Theater & Drama Degree in Dearborn, MI — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Dearborn, MI. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$36K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$45K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
24.7 yrs
in Dearborn
Cost of Living
90.5
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Dearborn, MI Overview
While Dearborn has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Theater & Drama students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $12,567/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 Dearborn is approximately $36,200.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$15,400/yr
Private Tuition
$32,000/yr
Room & Board
$12,567/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,314/yr
Unemployment
4.9%
Graduation Rate
57%
Theater & Drama Salary in Dearborn (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Dearborn's cost of living index of 90.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Dearborn adjustment factor: 0.91x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Dearborn
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Dearborn tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $15,400 | Private avg: $32,000
Dearborn avg aid: $8,314/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$111,868
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,525
vs HS diploma in Dearborn
ROI Payback Period
24.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Dearborn
$-39,468
Lifetime earnings premium ($72,400) minus total education cost ($111,868)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Dearborn
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Dearborn for Theater & Drama
Dearborn State University
public
$14,575/yr
$58,300 total
University of Dearborn
public
$15,869/yr
$63,476 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Dearborn Community College
$5,650/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Dearborn
Dearborn offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Dearborn Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Michigan Cities
Detroit, MI
$35K starting · COL 87
43 colleges
Grand Rapids, MI
$35K starting · COL 88
10 colleges
Warren, MI
$35K starting · COL 88.5
6 colleges
Sterling Heights, MI
$37K starting · COL 92.8
5 colleges
Ann Arbor, MI
$34K starting · COL 85
14 colleges
Lansing, MI
$34K starting · COL 85
6 colleges
Clinton Township, MI
$38K starting · COL 96.2
4 colleges
Canton Township, MI
$37K starting · COL 93.5
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Dearborn
Chinese Studies
$50K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$45K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$40K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$45K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$38K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$40K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$45K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$38K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Dearborn — 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 Dearborn.