Dean College Theatre: earnings, debt & careers

Theatre graduates of Dean College earn a median $36,724 four years after graduating ($29,639 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $27,000. That is $3,361 below the U.S. median for Theatre graduates ($40,085 across 251 colleges), and ranks 5th of 5 Massachusetts colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$36,724

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

College Scorecard field of study; 27 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$29,639

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$27,000

About 74% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,000.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$30,684 /yr

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

Sticker price $64,889. College Scorecard.

Dean College Theatre: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Dean College graduates$36,724
Massachusetts median (5 colleges)$43,553 (−$6,829)
U.S. median (251 colleges)$40,085 (−$3,361)

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 Dean College'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$26,996$113,383no earnings gain
$30–48k$26,798$112,552no earnings gain
$48–75k$28,640$120,288no earnings gain
$75–110k$31,161$130,876no earnings gain
$110k+$34,318$144,136no earnings gain

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (31% 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 ($36,724) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024). 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 Massachusetts colleges

Every Massachusetts 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
1Brandeis University$58,676—$35,73686%
2Emerson College$44,760$25,000$49,18077%
3Suffolk University$43,553$27,000$29,61861%
4Boston University$39,322$26,958$24,40289%
5Dean College$36,724$27,000$30,68454%

27 more Massachusetts colleges offer Theatre but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Theatre graduates

Producers and Directors

Boston area$83,850
Massachusetts$80,970
U.S.$90,360

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

Writers and Authors

Boston area$85,260
Massachusetts$85,260
U.S.$76,910

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

Fashion Designers

Boston area$106,630
Massachusetts$103,520
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 Dean College, by income

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

College Scorecard

About Dean College

Related majors at Dean College

  • Dance$36,644
  • Arts and Entertainment Management$33,485

Dean College Theatre questions

How much do Dean College Theatre graduates earn?

Theatre graduates of Dean College earn a median $36,724 four years after graduating and $29,639 one year after. The U.S. median for Theatre graduates across 251 colleges is $40,085.

How much debt do Dean College Theatre graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Theatre graduates of Dean College is $27,000, about 74% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.

Is Dean College a good school for Theatre in Massachusetts?

On pay, Theatre graduates of Dean College earn $36,724 four years out, $6,829 below the median for the same major across 5 Massachusetts colleges ($43,553) and $3,361 below the U.S. median ($40,085). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does Dean College rank for Theatre in Massachusetts?

Of 5 Massachusetts colleges reporting Theatre graduate earnings, Dean College ranks 5th. The highest is Brandeis University at $58,676.

What jobs do Theatre graduates get?

A common career is producers and directors, with a median wage of $83,850 in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 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: “Dean College Theatre: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/dean-college/majors/theatre (College Scorecard and BLS data).