U.S. median for this major: $40,085.
College Scorecard field of study
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 41% 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 $31,735. College Scorecard.
Theatre at Virginia colleges
Every Virginia 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 | Radford University | $46,725 | $25,000 | $14,578 | 49% |
| 2 | George Mason University | $45,656 | $27,000 | $17,915 | 68% |
| 3 | James Madison University | $45,225 | $18,500 | $23,322 | 80% |
| 4 | Virginia Commonwealth University | $43,957 | $21,875 | $23,433 | 63% |
| 5 | Shenandoah University | $40,457 | $27,000 | $30,298 | 67% |
| 6 | Old Dominion University | $38,537 | $25,500 | $14,638 | 46% |
27 more Virginia 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 JMU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About JMU
- Acceptance rate: 72% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 80% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $69,954
- Full cost breakdown · all 49 majors · overview
Related majors at JMU
- Music$51,882
- Studio Art$54,093
JMU Theatre questions
How much do JMU Theatre graduates earn?
Theatre graduates of James Madison University earn a median $45,225 four years after graduating and $24,306 one year after. The U.S. median for Theatre graduates across 251 colleges is $40,085.
How much debt do JMU Theatre graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Theatre graduates of James Madison University is $18,500, about 41% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Where does JMU rank for Theatre in Virginia?
Of 6 Virginia colleges reporting Theatre graduate earnings, James Madison University ranks 3rd. The highest is Radford University at $46,725.
What jobs do Theatre graduates get?
A common career is producers and directors, with a median wage of $60,830 in the Harrisonburg, VA 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: “James Madison University Theatre: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/james-madison-university/majors/theatre (College Scorecard and BLS data).