U.S. median for this major: $40,085.
College Scorecard field of study; 21 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 78% 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 $53,580. College Scorecard.
ONU 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 ONU'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 | $18,525 | $77,435 | no earnings gain |
| $30–48k | $19,223 | $80,352 | no earnings gain |
| $48–75k | $22,336 | $93,364 | no earnings gain |
| $75–110k | $25,605 | $107,029 | no earnings gain |
| $110k+ | $27,710 | $115,828 | no earnings gain |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (59% 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 ($34,445) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OH (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 Ohio colleges
Every Ohio 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 | Miami University-Oxford | $54,215 | — | $28,384 | 80% |
| 2 | University of Cincinnati | $54,000 | $25,980 | $25,648 | 75% |
| 3 | Ohio University-Eastern Campus | $42,796 | $22,750 | $3,925 | 21% |
| 4 | Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus | $42,796 | $22,750 | $5,755 | 14% |
| 5 | Ohio University-Southern Campusbachelor's & associate | $42,796 | $22,750 | $5,993 | 21% |
| 6 | Ohio University-Lancaster Campusbachelor's & associate | $42,796 | $22,750 | $5,650 | 14% |
| 7 | Ohio University | $42,796 | $22,750 | $21,637 | 65% |
| 8 | Ohio University-Zanesville Campus | $42,796 | $22,750 | $5,746 | 22% |
| 9 | Otterbein University | $38,023 | $26,822 | $19,237 | 68% |
| 10 | Ohio State University-Lima Campus | $37,445 | $25,250 | $12,940 | 23% |
| 11 | Ohio State University | $37,445 | $25,250 | $17,339 | 88% |
| 12 | Bowling Green State University | $37,094 | $25,250 | $24,022 | 64% |
| 13 | Kent State University at Trumbullmostly 2-year | $36,429 | $26,000 | $11,135 | 32% |
| 14 | Kent State University at Kent | $36,429 | $26,000 | $20,787 | 64% |
| 15 | Baldwin Wallace University | $36,251 | $27,000 | $27,603 | 67% |
| 16 | Cleveland State University | $36,174 | $26,250 | $14,764 | 51% |
| 17 | Wright State University | $35,148 | $26,000 | $15,415 | 42% |
| 18 | Ohio Northern University | $34,445 | $27,000 | $24,478 | 75% |
| 19 | University of Toledo | $30,451 | — | $17,249 | 57% |
23 more Ohio 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 ONU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About ONU
- Acceptance rate: 74% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $80,928
- Full cost breakdown · all 51 majors · overview
Related majors at ONU
- Music—
- Studio Art—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
ONU Theatre questions
How much do ONU Theatre graduates earn?
Theatre graduates of Ohio Northern University earn a median $34,445 four years after graduating and $19,167 one year after. The U.S. median for Theatre graduates across 251 colleges is $40,085.
How much debt do ONU Theatre graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Theatre graduates of Ohio Northern University is $27,000, about 78% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is ONU a good school for Theatre in Ohio?
On pay, Theatre graduates of Ohio Northern University earn $34,445 four years out, $3,000 below the median for the same major across 19 Ohio colleges ($37,445) and $5,640 below the U.S. median ($40,085). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does ONU rank for Theatre in Ohio?
Of 19 Ohio colleges reporting Theatre graduate earnings, Ohio Northern University ranks 18th; among the 16 that mostly award bachelor's degrees it ranks 15th. The highest is Miami University-Oxford at $54,215.
What jobs do Theatre graduates get?
A common career is producers and directors, with a median wage of $69,350 in Ohio 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: “Ohio Northern University Theatre: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/ohio-northern-university/majors/theatre (College Scorecard and BLS data).