Theater & Drama Degree in Amarillo, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Amarillo, TX. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$43K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$54K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
13.5 yrs
in Amarillo
Cost of Living
108
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Amarillo, TX Overview
Amarillo, Texas (pop. 200,393) has 14 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 108 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,096/month. Although national enrollment in Theater & Drama has been declining, graduates with skills in Acting and Directing remain competitive in the job market. The adjusted starting salary in Amarillo is approximately $43,200.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
14
Public Tuition
$9,030/yr
Private Tuition
$43,100/yr
Room & Board
$9,166/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,360/yr
Unemployment
4.7%
Graduation Rate
66%
Theater & Drama Salary in Amarillo (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Amarillo's cost of living index of 108 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Amarillo adjustment factor: 1.08x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Amarillo
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Amarillo tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,030 | Private avg: $43,100
Amarillo avg aid: $15,360/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$72,784
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$5,400
vs HS diploma in Amarillo
ROI Payback Period
13.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Amarillo
$13,616
Lifetime earnings premium ($86,400) minus total education cost ($72,784)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Amarillo
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Amarillo for Theater & Drama
West Texas A&M University
public
$9,030/yr
$36,120 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Amarillo College
$2,604/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Amarillo
Amarillo offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Amarillo Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Texas Cities
Houston, TX
$46K starting · COL 115
90 colleges
San Antonio, TX
$48K starting · COL 120
58 colleges
Dallas, TX
$42K starting · COL 104
82 colleges
Austin, TX
$43K starting · COL 107
30 colleges
Fort Worth, TX
$40K starting · COL 101
19 colleges
El Paso, TX
$37K starting · COL 93
38 colleges
Arlington, TX
$37K starting · COL 93.5
14 colleges
Corpus Christi, TX
$33K starting · COL 82
22 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Amarillo
Chinese Studies
$59K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$54K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$48K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$54K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$45K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$48K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classical Studies
$49K starting · 6 yr ROI
Classics
$54K starting · 8 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Amarillo — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Theater & Drama ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Amarillo.