Theater & Drama Degree in Lawrence, KS — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Lawrence, KS. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$43K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$54K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
14 yrs
in Lawrence
Cost of Living
108
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Lawrence, KS Overview
While Lawrence has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Theater & Drama students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $12,971/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 Lawrence is approximately $43,200.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$5,898/yr
Private Tuition
$33,400/yr
Room & Board
$12,971/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,187/yr
Unemployment
6.5%
Graduation Rate
53%
Theater & Drama Salary in Lawrence (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Lawrence's cost of living index of 108 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Lawrence adjustment factor: 1.08x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Lawrence
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Lawrence tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $5,898 | Private avg: $33,400
Lawrence avg aid: $12,187/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$75,476
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$5,400
vs HS diploma in Lawrence
ROI Payback Period
14 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Lawrence
$10,924
Lifetime earnings premium ($86,400) minus total education cost ($75,476)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Lawrence
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Lawrence for Theater & Drama
University of Kansas
public
$11,166/yr
$44,664 total
Haskell Indian Nations University
public
$630/yr
$2,520 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Johnson County Community College
$3,564/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Lawrence
Lawrence offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Lawrence Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Kansas Cities
Wichita, KS
$42K starting · COL 104
20 colleges
Overland Park, KS
$41K starting · COL 103
13 colleges
Kansas City, KS
$33K starting · COL 82.5
6 colleges
Olathe, KS
$39K starting · COL 96.8
6 colleges
Topeka, KS
$34K starting · COL 84
14 colleges
Shawnee, KS
$35K starting · COL 86.5
3 colleges
Lenexa, KS
$38K starting · COL 96.2
3 colleges
Manhattan, KS
$38K starting · COL 95
6 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Lawrence
Chinese Studies
$59K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$54K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$48K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$54K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$45K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$48K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$54K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$45K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Lawrence — 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 Lawrence.