Theater & Drama Degree in Arlington, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Arlington, TX. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$37K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$47K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
21.8 yrs
in Arlington
Cost of Living
93.5
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Arlington, TX Overview
Arlington, Texas (pop. 394,266) has 14 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 93.5 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $795/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 Arlington is approximately $37,400.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
14
Public Tuition
$10,900/yr
Private Tuition
$36,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,627/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,822/yr
Unemployment
3.3%
Graduation Rate
51%
Theater & Drama Salary in Arlington (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Arlington's cost of living index of 93.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Arlington adjustment factor: 0.94x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Arlington
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Arlington tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,900 | Private avg: $36,000
Arlington avg aid: $14,822/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$102,108
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,675
vs HS diploma in Arlington
ROI Payback Period
21.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Arlington
$-27,308
Lifetime earnings premium ($74,800) minus total education cost ($102,108)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Arlington
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Arlington for Theater & Drama
Arlington State University
public
$11,254/yr
$45,016 total
University of Arlington
public
$12,320/yr
$49,280 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Arlington Community College
$5,331/yr
Texas Technical College - Arlington
$5,252/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Arlington
Arlington offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Arlington 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
Corpus Christi, TX
$33K starting · COL 82
22 colleges
Plano, TX
$34K starting · COL 85
9 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Arlington
Chinese Studies
$51K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$47K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$41K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$47K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$39K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$41K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$47K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$39K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Arlington — 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 Arlington.