# Western Michigan University: Theatre (bachelor's)

Kalamazoo, MI. IPEDS 172699, CIP 50.05. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-michigan-university/majors/theatre

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $21,585
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $44,694 (U.S. median for this major: $40,085 across 251 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $26,950 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in MI: 2 of 7 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the MI median for this major (7 colleges, $42,820): +$1,874
- Versus the U.S. median: +$4,609

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.61 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $44,694 minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $5,263 | $24,262 | 2.2 years |
| 30-48k | $5,734 | $26,434 | 2.3 years |
| 48-75k | $13,833 | $63,770 | 5.7 years |
| 75-110k | $18,307 | $84,395 | 7.5 years |
| 110k+ | $23,625 | $108,911 | 9.7 years |

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

## Theatre at MI colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $45,888 | $20,798 | $13,138 | 93% |
| Western Michigan University | $44,694 | $26,950 | $15,273 | 58% |
| Central Michigan University | $43,916 | $28,000 | $17,597 | 59% |
| Michigan State University | $42,820 | $22,250 | $19,680 | 81% |
| Oakland University | $39,442 | $26,678 | $9,120 | 58% |
| Eastern Michigan University | $36,621 | $27,492 | $15,407 | 46% |
| Wayne State University | $32,525 | $24,847 | $12,766 | 58% |

## Careers
- Producers and Directors (SOC 27-2012): median wage $61,030 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, $65,720 MI, $90,360 U.S.; U.S. jobs 4% by 2035
- Writers and Authors (SOC 27-3043): median wage not reported Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, $63,090 MI, $76,910 U.S.; U.S. jobs -0.3% by 2035
- Fashion Designers (SOC 27-1022): median wage $80,150 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, $63,430 MI, $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).