Theater & Drama Degree in Irvine, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Irvine, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$44K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$55K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
24.5 yrs
in Irvine
Cost of Living
109
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Irvine, CA Overview
Irvine is one of California's top college towns, with 24 institutions and a student population of 16,104. Public tuition averages $13,752/year here — near the national average for public universities. 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 Irvine is approximately $43,600.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
24
Public Tuition
$13,752/yr
Private Tuition
$33,606/yr
Room & Board
$19,564/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,909/yr
Unemployment
3.8%
Graduation Rate
46%
Theater & Drama Salary in Irvine (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Irvine's cost of living index of 109 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Irvine adjustment factor: 1.09x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Irvine
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Irvine tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $13,752 | Private avg: $33,606
Irvine avg aid: $8,909/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$133,264
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$5,450
vs HS diploma in Irvine
ROI Payback Period
24.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Irvine
$-46,064
Lifetime earnings premium ($87,200) minus total education cost ($133,264)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Irvine
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Irvine for Theater & Drama
University of California, Irvine
public
$13,752/yr
$55,008 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Irvine Valley College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Irvine
Irvine offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Irvine Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby California Cities
Los Angeles, CA
$56K starting · COL 141
69 colleges
San Diego, CA
$56K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$52K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$46K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$47K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$45K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$46K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$53K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Irvine
Chinese Studies
$60K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$55K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$48K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$55K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$46K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$48K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classical Studies
$49K starting · 6 yr ROI
Classics
$55K starting · 8 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Irvine — 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 Irvine.