Theater & Drama Degree in High Point, NC — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for High Point, NC. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$34K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$42K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
20.8 yrs
in High Point
Cost of Living
84.5
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in High Point, NC Overview
While High Point has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Theater & Drama students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $12,724/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 High Point is approximately $33,800.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$9,200/yr
Private Tuition
$34,000/yr
Room & Board
$12,724/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,013/yr
Unemployment
3%
Graduation Rate
60%
Theater & Drama Salary in High Point (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for High Point's cost of living index of 84.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.High Point adjustment factor: 0.84x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for High Point
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local High Point tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,200 | Private avg: $34,000
High Point avg aid: $8,013/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$87,696
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,225
vs HS diploma in High Point
ROI Payback Period
20.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in High Point
$-20,096
Lifetime earnings premium ($67,600) minus total education cost ($87,696)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in High Point
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in High Point for Theater & Drama
High Point State University
public
$9,967/yr
$39,868 total
University of High Point
public
$9,547/yr
$38,188 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
High Point Community College
$5,591/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in High Point
High Point offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key High Point 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
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
Other Humanities Majors in High Point
Chinese Studies
$46K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$42K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$37K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$42K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$35K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$37K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$42K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$35K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in High Point — 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 High Point.