Theater & Drama Degree in Columbus, GA — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Columbus, GA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$34K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$42K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
22.7 yrs
in Columbus
Cost of Living
84.5
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Columbus, GA Overview
Columbus, Georgia (pop. 206,922) has 8 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 84.5 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $525/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 Columbus is approximately $33,800.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
8
Public Tuition
$9,800/yr
Private Tuition
$32,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,183/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,227/yr
Unemployment
4%
Graduation Rate
75%
Theater & Drama Salary in Columbus (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Columbus's cost of living index of 84.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Columbus adjustment factor: 0.84x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Columbus
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Columbus tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,800 | Private avg: $32,000
Columbus avg aid: $10,227/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$95,932
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,225
vs HS diploma in Columbus
ROI Payback Period
22.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Columbus
$-28,332
Lifetime earnings premium ($67,600) minus total education cost ($95,932)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Columbus
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Columbus for Theater & Drama
Columbus State University
public
$10,056/yr
$40,224 total
University of Columbus
public
$10,212/yr
$40,848 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Columbus Community College
$5,412/yr
Georgia Technical College - Columbus
$5,084/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Columbus
Columbus offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Columbus Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Georgia Cities
Atlanta, GA
$40K starting · COL 101
23 colleges
Augusta, GA
$33K starting · COL 83
11 colleges
Macon, GA
$40K starting · COL 101
13 colleges
Savannah, GA
$38K starting · COL 95
12 colleges
Athens, GA
$41K starting · COL 103
11 colleges
Sandy Springs, GA
$45K starting · COL 112.5
5 colleges
Roswell, GA
$43K starting · COL 108.2
4 colleges
Johns Creek, GA
$45K starting · COL 112.8
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Columbus
Chinese Studies
$46K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$42K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$37K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$42K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$35K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$37K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$42K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$35K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Columbus — 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 Columbus.