Theater & Drama Degree in Rockford, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Rockford, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$36K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$45K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
16.3 yrs
in Rockford
Cost of Living
90
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Rockford, IL Overview
Rockford, Illinois (pop. 148,655) has 8 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 90 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,026/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 Rockford is approximately $36,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
8
Public Tuition
$9,764/yr
Private Tuition
$34,200/yr
Room & Board
$8,562/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,234/yr
Unemployment
5.9%
Graduation Rate
48%
Theater & Drama Salary in Rockford (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Rockford's cost of living index of 90 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Rockford adjustment factor: 0.90x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Rockford
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Rockford tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,764 | Private avg: $34,200
Rockford avg aid: $14,234/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$73,304
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,500
vs HS diploma in Rockford
ROI Payback Period
16.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Rockford
$-1,304
Lifetime earnings premium ($72,000) minus total education cost ($73,304)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Rockford
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Rockford for Theater & Drama
Rockford University
private
$34,200/yr
$136,800 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Rock Valley College
$4,980/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Rockford
Rockford offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Rockford Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Illinois Cities
Chicago, IL
$44K starting · COL 109
98 colleges
Aurora, IL
$37K starting · COL 92.8
7 colleges
Joliet, IL
$43K starting · COL 108
12 colleges
Naperville, IL
$41K starting · COL 102
13 colleges
Elgin, IL
$32K starting · COL 79
13 colleges
Springfield, IL
$37K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Peoria, IL
$42K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Waukegan, IL
$36K starting · COL 90.3
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Rockford
Chinese Studies
$50K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$45K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$40K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$45K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$38K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$40K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$45K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$38K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Rockford — 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 Rockford.