Theater & Drama Degree in Louisville, KY — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Louisville, KY. 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
21.7 yrs
in Louisville
Cost of Living
90
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Louisville, KY Overview
Louisville, Kentucky (pop. 633,045) has 17 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 90 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,349/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 Louisville is approximately $36,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
17
Public Tuition
$12,324/yr
Private Tuition
$37,190/yr
Room & Board
$12,044/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$16,150/yr
Unemployment
4.1%
Graduation Rate
58%
Theater & Drama Salary in Louisville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Louisville'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.Louisville adjustment factor: 0.90x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Louisville
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Louisville tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,324 | Private avg: $37,190
Louisville avg aid: $16,150/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$97,472
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,500
vs HS diploma in Louisville
ROI Payback Period
21.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Louisville
$-25,472
Lifetime earnings premium ($72,000) minus total education cost ($97,472)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Louisville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Louisville for Theater & Drama
University of Louisville
public
$12,324/yr
$49,296 total
Bellarmine University
private
$45,790/yr
$183,160 total
Spalding University
private
$28,590/yr
$114,360 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Jefferson Community and Technical College
$4,680/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Louisville
Louisville offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Louisville 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 Louisville
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
Classics
$45K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$38K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Louisville — 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 Louisville.