Theater & Drama Degree in Omaha, NE — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Omaha, NE. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$35K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$44K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
19.4 yrs
in Omaha
Cost of Living
87
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Omaha, NE Overview
Omaha is one of Nebraska's top college towns, with 23 institutions and a student population of 33,866. Public tuition averages $8,268/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 Omaha is approximately $34,800.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
23
Public Tuition
$8,268/yr
Private Tuition
$26,461/yr
Room & Board
$12,792/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,593/yr
Unemployment
5.6%
Graduation Rate
56%
Theater & Drama Salary in Omaha (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Omaha's cost of living index of 87 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Omaha adjustment factor: 0.87x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Omaha
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Omaha tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,268 | Private avg: $26,461
Omaha avg aid: $11,593/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$84,240
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,350
vs HS diploma in Omaha
ROI Payback Period
19.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Omaha
$-14,640
Lifetime earnings premium ($69,600) minus total education cost ($84,240)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Omaha
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Omaha for Theater & Drama
University of Nebraska at Omaha
public
$8,268/yr
$33,072 total
Creighton University
private
$44,146/yr
$176,584 total
Bellevue University
private
$8,775/yr
$35,100 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Metropolitan Community College Omaha
$3,540/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Omaha
Omaha offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Omaha Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Nebraska Cities
Other Humanities Majors in Omaha
Chinese Studies
$48K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$44K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$38K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$44K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$37K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$38K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$44K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$37K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Omaha — 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 Omaha.