Theater & Drama Degree in St. Paul, MN — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for St. Paul, MN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$43K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$54K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
17.7 yrs
in St. Paul
Cost of Living
108
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in St. Paul, MN Overview
St. Paul, Minnesota (pop. 308,096) has 20 colleges offering Theater & Drama programs. The local cost of living index of 108 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $843/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 St. Paul is approximately $43,200.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
20
Public Tuition
$10,448/yr
Private Tuition
$52,990/yr
Room & Board
$13,408/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,005/yr
Unemployment
4.7%
Graduation Rate
70%
Theater & Drama Salary in St. Paul (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for St. Paul's cost of living index of 108 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.St. Paul adjustment factor: 1.08x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for St. Paul
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local St. Paul tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,448 | Private avg: $52,990
St. Paul avg aid: $15,005/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$95,424
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$5,400
vs HS diploma in St. Paul
ROI Payback Period
17.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in St. Paul
$-9,024
Lifetime earnings premium ($86,400) minus total education cost ($95,424)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in St. Paul
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in St. Paul for Theater & Drama
Hamline University
private
$45,776/yr
$183,104 total
Macalester College
private
$60,204/yr
$240,816 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Saint Paul College
$5,772/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in St. Paul
St. Paul offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key St. Paul Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Minnesota Cities
Minneapolis, MN
$39K starting · COL 97
15 colleges
Saint Paul, MN
$41K starting · COL 101.5
11 colleges
Rochester, MN
$42K starting · COL 105
8 colleges
Duluth, MN
$40K starting · COL 100
5 colleges
Bloomington, MN
$40K starting · COL 100.2
4 colleges
Brooklyn Park, MN
$40K starting · COL 98.8
4 colleges
Plymouth, MN
$43K starting · COL 107.3
4 colleges
Maple Grove, MN
$43K starting · COL 107.4
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in St. Paul
Chinese Studies
$59K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$54K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$48K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$54K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$45K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$48K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$54K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$45K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in St. Paul — 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 St. Paul.