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 88% 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 $28,596. College Scorecard.
University of Iowa 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 University of Iowa'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 | $15,316 | $64,940 | no earnings gain |
| $30–48k | $15,489 | $65,673 | no earnings gain |
| $48–75k | $19,930 | $84,503 | no earnings gain |
| $75–110k | $23,811 | $100,959 | no earnings gain |
| $110k+ | $26,266 | $111,368 | no earnings gain |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (57% 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 ($30,231) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024). 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 Iowa colleges
Every Iowa 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 | Drake University | $54,950 | — | $29,127 | 74% |
| 2 | University of Northern Iowa | $39,816 | $24,875 | $15,901 | 68% |
| 3 | University of Iowa | $30,231 | $26,622 | $22,531 | 75% |
17 more Iowa 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 University of Iowa, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Iowa
- Acceptance rate: 84% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $64,762
- Full cost breakdown · all 79 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Iowa
- Music$50,180
- Studio Art$43,192
- Dance$60,188
- Film and Photography$47,892
University of Iowa Theatre questions
How much do University of Iowa Theatre graduates earn?
Theatre graduates of University of Iowa earn a median $30,231 four years after graduating and $22,225 one year after. The U.S. median for Theatre graduates across 251 colleges is $40,085.
How much debt do University of Iowa Theatre graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Theatre graduates of University of Iowa is $26,622, about 88% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is University of Iowa a good school for Theatre in Iowa?
On pay, Theatre graduates of University of Iowa earn $30,231 four years out, $9,585 below the median for the same major across 3 Iowa colleges ($39,816) and $9,854 below the U.S. median ($40,085). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Iowa rank for Theatre in Iowa?
Of 3 Iowa colleges reporting Theatre graduate earnings, University of Iowa ranks 3rd. The highest is Drake University at $54,950.
What jobs do Theatre graduates get?
A common career is producers and directors, with a median wage of $63,090 in the Iowa City, IA 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: “University of Iowa Theatre: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-iowa/majors/theatre (College Scorecard and BLS data).