Theater & Drama Degree in Rochester, NY — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Rochester, NY. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$56K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$70K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
20.1 yrs
in Rochester
Cost of Living
140
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Rochester, NY Overview
Rochester, New York (pop. 211,328) has 13 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 140 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,592/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 Rochester is approximately $56,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
13
Public Tuition
$13,886/yr
Private Tuition
$56,653/yr
Room & Board
$21,356/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,325/yr
Unemployment
5.8%
Graduation Rate
46%
Theater & Drama Salary in Rochester (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Rochester's cost of living index of 140 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Rochester adjustment factor: 1.40x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Rochester
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Rochester tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $13,886 | Private avg: $56,653
Rochester avg aid: $10,325/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$140,968
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$7,000
vs HS diploma in Rochester
ROI Payback Period
20.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Rochester
$-28,968
Lifetime earnings premium ($112,000) minus total education cost ($140,968)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Rochester
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Rochester for Theater & Drama
University of Rochester
private
$60,550/yr
$242,200 total
Rochester Institute of Technology
private
$52,756/yr
$211,024 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Monroe Community College
$5,504/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Rochester
Rochester offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Rochester Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby New York Cities
New York City, NY
$66K starting · COL 166
49 colleges
New York, NY
$75K starting · COL 187.2
279 colleges
Oyster Bay, NY
$58K starting · COL 145
11 colleges
Buffalo, NY
$49K starting · COL 122
10 colleges
North Hempstead, NY
$57K starting · COL 141.3
9 colleges
Babylon, NY
$61K starting · COL 152.3
8 colleges
Yonkers, NY
$58K starting · COL 145.3
8 colleges
Huntington, NY
$54K starting · COL 135.6
8 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Rochester
Chinese Studies
$77K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$70K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$62K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$70K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$59K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$62K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$70K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$59K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Rochester — 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 Rochester.