Drew University Theatre: earnings, debt & careers

Theatre graduates of Drew University earn a median $38,562 four years after graduating ($13,710 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $27,000. That is $1,523 below the U.S. median for Theatre graduates ($40,085 across 251 colleges), and ranks 7th of 10 New Jersey colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$38,562

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
$13,710

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$27,000

About 70% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,000.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$24,280 /yr

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

Sticker price $65,301. College Scorecard.

Drew University Theatre: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Drew University graduates$38,562
New Jersey median (10 colleges)$38,922 (−$360)
U.S. median (251 colleges)$40,085 (−$1,523)

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 Drew University'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$15,224$62,114more than 20 years
$30–48k$15,697$64,044more than 20 years
$48–75k$20,916$85,337more than 20 years
$75–110k$24,947$101,784more than 20 years
$110k+$35,512$144,889more than 20 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (67% 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 ($38,562) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NJ (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $1,901 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 New Jersey colleges

Every New Jersey 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
1Ramapo College of New Jersey$44,565$20,620$18,17370%
2Rutgers University-Camden$42,712$23,000$18,74567%
3Rutgers University-New Brunswick$42,712$23,000$24,40684%
4Rutgers University-Newark$42,712$23,000$19,70364%
5Montclair State University$39,248$25,022$15,56665%
6Rowan University$38,597$25,000$22,40867%
7Drew University$38,562$27,000$24,28070%
8Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus$33,749$25,139$15,40453%
9Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus$33,749$25,139$22,82967%
10Kean University$32,107$27,000$12,44747%

5 more New Jersey colleges offer Theatre but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Theatre graduates

Producers and Directors

New York area$108,460
New Jersey$119,840
U.S.$90,360

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

Writers and Authors

New Jersey$81,590
U.S.$76,910

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

Fashion Designers

New York area$99,560
New Jersey$101,610
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 Drew University, by income

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

College Scorecard

About Drew University

Related majors at Drew University

  • Music—
  • Studio Art—

Drew University Theatre questions

How much do Drew University Theatre graduates earn?

Theatre graduates of Drew University earn a median $38,562 four years after graduating and $13,710 one year after. The U.S. median for Theatre graduates across 251 colleges is $40,085.

How much debt do Drew University Theatre graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Theatre graduates of Drew University is $27,000, about 70% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.

Is Drew University a good school for Theatre in New Jersey?

On pay, Theatre graduates of Drew University earn $38,562 four years out, $360 below the median for the same major across 10 New Jersey colleges ($38,922) and $1,523 below the U.S. median ($40,085). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does Drew University rank for Theatre in New Jersey?

Of 10 New Jersey colleges reporting Theatre graduate earnings, Drew University ranks 7th. The highest is Ramapo College of New Jersey at $44,565.

What jobs do Theatre graduates get?

A common career is producers and directors, with a median wage of $108,460 in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 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: “Drew University Theatre: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/drew-university/majors/theatre (College Scorecard and BLS data).