Theater & Drama Degree in Durham, NC — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Durham, NC. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$44K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$55K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
15.1 yrs
in Durham
Cost of Living
109
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Durham, NC Overview
Durham is one of North Carolina's top college towns, with 25 institutions and a student population of 56,021. Public tuition averages $6,477/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. 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 Durham is approximately $43,600.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
25
Public Tuition
$6,477/yr
Private Tuition
$62,688/yr
Room & Board
$14,101/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,850/yr
Unemployment
5.9%
Graduation Rate
54%
Theater & Drama Salary in Durham (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Durham's cost of living index of 109 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Durham adjustment factor: 1.09x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Durham
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Durham tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $6,477 | Private avg: $62,688
Durham avg aid: $13,850/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$82,312
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$5,450
vs HS diploma in Durham
ROI Payback Period
15.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Durham
$4,888
Lifetime earnings premium ($87,200) minus total education cost ($82,312)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Durham
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Durham for Theater & Drama
Duke University
private
$62,688/yr
$250,752 total
North Carolina Central University
public
$6,477/yr
$25,908 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Durham Technical Community College
$2,864/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Durham
Durham offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Durham Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby North Carolina Cities
Charlotte, NC
$36K starting · COL 89
39 colleges
Raleigh, NC
$33K starting · COL 83
21 colleges
Greensboro, NC
$36K starting · COL 91
17 colleges
Winston-Salem, NC
$42K starting · COL 106
26 colleges
Fayetteville, NC
$36K starting · COL 90
15 colleges
Cary, NC
$43K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Wilmington, NC
$38K starting · COL 95
5 colleges
High Point, NC
$34K starting · COL 84.5
5 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Durham
Chinese Studies
$60K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$55K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$48K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$55K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$46K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$48K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$55K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$46K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Durham — 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 Durham.