Theater & Drama Degree in Lawton, OK — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Lawton, OK. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$33K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$41K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
20.4 yrs
in Lawton
Cost of Living
82.5
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Lawton, OK Overview
While Lawton has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Theater & Drama students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $12,675/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 Lawton is approximately $33,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$8,400/yr
Private Tuition
$24,000/yr
Room & Board
$12,675/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,482/yr
Unemployment
3.5%
Graduation Rate
74%
Theater & Drama Salary in Lawton (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Lawton's cost of living index of 82.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Lawton adjustment factor: 0.82x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Lawton
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Lawton tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,400 | Private avg: $24,000
Lawton avg aid: $11,482/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$84,300
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,125
vs HS diploma in Lawton
ROI Payback Period
20.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Lawton
$-18,300
Lifetime earnings premium ($66,000) minus total education cost ($84,300)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Lawton
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Lawton for Theater & Drama
Lawton State University
public
$9,205/yr
$36,820 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Lawton Community College
$4,912/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Lawton
Lawton offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Lawton Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Oklahoma Cities
Oklahoma City, OK
$39K starting · COL 97
37 colleges
Tulsa, OK
$34K starting · COL 84
15 colleges
Norman, OK
$34K starting · COL 86
10 colleges
Broken Arrow, OK
$37K starting · COL 91.8
5 colleges
Edmond, OK
$38K starting · COL 95.2
4 colleges
Moore, OK
$36K starting · COL 89.3
3 colleges
Midwest City, OK
$36K starting · COL 91.1
3 colleges
Stillwater, OK
$35K starting · COL 87.3
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Lawton
Chinese Studies
$45K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$41K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$36K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$41K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$35K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$36K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$41K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$35K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Lawton — 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 Lawton.