Theater & Drama Degree in Naperville, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Naperville, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$41K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$51K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
13.9 yrs
in Naperville
Cost of Living
102
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Naperville, IL Overview
Naperville, Illinois (pop. 149,540) has 13 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 102 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $774/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 Naperville is approximately $40,800.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
13
Public Tuition
$8,287/yr
Private Tuition
$44,540/yr
Room & Board
$9,415/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,671/yr
Unemployment
6.8%
Graduation Rate
69%
Theater & Drama Salary in Naperville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Naperville's cost of living index of 102 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Naperville adjustment factor: 1.02x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Naperville
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Naperville tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,287 | Private avg: $44,540
Naperville avg aid: $13,671/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$70,808
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$5,100
vs HS diploma in Naperville
ROI Payback Period
13.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Naperville
$10,792
Lifetime earnings premium ($81,600) minus total education cost ($70,808)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Naperville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Naperville for Theater & Drama
North Central College
private
$44,540/yr
$178,160 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
College of DuPage
$4,980/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Naperville
Naperville offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Naperville Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Illinois Cities
Chicago, IL
$44K starting · COL 109
98 colleges
Aurora, IL
$37K starting · COL 92.8
7 colleges
Joliet, IL
$43K starting · COL 108
12 colleges
Rockford, IL
$36K starting · COL 90
8 colleges
Elgin, IL
$32K starting · COL 79
13 colleges
Springfield, IL
$37K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Peoria, IL
$42K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Waukegan, IL
$36K starting · COL 90.3
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Naperville
Chinese Studies
$56K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$51K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$45K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$51K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$43K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$45K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$51K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$43K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Naperville — 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 Naperville.