Theater & Drama Degree in Lubbock, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Lubbock, TX. 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
23.6 yrs
in Lubbock
Cost of Living
82
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Lubbock, TX Overview
Lubbock is one of Texas's top college towns, with 26 institutions and a student population of 104,491. Public tuition averages $11,380/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. 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 Lubbock is approximately $32,800.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
26
Public Tuition
$11,380/yr
Private Tuition
$26,460/yr
Room & Board
$12,797/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,179/yr
Unemployment
5.5%
Graduation Rate
72%
Theater & Drama Salary in Lubbock (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Lubbock's cost of living index of 82 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Lubbock adjustment factor: 0.82x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Lubbock
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Lubbock tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,380 | Private avg: $26,460
Lubbock avg aid: $15,179/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$96,708
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,100
vs HS diploma in Lubbock
ROI Payback Period
23.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Lubbock
$-31,108
Lifetime earnings premium ($65,600) minus total education cost ($96,708)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Lubbock
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Lubbock for Theater & Drama
Texas Tech University
public
$11,380/yr
$45,520 total
Lubbock Christian University
private
$26,460/yr
$105,840 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
South Plains College Lubbock Center
$2,604/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Lubbock
Lubbock offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Lubbock Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Texas Cities
Houston, TX
$46K starting · COL 115
90 colleges
San Antonio, TX
$48K starting · COL 120
58 colleges
Dallas, TX
$42K starting · COL 104
82 colleges
Austin, TX
$43K starting · COL 107
30 colleges
Fort Worth, TX
$40K starting · COL 101
19 colleges
El Paso, TX
$37K starting · COL 93
38 colleges
Arlington, TX
$37K starting · COL 93.5
14 colleges
Corpus Christi, TX
$33K starting · COL 82
22 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Lubbock
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
$34K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$36K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classical Studies
$37K starting · 6 yr ROI
Classics
$41K starting · 8 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Lubbock — 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 Lubbock.