Theater & Drama Degree in Dayton, OH — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Dayton, OH. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$42K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$52K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
17.2 yrs
in Dayton
Cost of Living
104
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Dayton, OH Overview
Dayton, Ohio (pop. 137,644) has 9 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 104 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $865/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 Dayton is approximately $41,600.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
9
Public Tuition
$9,740/yr
Private Tuition
$46,490/yr
Room & Board
$12,639/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,990/yr
Unemployment
6%
Graduation Rate
50%
Theater & Drama Salary in Dayton (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Dayton's cost of living index of 104 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Dayton adjustment factor: 1.04x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Dayton
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Dayton tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,740 | Private avg: $46,490
Dayton avg aid: $7,990/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$89,516
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$5,200
vs HS diploma in Dayton
ROI Payback Period
17.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Dayton
$-6,316
Lifetime earnings premium ($83,200) minus total education cost ($89,516)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Dayton
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Dayton for Theater & Drama
University of Dayton
private
$46,490/yr
$185,960 total
Wright State University
public
$9,740/yr
$38,960 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Sinclair Community College
$4,344/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Dayton
Dayton offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Dayton 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
Cincinnati, OH
$41K starting · COL 102
28 colleges
Toledo, OH
$43K starting · COL 108
16 colleges
Akron, OH
$42K starting · COL 105
5 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 Dayton
Chinese Studies
$57K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$52K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$46K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$52K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$44K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$46K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$52K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$44K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Dayton — 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 Dayton.