Theater & Drama Degree in Greensboro, NC — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Greensboro, NC. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$36K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$46K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
15.9 yrs
in Greensboro
Cost of Living
91
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Greensboro, NC Overview
Greensboro, North Carolina (pop. 299,035) has 17 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 91 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $945/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 Greensboro is approximately $36,400.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
17
Public Tuition
$7,000/yr
Private Tuition
$35,007/yr
Room & Board
$11,140/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,503/yr
Unemployment
4.9%
Graduation Rate
71%
Theater & Drama Salary in Greensboro (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Greensboro's cost of living index of 91 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Greensboro adjustment factor: 0.91x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Greensboro
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Greensboro tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,000 | Private avg: $35,007
Greensboro avg aid: $14,503/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$72,560
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,550
vs HS diploma in Greensboro
ROI Payback Period
15.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Greensboro
$240
Lifetime earnings premium ($72,800) minus total education cost ($72,560)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Greensboro
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Greensboro for Theater & Drama
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
public
$7,337/yr
$29,348 total
North Carolina A&T State University
public
$6,662/yr
$26,648 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Guilford Technical Community College
$2,864/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Greensboro
Greensboro offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Greensboro 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
Durham, NC
$44K starting · COL 109
25 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 Greensboro
Chinese Studies
$50K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$46K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$40K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$46K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$38K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$40K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$46K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$38K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Greensboro — 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 Greensboro.