Theater & Drama Degree in Lexington, KY — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Lexington, KY. 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
17.2 yrs
in Lexington
Cost of Living
107
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Lexington, KY Overview
Lexington, Kentucky (pop. 322,570) has 14 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 107 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,265/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 Lexington is approximately $42,800.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
14
Public Tuition
$12,360/yr
Private Tuition
$42,200/yr
Room & Board
$10,700/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,397/yr
Unemployment
6.4%
Graduation Rate
65%
Theater & Drama Salary in Lexington (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Lexington's cost of living index of 107 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Lexington adjustment factor: 1.07x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Lexington
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Lexington tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,360 | Private avg: $42,200
Lexington avg aid: $8,397/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$92,240
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$5,350
vs HS diploma in Lexington
ROI Payback Period
17.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Lexington
$-6,640
Lifetime earnings premium ($85,600) minus total education cost ($92,240)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Lexington
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Lexington for Theater & Drama
University of Kentucky
public
$12,360/yr
$49,440 total
Transylvania University
private
$42,200/yr
$168,800 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Bluegrass Community and Technical College
$4,680/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Lexington
Lexington offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Lexington Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Kentucky Cities
Other Humanities Majors in Lexington
Chinese Studies
$59K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$54K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$47K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$54K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$45K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$47K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$54K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$45K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Lexington — 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 Lexington.