New York, New York | Private | nyu.edu |
| American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) |
Certificate (≥2 yrs)
Bachelor's
|
243 | New York, New York | Private | amda.edu |
| Texas State University (TXST) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
135 | San Marcos, Texas | Public | txst.edu |
| Northwestern University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
102 | Evanston, Illinois | Private | northwestern.edu |
| Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
99 | Savannah, Georgia | Private | scad.edu |
| Florida State University (FSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
97 | Tallahassee, Florida | Public | fsu.edu |
| University of California (UCI) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
95 | Irvine, California | Public | uci.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
82 | Greensboro, North Carolina | Public | uncg.edu |
| University of Central Florida (UCF) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
81 | Orlando, Florida | Public | ucf.edu |
| Columbia University in the City of New York |
Bachelor's
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
80 | New York, New York | Private | columbia.edu |
| University of California (UCLA) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
79 | Los Angeles, California | Public | ucla.edu |
| Muhlenberg College |
Bachelor's
|
78 | Allentown, Pennsylvania | Private | muhlenberg.edu |
| California State University (CSUF) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
76 | Fullerton, California | Public | fullerton.edu |
| California State University (CSULB) |
Bachelor's
|
76 | Long Beach, California | Public | csulb.edu |
| Montclair State University |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
71 | Montclair, New Jersey | Public | montclair.edu |
| University of California (UCSD) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
70 | La Jolla, California | Public | ucsd.edu |
| Illinois State University (ISU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
70 | Normal, Illinois | Public | illinoisstate.edu |
| University of Southern California (USC) |
Bachelor's
|
69 | Los Angeles, California | Private | usc.edu |
| University of Florida (UF) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Residency
|
69 | Gainesville, Florida | Public | ufl.edu |
| University of North Texas (UNT) |
Bachelor's
|
69 | Denton, Texas | Public | unt.edu |
| Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
66 | Richmond, Virginia | Public | vcu.edu |
| Missouri State University |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
63 | Springfield, Missouri | Public | missouristate.edu |
| Ball State University (BSU) |
Bachelor's
|
62 | Muncie, Indiana | Public | bsu.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
61 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| CUNY Brooklyn College |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
61 | Brooklyn, New York | Public | brooklyn.cuny.edu |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
60 | Champaign, Illinois | Public | illinois.edu |
| Utah Valley University (UVU) |
Associate's
Bachelor's
|
60 | Orem, Utah | Public | uvu.edu |
| University of Utah (U of U) |
Bachelor's
|
60 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Public | utah.edu |
| San Diego State University (SDSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
59 | San Diego, California | Public | sdsu.edu |
| Southern Oregon University (SOU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
59 | Ashland, Oregon | Public | sou.edu |
| Long Island University (LIU) |
Bachelor's
|
58 | Brookville, New York | Private | liu.edu |
| Loyola Marymount University (LMU) |
Bachelor's
|
56 | Los Angeles, California | Private | lmu.edu |
| James Madison University (JMU) |
Bachelor's
|
56 | Harrisonburg, Virginia | Public | jmu.edu |
| University of Idaho (U of I) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
55 | Moscow, Idaho | Public | uidaho.edu |
| Santa Ana College (SAC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
52 | Santa Ana, California | Public | sac.edu |
| The New School |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
51 | New York, New York | Private | newschool.edu |
| University of Houston (UH) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
50 | Houston, Texas | Public | uh.edu |
| Los Angeles City College (LACC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Certificate (≥2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
48 | Los Angeles, California | Public | lacitycollege.edu |
| Emerson College |
Bachelor's
|
48 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | emerson.edu |
| Moorpark College |
Associate's
Other Award
|
47 | Moorpark, California | Public | moorparkcollege.edu |
| Northern Kentucky University (NKU) |
Bachelor's
|
46 | Highland Heights, Kentucky | Public | nku.edu |
| Citrus College |
Associate's
|
45 | Glendora, California | Public | citruscollege.edu |
| Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (LSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
45 | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Public | lsu.edu |
| University of Nevada (UNLV) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
45 | Las Vegas, Nevada | Public | unlv.edu |
| Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) |
Bachelor's
|
44 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Private | cmu.edu |
| Kennesaw State University (KSU) |
Bachelor's
|
43 | Kennesaw, Georgia | Public | kennesaw.edu |
| San Francisco State University (SFSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
42 | San Francisco, California | Public | sfsu.edu |
| University of Northern Colorado (UNCO) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
42 | Greeley, Colorado | Public | unco.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
41 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | twin-cities.umn.edu |
| Fordham University |
Bachelor's
|
41 | Bronx, New York | Private | fordham.edu |
| West Virginia University (WVU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
40 | Morgantown, West Virginia | Public | wvu.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
39 | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Public | unc.edu |
| California State University (CSUN) |
Bachelor's
|
38 | Northridge, California | Public | csun.edu |
| University of Michigan (U‑M) |
Bachelor's
|
38 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | umich.edu |
| Molloy College |
Bachelor's
|
38 | Rockville Centre, New York | Private | molloy.edu |
| University of California (UCB) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
37 | Berkeley, California | Public | berkeley.edu |
| University of California (UCSC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
37 | Santa Cruz, California | Public | ucsc.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
37 | Amherst, Massachusetts | Public | umass.edu |
| Michigan State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
37 | East Lansing, Michigan | Public | msu.edu |
| Rutgers University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
37 | New Brunswick, New Jersey | Public | newbrunswick.rutgers.edu |
| CUNY Graduate School and University Center |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
37 | New York, New York | Public | gc.cuny.edu |
| University of Notre Dame (ND) |
Bachelor's
|
36 | Notre Dame, Indiana | Private | nd.edu |
| SUNY |
Bachelor's
|
36 | Purchase, New York | Public | purchase.edu |
| Texas Tech University (TTU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
36 | Lubbock, Texas | Public | ttu.edu |
| California State University |
Bachelor's
|
35 | Sacramento, California | Public | csus.edu |
| Hofstra University |
Bachelor's
|
35 | Hempstead, New York | Private | hofstra.edu |
| State University of New York |
Bachelor's
|
35 | New Paltz, New York | Public | newpaltz.edu |
| East Carolina University (ECU) |
Bachelor's
|
35 | Greenville, North Carolina | Public | ecu.edu |
| University of California (UCSB) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
34 | Santa Barbara, California | Public | ucsb.edu |
| Western Washington University (WWU) |
Bachelor's
|
34 | Bellingham, Washington | Public | wwu.edu |
| University of New Orleans (UNO) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
33 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Public | new.uno.edu |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) |
Bachelor's
|
33 | Edinburg, Texas | Public | utrgv.edu |
| George Mason University |
Bachelor's
|
33 | Fairfax, Virginia | Public | www2.gmu.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) |
Bachelor's
|
33 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Public | uwm.edu |
| University of Puerto Rico (UPR) |
Bachelor's
|
33 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Public | uprrp.edu |
| Coastal Carolina University (CCU) |
Bachelor's
|
32 | Conway, South Carolina | Public | coastal.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
32 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) |
Bachelor's
|
32 | Stevens Point, Wisconsin | Public | uwsp.edu |
| Grossmont College |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
31 | El Cajon, California | Public | grossmont.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
31 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| Western Carolina University (WCU) |
Bachelor's
|
31 | Cullowhee, North Carolina | Public | wcu.edu |
| University of Memphis (UofM) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
31 | Memphis, Tennessee | Public | memphis.edu |
| Sam Houston State University (SHSU) |
Bachelor's
|
31 | Huntsville, Texas | Public | shsu.edu |
| Southern Methodist University (SMU) |
Bachelor's
|
31 | Dallas, Texas | Private | smu.edu |
| The University of Alabama (UA) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
30 | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Public | ua.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
30 | Madison, Wisconsin | Public | wisc.edu |
| University of Colorado Boulder (CU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
29 | Boulder, Colorado | Public | colorado.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Bachelor's
|
29 | Arlington, Texas | Public | uta.edu |
| Allan Hancock College |
Certificate (≥2 yrs)
Associate's
|
28 | Santa Maria, California | Public | hancockcollege.edu |
| California State University |
Bachelor's
|
28 | Los Angeles, California | Public | calstatela.edu |
| Wayne State University (WSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
28 | Detroit, Michigan | Public | wayne.edu |
| Appalachian State University (App State) |
Bachelor's
|
28 | Boone, North Carolina | Public | appstate.edu |
| Bowling Green State University (BGSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
28 | Bowling Green, Ohio | Public | bgsu.edu |
| Diablo Valley College (DVC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
27 | Pleasant Hill, California | Public | dvc.edu |
| Colorado State University (CSU) |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Fort Collins, Colorado | Public | colostate.edu |
| Florida Atlantic University (FAU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
27 | Boca Raton, Florida | Public | fau.edu |
| University of New Hampshire (UNH) |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Durham, New Hampshire | Public | unh.edu |
| Rowan University |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Glassboro, New Jersey | Public | rowan.edu |
| Wagner College |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Staten Island, New York | Private | wagner.edu |
| University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Winston Salem, North Carolina | Public | uncsa.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Theatre Arts programs
How much can I earn with a Theatre Arts degree?
Salaries for Theatre Arts graduates vary by role and location. Producers and Directors earn a median of $83,480 annually, while Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary earn around $80,190. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in California average $114,065 compared to $51,520 in Arkansas. Approximately 297,000 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Theatre Arts programs?
Currently 848 accredited institutions offer Theatre Arts degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include New York University (NYU) (454 graduates), American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) (243 graduates), and Texas State University (TXST) (135 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Theatre Arts growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 11,545 in 2010 to a peak of 11,552 in 2020, before declining slightly to 10,778 in 2023-24. This represents a 7% decrease overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with consistent demand, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Theatre Arts degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Producers and Directors, Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary, and Actors. Related occupations employ approximately 297,000 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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