U.S. median for this major: $40,085.
College Scorecard field of study; 20 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 67% 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 $85,606. College Scorecard.
SMU 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 SMU'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 | $23,544 | $96,530 | more than 20 years |
| $30–48k | $20,038 | $82,156 | more than 20 years |
| $48–75k | $24,152 | $99,023 | more than 20 years |
| $75–110k | $33,477 | $137,256 | more than 20 years |
| $110k+ | $58,213 | $238,673 | more than 20 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (76% 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 ($35,844) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TX (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $2,328 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 Texas colleges
Every Texas 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 | The University of Texas at Austin | $48,781 | $26,000 | $19,857 | 89% |
| 2 | Texas State University | $48,502 | $21,500 | $16,805 | 55% |
| 3 | Saint Edward's University | $47,974 | $26,000 | $25,578 | 63% |
| 4 | West Texas A & M University | $47,175 | $22,328 | $19,487 | 55% |
| 5 | Baylor University | $45,706 | $24,130 | $41,104 | 80% |
| 6 | Texas Christian University | $42,483 | $27,000 | $36,660 | 86% |
| 7 | University of North Texas | $42,362 | $25,000 | $15,649 | 61% |
| 8 | University of Houston | $42,301 | — | $14,276 | 65% |
| 9 | Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | $41,773 | $22,658 | $15,225 | 40% |
| 10 | University of the Incarnate Word | $41,720 | — | $22,775 | 51% |
| 11 | Stephen F Austin State University | $41,450 | $26,000 | $14,260 | 53% |
| 12 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | $38,865 | $16,001 | $4,831 | 51% |
| 13 | The University of Texas at Arlington | $36,457 | $27,000 | $13,951 | 54% |
| 14 | Sam Houston State University | $36,389 | $22,250 | $16,404 | 55% |
| 15 | Southern Methodist University | $35,844 | $24,000 | $40,892 | 84% |
| 16 | Texas Tech University | $30,074 | $26,500 | $19,070 | 69% |
26 more Texas 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 SMU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About SMU
- Acceptance rate: 63% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 84% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $78,354
- Full cost breakdown · all 69 majors · overview
Related majors at SMU
- Music—
- Studio Art—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Dance—
- Arts and Entertainment Management—
- Film and Photography—
SMU Theatre questions
How much do SMU Theatre graduates earn?
Theatre graduates of Southern Methodist University earn a median $35,844 four years after graduating and $23,831 one year after. The U.S. median for Theatre graduates across 251 colleges is $40,085.
How much debt do SMU Theatre graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Theatre graduates of Southern Methodist University is $24,000, about 67% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is SMU a good school for Theatre in Texas?
On pay, Theatre graduates of Southern Methodist University earn $35,844 four years out, $6,193 below the median for the same major across 16 Texas colleges ($42,037) and $4,241 below the U.S. median ($40,085). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does SMU rank for Theatre in Texas?
Of 16 Texas colleges reporting Theatre graduate earnings, Southern Methodist University ranks 15th. The highest is The University of Texas at Austin at $48,781.
What jobs do Theatre graduates get?
A common career is producers and directors, with a median wage of $77,260 in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 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: “Southern Methodist University Theatre: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southern-methodist-university/majors/theatre (College Scorecard and BLS data).