U.S. median for this major: $40,085.
College Scorecard field of study; 65 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 62% 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 $83,654. College Scorecard.
Carnegie Mellon University 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 Carnegie Mellon University'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 | $9,097 | $37,844 | 8.9 years |
| $30–48k | $6,994 | $29,095 | 6.8 years |
| $48–75k | $14,468 | $60,187 | 14.1 years |
| $75–110k | $24,865 | $103,438 | more than 20 years |
| $110k+ | $51,480 | $214,157 | more than 20 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (79% 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 ($40,073) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $4,276 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 Pennsylvania colleges
Every Pennsylvania college we cover that reports Theatre graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown | $51,775 | — | $18,202 | 56% |
| 2 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | $51,775 | — | $30,434 | 86% |
| 3 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | $44,913 | $27,000 | $24,356 | 32% |
| 4 | Pennsylvania State University | $44,913 | $27,000 | $32,875 | 86% |
| 5 | DeSales University | $42,571 | $27,000 | $31,643 | 72% |
| 6 | Muhlenberg College | $42,092 | $27,000 | $28,905 | 82% |
| 7 | Point Park University | $40,121 | $27,000 | $25,942 | 59% |
| 8 | Carnegie Mellon University | $40,073 | $25,000 | $31,944 | 94% |
| 9 | Arcadia University | $39,087 | $27,000 | $29,466 | 67% |
| 10 | Temple University | $36,994 | $26,000 | $28,198 | 75% |
| 11 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | $35,286 | $27,000 | $16,804 | 56% |
| 12 | Seton Hill University | $34,890 | $27,000 | $22,204 | 67% |
| 13 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | $34,674 | $26,000 | $18,134 | 43% |
34 more Pennsylvania 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 Carnegie Mellon University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Carnegie Mellon University
- Acceptance rate: 12% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 94% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $114,862
- Full cost breakdown · all 91 majors · overview
Related majors at Carnegie Mellon University
- Music—
- Studio Art$53,726
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$138,588
- Arts and Entertainment Management—
- Film and Photography—
Carnegie Mellon University Theatre questions
How much do Carnegie Mellon University Theatre graduates earn?
Theatre graduates of Carnegie Mellon University earn a median $40,073 four years after graduating and $32,967 one year after. The U.S. median for Theatre graduates across 251 colleges is $40,085.
How much debt do Carnegie Mellon University Theatre graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Theatre graduates of Carnegie Mellon University is $25,000, about 62% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is Carnegie Mellon University a good school for Theatre in Pennsylvania?
On pay, Theatre graduates of Carnegie Mellon University earn $40,073 four years out, $48 below the median for the same major across 13 Pennsylvania colleges ($40,121) and $12 below the U.S. median ($40,085). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Carnegie Mellon University rank for Theatre in Pennsylvania?
Of 13 Pennsylvania colleges reporting Theatre graduate earnings, Carnegie Mellon University ranks 8th. The highest is University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown at $51,775.
What jobs do Theatre graduates get?
A common career is producers and directors, with a median wage of $65,640 in the Pittsburgh, PA area 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: “Carnegie Mellon University Theatre: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/carnegie-mellon-university/majors/theatre (College Scorecard and BLS data).