Theater & Drama Degree in Baton Rouge, LA — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Baton Rouge, LA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$33K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$41K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
22.9 yrs
in Baton Rouge
Cost of Living
82
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Baton Rouge, LA Overview
Baton Rouge, Louisiana (pop. 227,470) has 16 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 82 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $871/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 Baton Rouge is approximately $32,800.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
16
Public Tuition
$9,889/yr
Private Tuition
$38,908/yr
Room & Board
$13,546/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,166/yr
Unemployment
5.6%
Graduation Rate
68%
Theater & Drama Salary in Baton Rouge (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Baton Rouge's cost of living index of 82 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Baton Rouge adjustment factor: 0.82x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Baton Rouge
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Baton Rouge tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,889 | Private avg: $38,908
Baton Rouge avg aid: $9,166/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$93,740
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,100
vs HS diploma in Baton Rouge
ROI Payback Period
22.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Baton Rouge
$-28,140
Lifetime earnings premium ($65,600) minus total education cost ($93,740)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Baton Rouge
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Baton Rouge for Theater & Drama
Louisiana State University
public
$11,962/yr
$47,848 total
Southern University
public
$7,816/yr
$31,264 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Baton Rouge Community College
$4,236/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Baton Rouge Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Louisiana Cities
New Orleans, LA
$36K starting · COL 90
23 colleges
Shreveport, LA
$40K starting · COL 99
14 colleges
Metairie, LA
$36K starting · COL 89.4
6 colleges
Lafayette, LA
$42K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Lake Charles, LA
$32K starting · COL 80
6 colleges
Bossier City, LA
$35K starting · COL 87.8
3 colleges
Kenner, LA
$37K starting · COL 92.5
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Baton Rouge
Chinese Studies
$45K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$41K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$36K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$41K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$34K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$36K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$41K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$34K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Baton Rouge — 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 Baton Rouge.