Theater & Drama Degree in Chicago, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Chicago, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$44K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$55K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
17.6 yrs
in Chicago
Cost of Living
109
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Chicago, IL Overview
Chicago is one of Illinois's top college towns, with 98 institutions and a student population of 177,322. Public tuition averages $14,816/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 Chicago is approximately $43,600.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
98
Public Tuition
$14,816/yr
Private Tuition
$62,666/yr
Room & Board
$9,117/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$16,009/yr
Unemployment
4%
Graduation Rate
63%
Theater & Drama Salary in Chicago (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Chicago's cost of living index of 109 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Chicago adjustment factor: 1.09x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Chicago
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Chicago tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,816 | Private avg: $62,666
Chicago avg aid: $16,009/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$95,732
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$5,450
vs HS diploma in Chicago
ROI Payback Period
17.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Chicago
$-8,532
Lifetime earnings premium ($87,200) minus total education cost ($95,732)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Chicago
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Chicago for Theater & Drama
University of Chicago
private
$62,940/yr
$251,760 total
Northwestern University
private
$62,391/yr
$249,564 total
University of Illinois at Chicago
public
$14,816/yr
$59,264 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
City Colleges of Chicago
$3,918/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Chicago
Chicago offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Chicago Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Illinois Cities
Aurora, IL
$37K starting · COL 92.8
7 colleges
Joliet, IL
$43K starting · COL 108
12 colleges
Naperville, IL
$41K starting · COL 102
13 colleges
Rockford, IL
$36K starting · COL 90
8 colleges
Elgin, IL
$32K starting · COL 79
13 colleges
Springfield, IL
$37K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Peoria, IL
$42K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Waukegan, IL
$36K starting · COL 90.3
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Chicago
Chinese Studies
$60K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$55K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$48K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$55K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$46K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$48K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$55K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$46K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Chicago — 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 Chicago.