St Olaf College Theatre: earnings, debt & careers

Theatre graduates of St Olaf College earn a median $45,023 four years after graduating, with median federal loan debt of $21,000. That is $4,938 above the U.S. median for Theatre graduates ($40,085 across 251 colleges), and ranks 1st of 4 Minnesota colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$45,023

U.S. median for this major: $40,085.

College Scorecard field of study; 17 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
—

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$21,000

About 47% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,000.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$23,874 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $71,843. College Scorecard.

St Olaf College Theatre: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

St Olaf College graduates$45,023
Minnesota median (4 colleges)$42,746 (+$2,277)
U.S. median (251 colleges)$40,085 (+$4,938)

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.

Theatre nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses St Olaf College's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$10,404$42,1366.2 years
$30–48k$11,342$45,9356.7 years
$48–75k$12,584$50,9657.5 years
$75–110k$20,367$82,48612.1 years
$110k+$33,166$134,32219.6 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.0 years, the average time graduates took (79% 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 ($45,023) minus $38,184 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $6,839 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 Minnesota colleges

Every Minnesota college we cover that reports Theatre graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1St Olaf College$45,023$21,000$23,87484%
2University of Minnesota-Twin Cities$43,055$23,250$16,77885%
3University of Minnesota-Duluth$42,438$27,000$18,74365%
4Minnesota State University-Mankato$32,199$24,853$19,13954%

23 more Minnesota colleges offer Theatre but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Theatre graduates

Producers and Directors

Minnesota$76,360
U.S.$90,360

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +4.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Writers and Authors

Minnesota$72,810
U.S.$76,910

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.3% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Fashion Designers

Minnesota$42,110
U.S.$80,960

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 St Olaf College, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About St Olaf College

Related majors at St Olaf College

St Olaf College Theatre questions

How much do St Olaf College Theatre graduates earn?

Theatre graduates of St Olaf College earn a median $45,023 four years after graduating. The U.S. median for Theatre graduates across 251 colleges is $40,085.

How much debt do St Olaf College Theatre graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Theatre graduates of St Olaf College is $21,000, about 47% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.

Is St Olaf College a good school for Theatre in Minnesota?

On pay, Theatre graduates of St Olaf College earn $45,023 four years out, $2,277 above the median for the same major across 4 Minnesota colleges ($42,746) and $4,938 above the U.S. median ($40,085). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does St Olaf College rank for Theatre in Minnesota?

Of 4 Minnesota colleges reporting Theatre graduate earnings, St Olaf College ranks 1st, the highest.

What jobs do Theatre graduates get?

A common career is producers and directors, with a median wage of $76,360 in Minnesota and $90,360 nationally. Others include writers and authors and fashion designers.

Is St Olaf College the right fit for your family?

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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
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Cite this: “St Olaf College Theatre: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/st-olaf-college/majors/theatre (College Scorecard and BLS data).