Theater & Drama Degree in Springfield, MO — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Springfield, MO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$32K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$40K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
21.6 yrs
in Springfield
Cost of Living
80
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Springfield, MO Overview
While Springfield has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Theater & Drama students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $13,383/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 Springfield is approximately $32,000.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$8,210/yr
Private Tuition
$33,330/yr
Room & Board
$13,383/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,942/yr
Unemployment
3.2%
Graduation Rate
52%
Theater & Drama Salary in Springfield (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Springfield's cost of living index of 80 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Springfield adjustment factor: 0.80x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Springfield
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Springfield tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,210 | Private avg: $33,330
Springfield avg aid: $13,942/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$86,372
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$4,000
vs HS diploma in Springfield
ROI Payback Period
21.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Springfield
$-22,372
Lifetime earnings premium ($64,000) minus total education cost ($86,372)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Springfield
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Springfield for Theater & Drama
Missouri State University
public
$8,210/yr
$32,840 total
Drury University
private
$33,330/yr
$133,320 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Ozarks Technical Community College
$3,900/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Springfield
Springfield offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Springfield Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Missouri Cities
Kansas City, MO
$38K starting · COL 94
44 colleges
St. Louis, MO
$39K starting · COL 97
23 colleges
Columbia, MO
$34K starting · COL 84
10 colleges
Independence, MO
$34K starting · COL 85.8
5 colleges
Lee's Summit, MO
$38K starting · COL 95.5
4 colleges
OFallon, MO
$35K starting · COL 87.3
4 colleges
St. Joseph, MO
$36K starting · COL 90.4
3 colleges
St. Charles, MO
$33K starting · COL 83.4
3 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Springfield
Chinese Studies
$44K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$40K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$35K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$40K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$34K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$35K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$40K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$34K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Springfield — 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 Springfield.