Theater & Drama Degree in Lee's Summit, MO — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Lee's Summit, MO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$38K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$48K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
20.4 yrs
in Lee's Summit
Cost of Living
95.5
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Lee's Summit, MO Overview
While Lee's Summit has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Theater & Drama students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $14,180/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 Lee's Summit is approximately $38,200.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,200/yr
Private Tuition
$30,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,180/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,461/yr
Unemployment
2.8%
Graduation Rate
45%
Theater & Drama Salary in Lee's Summit (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Lee's Summit's cost of living index of 95.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Lee's Summit adjustment factor: 0.95x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Lee's Summit
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Lee's Summit tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,200 | Private avg: $30,000
Lee's Summit avg aid: $8,461/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$97,520
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,775
vs HS diploma in Lee's Summit
ROI Payback Period
20.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Lee's Summit
$-21,120
Lifetime earnings premium ($76,400) minus total education cost ($97,520)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Lee's Summit
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Lee's Summit for Theater & Drama
Lee's Summit State University
public
$9,311/yr
$37,244 total
University of Lee's Summit
public
$11,299/yr
$45,196 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Lee's Summit Community College
$5,472/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Lee's Summit
Lee's Summit offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Lee's Summit Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Missouri Cities
Kansas City, MO
$38K starting · COL 94
44 colleges
St. Louis, MO
$39K starting · COL 97
23 colleges
Springfield, MO
$32K starting · COL 80
5 colleges
Columbia, MO
$34K starting · COL 84
10 colleges
Independence, MO
$34K starting · COL 85.8
5 colleges
OFallon, MO
$35K starting · COL 87.3
4 colleges
St. Joseph, MO
$36K starting · COL 90.4
3 colleges
St. Charles, MO
$33K starting · COL 83.4
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Lee's Summit
Chinese Studies
$53K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$48K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$42K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$48K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$40K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$42K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$48K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$40K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Lee's Summit — 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 Lee's Summit.