U.S. median for this major: $40,085.
College Scorecard field of study; 87 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 58% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $26,146. College Scorecard.
BSU Theatre: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses BSU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $7,834 | $32,981 | 4.4 years |
| $30–48k | $9,848 | $41,460 | 5.5 years |
| $48–75k | $14,333 | $60,342 | 8.0 years |
| $75–110k | $19,567 | $82,377 | 10.9 years |
| $110k+ | $23,479 | $98,847 | 13.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (51% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Theatre graduates 4 years after graduating ($43,082) minus $35,534 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $7,548 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Theatre at Indiana colleges
Every Indiana college we cover that reports Theatre graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Notre Dame | $64,880 | $19,000 | $26,780 | 95% |
| 2 | University of Evansville | $45,838 | $23,727 | $18,499 | 64% |
| 3 | Ball State University | $43,082 | $24,984 | $14,940 | 62% |
| 4 | Indiana University-Bloomington | $41,328 | $22,000 | $16,264 | 80% |
| 5 | University of Southern Indianabachelor's & associate | $36,348 | $20,937 | $12,923 | 48% |
21 more Indiana colleges offer Theatre but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Theatre graduates
Producers and Directors
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +4.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Writers and Authors
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.3% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Fashion Designers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +0.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at BSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About BSU
- Acceptance rate: 86% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 62% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $51,833
- Full cost breakdown · all 90 majors · overview
Related majors at BSU
- Music$37,997
- Studio Art$42,594
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$53,514
- Dance$34,518
BSU Theatre questions
How much do BSU Theatre graduates earn?
Theatre graduates of Ball State University earn a median $43,082 four years after graduating and $23,748 one year after. The U.S. median for Theatre graduates across 251 colleges is $40,085.
How much debt do BSU Theatre graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Theatre graduates of Ball State University is $24,984, about 58% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is BSU a good school for Theatre in Indiana?
On pay, Theatre graduates of Ball State University earn $43,082 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 5 Indiana colleges ($43,082) and $2,997 above the U.S. median ($40,085). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does BSU rank for Theatre in Indiana?
Of 5 Indiana colleges reporting Theatre graduate earnings, Ball State University ranks 3rd. The highest is University of Notre Dame at $64,880.
What jobs do Theatre graduates get?
A common career is producers and directors, with a median wage of $59,870 in Indiana and $90,360 nationally. Others include writers and authors and fashion designers.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Ball State University Theatre: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/ball-state-university/majors/theatre (College Scorecard and BLS data).