Theater & Drama Degree in Evansville, IN — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Evansville, IN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$34K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$43K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
18.5 yrs
in Evansville
Cost of Living
86
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Evansville, IN Overview
Evansville, Indiana (pop. 117,298) has 10 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 86 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $974/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 Evansville is approximately $34,400.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
10
Public Tuition
$8,448/yr
Private Tuition
$42,316/yr
Room & Board
$11,425/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,482/yr
Unemployment
4.8%
Graduation Rate
57%
Theater & Drama Salary in Evansville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Evansville's cost of living index of 86 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Evansville adjustment factor: 0.86x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Evansville
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Evansville tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,448 | Private avg: $42,316
Evansville avg aid: $12,482/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$79,492
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,300
vs HS diploma in Evansville
ROI Payback Period
18.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Evansville
$-10,692
Lifetime earnings premium ($68,800) minus total education cost ($79,492)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Evansville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Evansville for Theater & Drama
University of Evansville
private
$42,316/yr
$169,264 total
University of Southern Indiana
public
$8,448/yr
$33,792 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Ivy Tech Community College Evansville
$4,540/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Evansville
Evansville offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Evansville Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Indiana Cities
Indianapolis, IN
$38K starting · COL 94
25 colleges
Fort Wayne, IN
$41K starting · COL 103
24 colleges
South Bend, IN
$36K starting · COL 89
9 colleges
Carmel, IN
$42K starting · COL 105.2
4 colleges
Fishers, IN
$40K starting · COL 100.5
4 colleges
Bloomington, IN
$33K starting · COL 83
5 colleges
Hammond, IN
$37K starting · COL 93.1
4 colleges
Lafayette, IN
$34K starting · COL 84.8
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Evansville
Chinese Studies
$47K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$43K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$38K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$43K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$36K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$38K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$43K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$36K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Evansville — 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 Evansville.