Theater & Drama Degree in Salt Lake City, UT — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Salt Lake City, UT. 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
19.3 yrs
in Salt Lake City
Cost of Living
112
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Salt Lake City, UT Overview
While Salt Lake City has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Theater & Drama students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $17,800/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. 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 Salt Lake City is approximately $44,800.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$9,222/yr
Private Tuition
$38,396/yr
Room & Board
$17,800/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,636/yr
Unemployment
6%
Graduation Rate
52%
Theater & Drama Salary in Salt Lake City (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Salt Lake City'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.Salt Lake City adjustment factor: 1.12x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Salt Lake City
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Salt Lake City tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,222 | Private avg: $38,396
Salt Lake City avg aid: $10,636/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$108,088
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$5,600
vs HS diploma in Salt Lake City
ROI Payback Period
19.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Salt Lake City
$-18,488
Lifetime earnings premium ($89,600) minus total education cost ($108,088)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Salt Lake City
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Salt Lake City for Theater & Drama
University of Utah
public
$9,222/yr
$36,888 total
Westminster University
private
$38,396/yr
$153,584 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Salt Lake Community College
$4,116/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Salt Lake City Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Utah Cities
West Valley City, UT
$39K starting · COL 98.5
6 colleges
West Jordan, UT
$40K starting · COL 99.8
5 colleges
Provo, UT
$52K starting · COL 130
7 colleges
Orem, UT
$49K starting · COL 122
4 colleges
Sandy, UT
$42K starting · COL 103.8
4 colleges
St. George, UT
$50K starting · COL 125
2 colleges
Ogden, UT
$41K starting · COL 103
5 colleges
Layton, UT
$39K starting · COL 97.8
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Salt Lake City
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
Classical Studies
$50K starting · 6 yr ROI
Classics
$56K starting · 8 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Salt Lake City — 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 Salt Lake City.