Theater & Drama Degree in Cincinnati, OH — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Cincinnati, OH. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$41K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$51K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
19.6 yrs
in Cincinnati
Cost of Living
102
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Cincinnati, OH Overview
Cincinnati is one of Ohio's top college towns, with 28 institutions and a student population of 32,655. Public tuition averages $12,226/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 Cincinnati is approximately $40,800.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
28
Public Tuition
$12,226/yr
Private Tuition
$43,040/yr
Room & Board
$12,772/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,666/yr
Unemployment
3.1%
Graduation Rate
70%
Theater & Drama Salary in Cincinnati (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Cincinnati's cost of living index of 102 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Cincinnati adjustment factor: 1.02x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Cincinnati
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Cincinnati tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,226 | Private avg: $43,040
Cincinnati avg aid: $12,666/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$99,992
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$5,100
vs HS diploma in Cincinnati
ROI Payback Period
19.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Cincinnati
$-18,392
Lifetime earnings premium ($81,600) minus total education cost ($99,992)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Cincinnati
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Cincinnati for Theater & Drama
University of Cincinnati
public
$12,226/yr
$48,904 total
Xavier University
private
$43,040/yr
$172,160 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
$5,004/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Cincinnati
Cincinnati offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Cincinnati Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Ohio Cities
Columbus, OH
$41K starting · COL 103
31 colleges
Cleveland, OH
$38K starting · COL 96
20 colleges
Toledo, OH
$43K starting · COL 108
16 colleges
Akron, OH
$42K starting · COL 105
5 colleges
Dayton, OH
$42K starting · COL 104
9 colleges
Parma, OH
$36K starting · COL 90
4 colleges
Canton, OH
$34K starting · COL 84
4 colleges
Lorain, OH
$34K starting · COL 85.2
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Cincinnati
Chinese Studies
$56K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$51K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$45K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$51K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$43K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$45K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$51K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$43K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Cincinnati — 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 Cincinnati.