Theater & Drama Degree in Portland, OR — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Portland, OR. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$45K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$56K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
19.8 yrs
in Portland
Cost of Living
112
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Portland, OR Overview
Portland is one of Oregon's top college towns, with 24 institutions and a student population of 19,612. Public tuition averages $9,585/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 Portland is approximately $44,800.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
24
Public Tuition
$9,585/yr
Private Tuition
$53,947/yr
Room & Board
$18,112/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,300/yr
Unemployment
5.1%
Graduation Rate
51%
Theater & Drama Salary in Portland (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Portland's cost of living index of 112 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Portland adjustment factor: 1.12x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Portland
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Portland tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,585 | Private avg: $53,947
Portland avg aid: $15,300/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$110,788
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$5,600
vs HS diploma in Portland
ROI Payback Period
19.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Portland
$-21,188
Lifetime earnings premium ($89,600) minus total education cost ($110,788)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Portland
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Portland for Theater & Drama
Portland State University
public
$9,585/yr
$38,340 total
University of Portland
private
$51,414/yr
$205,656 total
Lewis & Clark College
private
$56,480/yr
$225,920 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Portland Community College
$4,536/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Portland
Portland offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Portland Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Oregon Cities
Eugene, OR
$52K starting · COL 130
14 colleges
Salem, OR
$48K starting · COL 120
14 colleges
Gresham, OR
$44K starting · COL 110.2
5 colleges
Hillsboro, OR
$46K starting · COL 115.5
5 colleges
Bend, OR
$43K starting · COL 107
2 colleges
Beaverton, OR
$42K starting · COL 105.9
4 colleges
Medford, OR
$44K starting · COL 111
4 colleges
Springfield, OR
$48K starting · COL 120.3
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Portland
Chinese Studies
$62K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$56K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$49K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$56K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$47K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$49K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$56K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$47K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Portland — 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 Portland.