College of Charleston Theatre: earnings, debt & careers

Theatre graduates of College of Charleston earn a median $44,991 four years after graduating ($21,645 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $26,943. That is $4,906 above the U.S. median for Theatre graduates ($40,085 across 251 colleges), and ranks 1st of 4 South Carolina colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$44,991

U.S. median for this major: $40,085.

College Scorecard field of study; 29 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$21,645

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$26,943

About 60% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,000.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$18,960 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $32,362. College Scorecard.

College of Charleston Theatre: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

College of Charleston graduates$44,991
South Carolina median (4 colleges)$38,910 (+$6,081)
U.S. median (251 colleges)$40,085 (+$4,906)

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.

Theatre nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses College of Charleston's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$12,133$50,4734.4 years
$30–48k$13,406$55,7694.9 years
$48–75k$16,797$69,8766.1 years
$75–110k$20,089$83,5707.3 years
$110k+$24,996$103,9839.1 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (56% 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 ($44,991) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in SC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $11,475 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 South Carolina colleges

Every South Carolina college we cover that reports Theatre graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1College of Charleston$44,991$26,943$18,96066%
2Winthrop University$40,948$27,000$15,34357%
3Anderson University$36,872$25,581$23,54466%
4Coastal Carolina University$33,962$27,000$13,96648%

14 more South Carolina colleges offer Theatre but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Theatre graduates

Producers and Directors

Charleston area$61,280
South Carolina$56,030
U.S.$90,360

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +4.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Writers and Authors

Charleston area$78,000
South Carolina$51,920
U.S.$76,910

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.3% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Fashion Designers

Charleston area$58,690
South Carolina$77,300
U.S.$80,960

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 College of Charleston, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About College of Charleston

Related majors at College of Charleston

College of Charleston Theatre questions

How much do College of Charleston Theatre graduates earn?

Theatre graduates of College of Charleston earn a median $44,991 four years after graduating and $21,645 one year after. The U.S. median for Theatre graduates across 251 colleges is $40,085.

How much debt do College of Charleston Theatre graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Theatre graduates of College of Charleston is $26,943, about 60% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.

Is College of Charleston a good school for Theatre in South Carolina?

On pay, Theatre graduates of College of Charleston earn $44,991 four years out, $6,081 above the median for the same major across 4 South Carolina colleges ($38,910) and $4,906 above the U.S. median ($40,085). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does College of Charleston rank for Theatre in South Carolina?

Of 4 South Carolina colleges reporting Theatre graduate earnings, College of Charleston ranks 1st, the highest.

What jobs do Theatre graduates get?

A common career is producers and directors, with a median wage of $61,280 in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC 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
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Cite this: “College of Charleston Theatre: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/college-of-charleston/majors/theatre (College Scorecard and BLS data).