U.S. median for this major: $40,085.
College Scorecard field of study; 25 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 59% 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 $28,329. College Scorecard.
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale 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 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale'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 | $9,415 | $40,673 | 9.9 years |
| $30–48k | $8,497 | $36,707 | 8.9 years |
| $48–75k | $10,308 | $44,531 | 10.8 years |
| $75–110k | $17,724 | $76,568 | 18.5 years |
| $110k+ | $23,254 | $100,457 | more than 20 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (40% 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 ($39,926) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $4,129 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 Illinois colleges
Every Illinois 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 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $49,323 | $20,500 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 2 | Northwestern University | $49,316 | $17,000 | $29,167 | 95% |
| 3 | North Central College | $46,605 | $21,000 | $21,044 | 64% |
| 4 | DePaul University | $44,095 | $26,348 | $30,902 | 68% |
| 5 | Loyola University Chicago | $42,195 | $22,625 | $36,079 | 73% |
| 6 | Illinois State University | $40,258 | $24,246 | $19,398 | 65% |
| 7 | Columbia College Chicago | $39,986 | $26,977 | $26,598 | 52% |
| 8 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $39,926 | $23,500 | $13,297 | 62% |
| 9 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $39,698 | $26,010 | $14,889 | 57% |
| 10 | Millikin University | $38,666 | $27,000 | $21,989 | 55% |
| 11 | Roosevelt University | $37,748 | $26,000 | $20,194 | 35% |
| 12 | University of Illinois Chicago | $36,792 | $21,238 | $10,974 | 62% |
| 13 | Northern Illinois University | $36,777 | $27,000 | $13,391 | 49% |
| 14 | Illinois Wesleyan University | $31,172 | $27,000 | $28,199 | 75% |
23 more Illinois 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 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
- Acceptance rate: 87% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 62% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $53,390
- Full cost breakdown · all 93 majors · overview
Related majors at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
- Music—
- Studio Art$44,902
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$61,493
- Film and Photography$40,592
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Theatre questions
How much do Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Theatre graduates earn?
Theatre graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale earn a median $39,926 four years after graduating and $27,004 one year after. The U.S. median for Theatre graduates across 251 colleges is $40,085.
How much debt do Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Theatre graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Theatre graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale is $23,500, about 59% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale a good school for Theatre in Illinois?
On pay, Theatre graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale earn $39,926 four years out, $30 below the median for the same major across 14 Illinois colleges ($39,956) and $159 below the U.S. median ($40,085). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Southern Illinois University-Carbondale rank for Theatre in Illinois?
Of 14 Illinois colleges reporting Theatre graduate earnings, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale ranks 8th. The highest is University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign at $49,323.
What jobs do Theatre graduates get?
A common career is producers and directors, with a median wage of $81,080 in Illinois 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: “Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Theatre: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southern-illinois-university-carbondale/majors/theatre (College Scorecard and BLS data).