Theater & Drama Degree in Cleveland, OH — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Cleveland, OH. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$38K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$48K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
18.1 yrs
in Cleveland
Cost of Living
96
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Cleveland, OH Overview
Cleveland, Ohio (pop. 372,624) has 20 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 96 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,156/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 Cleveland is approximately $38,400.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
20
Public Tuition
$11,270/yr
Private Tuition
$49,395/yr
Room & Board
$10,394/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,310/yr
Unemployment
6%
Graduation Rate
69%
Theater & Drama Salary in Cleveland (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Cleveland's cost of living index of 96 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Cleveland adjustment factor: 0.96x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Cleveland
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Cleveland tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,270 | Private avg: $49,395
Cleveland avg aid: $7,310/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$86,656
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,800
vs HS diploma in Cleveland
ROI Payback Period
18.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Cleveland
$-9,856
Lifetime earnings premium ($76,800) minus total education cost ($86,656)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Cleveland
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Cleveland for Theater & Drama
Case Western Reserve University
private
$56,480/yr
$225,920 total
Cleveland State University
public
$11,270/yr
$45,080 total
John Carroll University
private
$42,310/yr
$169,240 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Cuyahoga Community College
$4,344/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Cleveland
Cleveland offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Cleveland 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
Cincinnati, OH
$41K starting · COL 102
28 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 Cleveland
Chinese Studies
$53K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$48K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$42K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$48K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$40K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$42K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$48K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$40K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Cleveland — 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 Cleveland.