U.S. median for this major: $40,085.
College Scorecard field of study; 35 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 58% 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 $27,521. College Scorecard.
UIC 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 UIC'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 | $7,529 | $33,203 | more than 20 years |
| $30–48k | $8,119 | $35,805 | more than 20 years |
| $48–75k | $10,921 | $48,162 | more than 20 years |
| $75–110k | $16,185 | $71,376 | more than 20 years |
| $110k+ | $25,047 | $110,457 | more than 20 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 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 ($36,792) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $995 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 UIC, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About UIC
- Acceptance rate: 77% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 62% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $68,740
- Full cost breakdown · all 69 majors · overview
Related majors at UIC
- Music—
- Studio Art$41,924
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$59,188
- Arts and Entertainment Management—
UIC Theatre questions
How much do UIC Theatre graduates earn?
Theatre graduates of University of Illinois Chicago earn a median $36,792 four years after graduating and $14,938 one year after. The U.S. median for Theatre graduates across 251 colleges is $40,085.
How much debt do UIC Theatre graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Theatre graduates of University of Illinois Chicago is $21,238, about 58% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is UIC a good school for Theatre in Illinois?
On pay, Theatre graduates of University of Illinois Chicago earn $36,792 four years out, $3,164 below the median for the same major across 14 Illinois colleges ($39,956) and $3,293 below the U.S. median ($40,085). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does UIC rank for Theatre in Illinois?
Of 14 Illinois colleges reporting Theatre graduate earnings, University of Illinois Chicago ranks 12th. 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 $85,040 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN area and $90,360 nationally. Others include writers and authors and fashion designers.
Is UIC the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing UIC with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
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: “University of Illinois Chicago Theatre: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-illinois-chicago/majors/theatre (College Scorecard and BLS data).