Theater & Drama Degree in Erie, PA — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Erie, PA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$48K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$60K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
24.8 yrs
in Erie
Cost of Living
120
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Erie, PA Overview
While Erie has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Theater & Drama students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $21,896/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 Erie is approximately $48,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$15,346/yr
Private Tuition
$35,160/yr
Room & Board
$21,896/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,237/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
63%
Theater & Drama Salary in Erie (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Erie's cost of living index of 120 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Erie adjustment factor: 1.20x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Erie
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Erie tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $15,346 | Private avg: $35,160
Erie avg aid: $15,237/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$148,968
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$6,000
vs HS diploma in Erie
ROI Payback Period
24.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Erie
$-52,968
Lifetime earnings premium ($96,000) minus total education cost ($148,968)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Erie
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Erie for Theater & Drama
Gannon University
private
$35,160/yr
$140,640 total
Penn State Behrend
public
$15,346/yr
$61,384 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Erie Community College
$5,070/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Erie
Erie offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Erie Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Philadelphia, PA
$60K starting · COL 150
42 colleges
Pittsburgh, PA
$46K starting · COL 115
12 colleges
Allentown, PA
$45K starting · COL 113
5 colleges
Reading, PA
$47K starting · COL 118
3 colleges
Upper Darby, PA
$38K starting · COL 94.5
4 colleges
Scranton, PA
$48K starting · COL 120
8 colleges
Bethlehem, PA
$50K starting · COL 125
7 colleges
Lower Merion, PA
$37K starting · COL 91.4
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Erie
Chinese Studies
$66K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$60K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$53K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$60K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$50K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$53K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$60K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$50K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Erie — 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 Erie.