Theater & Drama Degree in Laredo, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Laredo, TX. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$36K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$45K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
15.5 yrs
in Laredo
Cost of Living
90
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Laredo, TX Overview
Laredo, Texas (pop. 255,305) has 14 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 90 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $982/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 Laredo is approximately $36,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
14
Public Tuition
$7,850/yr
Private Tuition
$40,249/yr
Room & Board
$9,561/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,889/yr
Unemployment
5.8%
Graduation Rate
60%
Theater & Drama Salary in Laredo (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Laredo's cost of living index of 90 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Laredo adjustment factor: 0.90x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Laredo
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Laredo tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,850 | Private avg: $40,249
Laredo avg aid: $9,889/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$69,644
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,500
vs HS diploma in Laredo
ROI Payback Period
15.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Laredo
$2,356
Lifetime earnings premium ($72,000) minus total education cost ($69,644)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Laredo
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Laredo for Theater & Drama
Texas A&M International University
public
$7,850/yr
$31,400 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Laredo College
$2,604/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Laredo
Laredo offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Laredo Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Texas Cities
Houston, TX
$46K starting · COL 115
90 colleges
San Antonio, TX
$48K starting · COL 120
58 colleges
Dallas, TX
$42K starting · COL 104
82 colleges
Austin, TX
$43K starting · COL 107
30 colleges
Fort Worth, TX
$40K starting · COL 101
19 colleges
El Paso, TX
$37K starting · COL 93
38 colleges
Arlington, TX
$37K starting · COL 93.5
14 colleges
Corpus Christi, TX
$33K starting · COL 82
22 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Laredo
Chinese Studies
$50K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$45K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$40K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$45K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$38K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$40K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classical Studies
$41K starting · 6 yr ROI
Classics
$45K starting · 8 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Laredo — 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 Laredo.