# Western Kentucky University: Theatre (bachelor's)

Bowling Green, KY. IPEDS 157951, CIP 50.05. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-kentucky-university/majors/theatre

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $22,884
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $34,987 (U.S. median for this major: $40,085 across 251 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $21,821 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in KY: 3 of 3 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the KY median for this major (3 colleges, $35,624): -$637
- Versus the U.S. median: -$5,098

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.28 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $34,987 minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KY (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $7,087 | $30,332 | more than 20 years |
| 30-48k | $6,871 | $29,408 | 20.0 years |
| 48-75k | $9,765 | $41,794 | more than 20 years |
| 75-110k | $14,049 | $60,130 | more than 20 years |
| 110k+ | $17,653 | $75,555 | more than 20 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Theatre at KY colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Kentucky | $38,475 | $27,000 | $18,851 | 71% |
| Northern Kentucky University | $35,624 | $21,175 | $8,191 | 52% |
| Western Kentucky University | $34,987 | $21,821 | $10,990 | 56% |

## Careers
- Producers and Directors (SOC 27-2012): median wage $48,790 Bowling Green, KY, $54,550 KY, $90,360 U.S.; U.S. jobs 4% by 2035
- Writers and Authors (SOC 27-3043): median wage not reported Bowling Green, KY, $48,780 KY, $76,910 U.S.; U.S. jobs -0.3% by 2035
- Fashion Designers (SOC 27-1022): median wage not reported Bowling Green, KY, not reported KY, $80,960 U.S.; U.S. jobs 0.1% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).