Theater & Drama Degree in Fayetteville, NC — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Fayetteville, NC. 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
14.6 yrs
in Fayetteville
Cost of Living
90
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Fayetteville, NC Overview
Fayetteville, North Carolina (pop. 208,501) has 15 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 90 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $877/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 Fayetteville is approximately $36,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
15
Public Tuition
$5,925/yr
Private Tuition
$37,000/yr
Room & Board
$10,494/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,488/yr
Unemployment
4%
Graduation Rate
46%
Theater & Drama Salary in Fayetteville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Fayetteville's cost of living index of 90 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Fayetteville adjustment factor: 0.90x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Fayetteville
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Fayetteville tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $5,925 | Private avg: $37,000
Fayetteville avg aid: $14,488/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$65,676
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,500
vs HS diploma in Fayetteville
ROI Payback Period
14.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Fayetteville
$6,324
Lifetime earnings premium ($72,000) minus total education cost ($65,676)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Fayetteville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Fayetteville for Theater & Drama
Fayetteville State University
public
$5,925/yr
$23,700 total
Methodist University
private
$37,000/yr
$148,000 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Fayetteville Technical Community College
$2,864/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Fayetteville
Fayetteville offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Fayetteville 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
Durham, NC
$44K starting · COL 109
25 colleges
Winston-Salem, NC
$42K starting · COL 106
26 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 Fayetteville
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 Fayetteville — 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 Fayetteville.