Theater & Drama Degree in Columbia, MD — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Columbia, MD. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$51K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$64K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
16.3 yrs
in Columbia
Cost of Living
127.2
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Columbia, MD Overview
While Columbia has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Theater & Drama students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $15,096/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. 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 Columbia is approximately $50,880.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,800/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,096/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,277/yr
Unemployment
3.6%
Graduation Rate
68%
Theater & Drama Salary in Columbia (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Columbia's cost of living index of 127.2 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Columbia adjustment factor: 1.27x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Columbia
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Columbia tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,800 | Private avg: $42,000
Columbia avg aid: $11,277/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$103,584
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$6,360
vs HS diploma in Columbia
ROI Payback Period
16.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Columbia
$-1,824
Lifetime earnings premium ($101,760) minus total education cost ($103,584)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Columbia
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Columbia for Theater & Drama
Columbia State University
public
$10,473/yr
$41,892 total
University of Columbia
public
$12,187/yr
$48,748 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Columbia Community College
$6,406/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Columbia
Columbia offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Columbia Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Maryland Cities
Baltimore, MD
$52K starting · COL 130
22 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 Columbia
Chinese Studies
$70K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$64K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$56K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$64K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$53K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$56K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$64K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$53K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Columbia — 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 Columbia.