U.S. median for this major: $40,085.
College Scorecard field of study; 22 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 55% 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 $24,279. College Scorecard.
SUNY Buffalo State University 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 SUNY Buffalo State University'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 | $7,405 | $32,360 | 6.2 years |
| $30–48k | $9,393 | $41,047 | 7.8 years |
| $48–75k | $14,706 | $64,265 | 12.3 years |
| $75–110k | $17,155 | $74,967 | 14.3 years |
| $110k+ | $19,332 | $84,481 | 16.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (25% 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 ($39,863) minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $5,230 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 York colleges
Every New York 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 | Manhattanville University | $48,629 | — | $20,991 | 58% |
| 2 | Binghamton University | $47,945 | $20,500 | $21,620 | 82% |
| 3 | Ithaca College | $46,563 | $26,000 | $33,926 | 76% |
| 4 | Fordham University | $46,317 | $27,000 | $44,338 | 82% |
| 5 | University at Buffalo | $45,677 | $26,637 | $20,995 | 75% |
| 6 | Hofstra University | $44,388 | $26,000 | $34,176 | 69% |
| 7 | Syracuse University | $44,045 | $27,000 | $38,793 | 84% |
| 8 | Long Island University | $43,904 | $26,000 | $33,062 | 57% |
| 9 | New York University | $42,348 | $21,762 | $37,050 | 88% |
| 10 | CUNY New York City College of Technology | $41,880 | $6,000 | $5,127 | 21% |
| 11 | CUNY Brooklyn College | $41,233 | — | $3,103 | 54% |
| 12 | Skidmore College | $40,351 | — | $32,297 | 83% |
| 13 | Vassar College | $40,165 | $20,000 | $39,343 | 91% |
| 14 | Marymount Manhattan College | $40,086 | $27,000 | $36,861 | 49% |
| 15 | SUNY at Purchase College | $39,974 | $26,000 | $18,913 | 63% |
| 16 | SUNY Buffalo State University | $39,863 | $21,810 | $11,346 | 33% |
| 17 | SUNY at Fredonia | $39,770 | $27,000 | $15,897 | 50% |
| 18 | Wagner College | $39,664 | $27,000 | $28,241 | 65% |
| 19 | State University of New York at New Paltz | $39,521 | $23,453 | $18,809 | 72% |
| 20 | The New School | $39,248 | $25,000 | $58,741 | 69% |
| 21 | Adelphi University | $37,630 | $24,125 | $30,783 | 67% |
| 22 | Pace University | $37,213 | $27,000 | $30,892 | 60% |
| 23 | Nazareth University | $36,117 | $27,000 | $29,357 | 73% |
| 24 | Molloy University | $34,822 | $27,000 | $24,347 | 70% |
| 25 | Le Moyne College | $34,283 | — | $22,277 | 73% |
| 26 | SUNY College at Potsdam | $33,581 | $26,208 | $13,624 | 45% |
| 27 | CUNY City College | $32,769 | $17,739 | $3,776 | 57% |
| 28 | American Musical and Dramatic Academybachelor's & associate | $32,008 | $27,000 | $41,416 | 72% |
| 29 | CUNY Queens College | $31,239 | — | $4,195 | 53% |
29 more New York 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 SUNY Buffalo State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About SUNY Buffalo State University
- Acceptance rate: 73% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 33% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $52,334
- Full cost breakdown · all 69 majors · overview
Related majors at SUNY Buffalo State University
- Music—
- Studio Art$45,222
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Film and Photography—
SUNY Buffalo State University Theatre questions
How much do SUNY Buffalo State University Theatre graduates earn?
Theatre graduates of SUNY Buffalo State University earn a median $39,863 four years after graduating and $19,608 one year after. The U.S. median for Theatre graduates across 251 colleges is $40,085.
How much debt do SUNY Buffalo State University Theatre graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Theatre graduates of SUNY Buffalo State University is $21,810, about 55% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is SUNY Buffalo State University a good school for Theatre in New York?
On pay, Theatre graduates of SUNY Buffalo State University earn $39,863 four years out, $111 below the median for the same major across 29 New York colleges ($39,974) and $222 below the U.S. median ($40,085). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does SUNY Buffalo State University rank for Theatre in New York?
Of 29 New York colleges reporting Theatre graduate earnings, SUNY Buffalo State University ranks 16th. The highest is Manhattanville University at $48,629.
What jobs do Theatre graduates get?
A common career is producers and directors, with a median wage of $79,450 in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY 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: “SUNY Buffalo State University Theatre: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/suny-buffalo-state-university/majors/theatre (College Scorecard and BLS data).