Theater & Drama Degree in Pittsburgh, PA — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Pittsburgh, PA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$46K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$58K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
24.7 yrs
in Pittsburgh
Cost of Living
115
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Pittsburgh, PA Overview
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (pop. 302,971) has 12 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 115 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,285/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 Pittsburgh is approximately $46,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
12
Public Tuition
$19,718/yr
Private Tuition
$61,344/yr
Room & Board
$15,793/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,441/yr
Unemployment
6.9%
Graduation Rate
63%
Theater & Drama Salary in Pittsburgh (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Pittsburgh's cost of living index of 115 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Pittsburgh adjustment factor: 1.15x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Pittsburgh
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Pittsburgh tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $19,718 | Private avg: $61,344
Pittsburgh avg aid: $13,441/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$142,044
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$5,750
vs HS diploma in Pittsburgh
ROI Payback Period
24.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Pittsburgh
$-50,044
Lifetime earnings premium ($92,000) minus total education cost ($142,044)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Pittsburgh
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Pittsburgh for Theater & Drama
University of Pittsburgh
public
$19,718/yr
$78,872 total
Carnegie Mellon University
private
$61,344/yr
$245,376 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Community College of Allegheny County
$5,070/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Pittsburgh Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Philadelphia, PA
$60K starting · COL 150
42 colleges
Allentown, PA
$45K starting · COL 113
5 colleges
Reading, PA
$47K starting · COL 118
3 colleges
Erie, PA
$48K starting · COL 120
4 colleges
Upper Darby, PA
$38K starting · COL 94.5
4 colleges
Scranton, PA
$48K starting · COL 120
8 colleges
Bethlehem, PA
$50K starting · COL 125
7 colleges
Lower Merion, PA
$37K starting · COL 91.4
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Pittsburgh
Chinese Studies
$63K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$58K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$51K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$58K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$48K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$51K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$58K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$48K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Pittsburgh — 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 Pittsburgh.