Theater & Drama Degree in Madison, WI — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Madison, WI. 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
20.4 yrs
in Madison
Cost of Living
89
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Madison, WI Overview
Madison, Wisconsin (pop. 269,840) has 11 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 89 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $902/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 Madison is approximately $35,600.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
11
Public Tuition
$10,725/yr
Private Tuition
$33,350/yr
Room & Board
$11,942/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,815/yr
Unemployment
5.7%
Graduation Rate
73%
Theater & Drama Salary in Madison (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Madison's cost of living index of 89 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Madison adjustment factor: 0.89x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Madison
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Madison tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,725 | Private avg: $33,350
Madison avg aid: $15,815/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$90,668
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,450
vs HS diploma in Madison
ROI Payback Period
20.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Madison
$-19,468
Lifetime earnings premium ($71,200) minus total education cost ($90,668)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Madison
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Madison for Theater & Drama
University of Wisconsin-Madison
public
$10,725/yr
$42,900 total
Edgewood College
private
$33,350/yr
$133,400 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Madison Area Technical College
$4,632/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Madison
Madison offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Madison Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Wisconsin Cities
Milwaukee, WI
$38K starting · COL 94
33 colleges
Green Bay, WI
$34K starting · COL 86
6 colleges
Kenosha, WI
$42K starting · COL 106
8 colleges
Racine, WI
$34K starting · COL 85.8
4 colleges
Appleton, WI
$32K starting · COL 79
6 colleges
Waukesha, WI
$36K starting · COL 90.5
3 colleges
Eau Claire, WI
$34K starting · COL 86
2 colleges
Oshkosh, WI
$43K starting · COL 107
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Madison
Chinese Studies
$49K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$45K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$39K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$45K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$37K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$39K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$45K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$37K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Madison — 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 Madison.