Theater & Drama Degree in Hammond, IN — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Hammond, IN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$37K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$47K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
20.9 yrs
in Hammond
Cost of Living
93.1
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Hammond, IN Overview
While Hammond has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Theater & Drama students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $14,156/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 Hammond is approximately $37,240.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,200/yr
Private Tuition
$34,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,156/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,320/yr
Unemployment
2.5%
Graduation Rate
61%
Theater & Drama Salary in Hammond (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Hammond's cost of living index of 93.1 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Hammond adjustment factor: 0.93x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Hammond
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Hammond tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,200 | Private avg: $34,000
Hammond avg aid: $8,320/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$97,424
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,655
vs HS diploma in Hammond
ROI Payback Period
20.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Hammond
$-22,944
Lifetime earnings premium ($74,480) minus total education cost ($97,424)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Hammond
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Hammond for Theater & Drama
Hammond State University
public
$10,029/yr
$40,116 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Hammond Community College
$5,524/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Hammond
Hammond offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Hammond 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
Evansville, IN
$34K starting · COL 86
10 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
Lafayette, IN
$34K starting · COL 84.8
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Hammond
Chinese Studies
$51K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$47K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$41K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$47K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$39K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$41K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$47K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$39K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Hammond — 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 Hammond.