U.S. median for this major: $40,085.
College Scorecard field of study; 48 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 68% 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 $22,756. College Scorecard.
UWM 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 UWM'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 | $10,329 | $46,894 | more than 20 years |
| $30–48k | $10,709 | $48,619 | more than 20 years |
| $48–75k | $12,344 | $56,042 | more than 20 years |
| $75–110k | $19,315 | $87,690 | more than 20 years |
| $110k+ | $21,477 | $97,506 | more than 20 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (28% 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 ($39,452) minus $37,564 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $1,888 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 Wisconsin colleges
Every Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin-Whitewater | $39,521 | $29,776 | $14,158 | 59% |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | $39,452 | $27,000 | $15,014 | 49% |
| 3 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | $37,507 | $26,000 | $14,559 | 51% |
| 4 | University of Wisconsin-Parkside | $37,110 | $27,000 | $11,772 | 40% |
| 5 | Viterbo University | $31,051 | $26,906 | $21,260 | 68% |
16 more Wisconsin 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 UWM, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About UWM
- Acceptance rate: 91% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 49% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $54,990
- Full cost breakdown · all 89 majors · overview
Related majors at UWM
- Music$37,616
- Studio Art$44,788
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Dance$29,695
- Film and Photography$44,232
UWM Theatre questions
How much do UWM Theatre graduates earn?
Theatre graduates of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee earn a median $39,452 four years after graduating and $20,455 one year after. The U.S. median for Theatre graduates across 251 colleges is $40,085.
How much debt do UWM Theatre graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Theatre graduates of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is $27,000, about 68% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is UWM a good school for Theatre in Wisconsin?
On pay, Theatre graduates of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee earn $39,452 four years out, $1,945 above the median for the same major across 5 Wisconsin colleges ($37,507) and $633 below the U.S. median ($40,085). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does UWM rank for Theatre in Wisconsin?
Of 5 Wisconsin colleges reporting Theatre graduate earnings, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee ranks 2nd. The highest is University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at $39,521.
What jobs do Theatre graduates get?
A common career is producers and directors, with a median wage of $63,320 in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI area and $90,360 nationally. Others include writers and authors and fashion designers.
Is UWM the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing UWM 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 Wisconsin-Milwaukee Theatre: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-milwaukee/majors/theatre (College Scorecard and BLS data).