Theater & Drama Degree in Lafayette, LA — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Lafayette, LA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$42K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$52K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
16.7 yrs
in Lafayette
Cost of Living
104
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Lafayette, LA Overview
While Lafayette has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Theater & Drama students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $11,349/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 Lafayette is approximately $41,600.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$10,374/yr
Private Tuition
$38,796/yr
Room & Board
$11,349/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,367/yr
Unemployment
4.8%
Graduation Rate
66%
Theater & Drama Salary in Lafayette (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Lafayette's cost of living index of 104 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Lafayette adjustment factor: 1.04x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Lafayette
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Lafayette tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,374 | Private avg: $38,796
Lafayette avg aid: $7,367/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$86,892
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$5,200
vs HS diploma in Lafayette
ROI Payback Period
16.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Lafayette
$-3,692
Lifetime earnings premium ($83,200) minus total education cost ($86,892)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Lafayette
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Lafayette for Theater & Drama
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
public
$10,374/yr
$41,496 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
South Louisiana Community College
$4,236/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Lafayette
Lafayette offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Lafayette Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Louisiana Cities
New Orleans, LA
$36K starting · COL 90
23 colleges
Baton Rouge, LA
$33K starting · COL 82
16 colleges
Shreveport, LA
$40K starting · COL 99
14 colleges
Metairie, LA
$36K starting · COL 89.4
6 colleges
Lake Charles, LA
$32K starting · COL 80
6 colleges
Bossier City, LA
$35K starting · COL 87.8
3 colleges
Kenner, LA
$37K starting · COL 92.5
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Lafayette
Chinese Studies
$57K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$52K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$46K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$52K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$44K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$46K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$52K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$44K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Lafayette — 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 Lafayette.