Theater & Drama Degree in Newport News, VA — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Newport News, VA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$37K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$46K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
24.8 yrs
in Newport News
Cost of Living
92.5
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Newport News, VA Overview
Newport News, Virginia (pop. 186,247) has 7 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 92.5 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $705/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 Newport News is approximately $37,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$14,200/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,491/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,779/yr
Unemployment
2.2%
Graduation Rate
51%
Theater & Drama Salary in Newport News (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Newport News's cost of living index of 92.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Newport News adjustment factor: 0.93x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Newport News
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Newport News tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,200 | Private avg: $38,000
Newport News avg aid: $9,779/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$114,764
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,625
vs HS diploma in Newport News
ROI Payback Period
24.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Newport News
$-40,764
Lifetime earnings premium ($74,000) minus total education cost ($114,764)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Newport News
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Newport News for Theater & Drama
Newport News State University
public
$13,266/yr
$53,064 total
University of Newport News
public
$15,083/yr
$60,332 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Newport News Community College
$5,242/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Newport News
Newport News offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Newport News Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Virginia Cities
Virginia Beach, VA
$35K starting · COL 88
13 colleges
Chesapeake, VA
$36K starting · COL 91
12 colleges
Arlington, VA
$57K starting · COL 142.5
9 colleges
Norfolk, VA
$37K starting · COL 93
16 colleges
Richmond, VA
$40K starting · COL 100
11 colleges
Alexandria, VA
$41K starting · COL 102
8 colleges
Hampton, VA
$39K starting · COL 97
7 colleges
Roanoke, VA
$35K starting · COL 88.5
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Newport News
Chinese Studies
$51K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$46K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$41K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$46K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$39K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$41K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$46K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$39K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Newport News — 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 Newport News.