U.S. median for this major: $40,085.
College Scorecard field of study; 36 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 53% 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 $28,801. College Scorecard.
IUB 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 IUB'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 | $6,324 | $26,181 | 4.5 years |
| $30–48k | $7,610 | $31,505 | 5.4 years |
| $48–75k | $12,154 | $50,318 | 8.7 years |
| $75–110k | $20,204 | $83,645 | 14.4 years |
| $110k+ | $25,128 | $104,030 | 18.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (72% 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 ($41,328) minus $35,534 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $5,794 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 IUB, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About IUB
- Acceptance rate: 78% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 80% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,742
- Full cost breakdown · all 76 majors · overview
Related majors at IUB
- Music$28,727
- Studio Art$43,816
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$54,630
- Dance—
- Arts and Entertainment Management$60,046
- Film and Photography—
IUB Theatre questions
How much do IUB Theatre graduates earn?
Theatre graduates of Indiana University-Bloomington earn a median $41,328 four years after graduating and $20,815 one year after. The U.S. median for Theatre graduates across 251 colleges is $40,085.
How much debt do IUB Theatre graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Theatre graduates of Indiana University-Bloomington is $22,000, about 53% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is IUB a good school for Theatre in Indiana?
On pay, Theatre graduates of Indiana University-Bloomington earn $41,328 four years out, $1,754 below the median for the same major across 5 Indiana colleges ($43,082) and $1,243 above the U.S. median ($40,085). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does IUB rank for Theatre in Indiana?
Of 5 Indiana colleges reporting Theatre graduate earnings, Indiana University-Bloomington ranks 4th. 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 $55,370 in the Bloomington, IN area and $90,360 nationally. Others include writers and authors and fashion designers.
Is IUB the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing IUB with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
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: “Indiana University-Bloomington Theatre: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/indiana-university-bloomington/majors/theatre (College Scorecard and BLS data).