Theater & Drama Degree in Baltimore, MD — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Baltimore, MD. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$52K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$65K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
20.8 yrs
in Baltimore
Cost of Living
130
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Baltimore, MD Overview
Baltimore is one of Maryland's top college towns, with 22 institutions and a student population of 30,415. Public tuition averages $12,096/year here — near the national average for public universities. 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 Baltimore is approximately $52,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
22
Public Tuition
$12,096/yr
Private Tuition
$56,325/yr
Room & Board
$21,745/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,793/yr
Unemployment
6.3%
Graduation Rate
58%
Theater & Drama Salary in Baltimore (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Baltimore's cost of living index of 130 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Baltimore adjustment factor: 1.30x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Baltimore
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Baltimore tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,096 | Private avg: $56,325
Baltimore avg aid: $8,793/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$135,364
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$6,500
vs HS diploma in Baltimore
ROI Payback Period
20.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Baltimore
$-31,364
Lifetime earnings premium ($104,000) minus total education cost ($135,364)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Baltimore
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Baltimore for Theater & Drama
Johns Hopkins University
private
$60,480/yr
$241,920 total
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
public
$12,096/yr
$48,384 total
Loyola University Maryland
private
$52,170/yr
$208,680 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Baltimore City Community College
$3,768/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Baltimore
Baltimore offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Baltimore Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Maryland Cities
Columbia, MD
$51K starting · COL 127.2
4 colleges
Silver Spring, MD
$49K starting · COL 122.5
4 colleges
Frederick, MD
$45K starting · COL 112.5
4 colleges
Waldorf, MD
$48K starting · COL 120.7
4 colleges
Ellicott City, MD
$46K starting · COL 114.2
3 colleges
Glen Burnie, MD
$44K starting · COL 108.8
3 colleges
Rockville, MD
$51K starting · COL 128.5
3 colleges
Bethesda, MD
$47K starting · COL 116.7
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Baltimore
Chinese Studies
$72K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$65K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$57K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$65K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$55K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$57K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$65K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$55K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Baltimore — 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 Baltimore.