U.S. median for this major: $40,085.
College Scorecard field of study; 69 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 54% 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 $35,654. College Scorecard.
Rutgers University-Newark 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 Rutgers University-Newark'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 | $16,420 | $73,069 | 12.1 years |
| $30–48k | $16,338 | $72,704 | 12.0 years |
| $48–75k | $17,806 | $79,237 | 13.1 years |
| $75–110k | $22,867 | $101,758 | 16.8 years |
| $110k+ | $33,018 | $146,930 | more than 20 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (42% 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 ($42,712) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NJ (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $6,051 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.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ramapo College of New Jersey | $44,565 | $20,620 | $18,173 | 70% |
| 2 | Rutgers University-Camden | $42,712 | $23,000 | $18,745 | 67% |
| 3 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | $42,712 | $23,000 | $24,406 | 84% |
| 4 | Rutgers University-Newark | $42,712 | $23,000 | $19,703 | 64% |
| 5 | Montclair State University | $39,248 | $25,022 | $15,566 | 65% |
| 6 | Rowan University | $38,597 | $25,000 | $22,408 | 67% |
| 7 | Drew University | $38,562 | $27,000 | $24,280 | 70% |
| 8 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | $33,749 | $25,139 | $15,404 | 53% |
| 9 | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus | $33,749 | $25,139 | $22,829 | 67% |
| 10 | Kean University | $32,107 | $27,000 | $12,447 | 47% |
5 more New Jersey 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 Rutgers University-Newark, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Rutgers University-Newark
- Acceptance rate: 71% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 64% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $74,479
- Full cost breakdown · all 43 majors · overview
Related majors at Rutgers University-Newark
- Music$56,008
- Studio Art$52,450
- Film and Photography$63,679
Rutgers University-Newark Theatre questions
How much do Rutgers University-Newark Theatre graduates earn?
Theatre graduates of Rutgers University-Newark earn a median $42,712 four years after graduating and $24,770 one year after. The U.S. median for Theatre graduates across 251 colleges is $40,085.
How much debt do Rutgers University-Newark Theatre graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Theatre graduates of Rutgers University-Newark is $23,000, about 54% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is Rutgers University-Newark a good school for Theatre in New Jersey?
On pay, Theatre graduates of Rutgers University-Newark earn $42,712 four years out, $3,790 above the median for the same major across 10 New Jersey colleges ($38,922) and $2,627 above the U.S. median ($40,085). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Rutgers University-Newark rank for Theatre in New Jersey?
Of 10 New Jersey colleges reporting Theatre graduate earnings, Rutgers University-Newark ranks 4th. 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
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Rutgers University-Newark Theatre: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/rutgers-university-newark/majors/theatre (College Scorecard and BLS data).