Theater & Drama Degree in Newark, NJ — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Newark, NJ. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$54K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$68K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
18.7 yrs
in Newark
Cost of Living
135
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Newark, NJ Overview
Newark, New Jersey (pop. 311,549) has 14 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 135 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,595/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 Newark is approximately $54,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
14
Public Tuition
$16,507/yr
Private Tuition
$47,742/yr
Room & Board
$15,130/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,623/yr
Unemployment
3.6%
Graduation Rate
74%
Theater & Drama Salary in Newark (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Newark's cost of living index of 135 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Newark adjustment factor: 1.35x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Newark
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Newark tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $16,507 | Private avg: $47,742
Newark avg aid: $8,623/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$126,548
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$6,750
vs HS diploma in Newark
ROI Payback Period
18.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Newark
$-18,548
Lifetime earnings premium ($108,000) minus total education cost ($126,548)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Newark
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Newark for Theater & Drama
Rutgers University-Newark
public
$14,974/yr
$59,896 total
New Jersey Institute of Technology
public
$18,040/yr
$72,160 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Essex County College
$5,040/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Newark
Newark offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Newark Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby New Jersey Cities
Jersey City, NJ
$51K starting · COL 127
23 colleges
Paterson, NJ
$52K starting · COL 129
5 colleges
Elizabeth, NJ
$46K starting · COL 115.5
6 colleges
Edison, NJ
$47K starting · COL 118.2
5 colleges
Lakewood, NJ
$52K starting · COL 128.8
5 colleges
Woodbridge, NJ
$45K starting · COL 112.5
4 colleges
Toms River, NJ
$47K starting · COL 117.7
4 colleges
Trenton, NJ
$54K starting · COL 134
8 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Newark
Chinese Studies
$74K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$68K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$59K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$68K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$57K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$59K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classical Studies
$61K starting · 6 yr ROI
Classics
$68K starting · 8 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Newark — 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 Newark.