Theater & Drama Degree in Tacoma, WA — Salary & ROI 2026
Theater & Drama degree analysis for Tacoma, WA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$45K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$57K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
17.2 yrs
in Tacoma
Cost of Living
113
index (100 = avg)
Theater & Drama in Tacoma, WA Overview
Tacoma is one of Washington's top college towns, with 25 institutions and a student population of 23,456. Public tuition averages $10,637/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. 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 Tacoma is approximately $45,200.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
25
Public Tuition
$10,637/yr
Private Tuition
$52,153/yr
Room & Board
$13,707/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,864/yr
Unemployment
4.9%
Graduation Rate
60%
Theater & Drama Salary in Tacoma (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Tacoma's cost of living index of 113 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Theater & Drama salary: $40,000 starting, $50,000 mid-career, $65,000 senior level.Tacoma adjustment factor: 1.13x based on the local cost of living index.
Theater & Drama ROI Calculator for Tacoma
Estimate your return on investment for a Theater & Drama degree using local Tacoma tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,637 | Private avg: $52,153
Tacoma avg aid: $8,864/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$97,376
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$5,650
vs HS diploma in Tacoma
ROI Payback Period
17.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Tacoma
$-6,976
Lifetime earnings premium ($90,400) minus total education cost ($97,376)
Student Loan Payoff for Theater & Drama in Tacoma
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Tacoma for Theater & Drama
University of Puget Sound
private
$56,156/yr
$224,624 total
Pacific Lutheran University
private
$48,150/yr
$192,600 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Tacoma Community College
$4,479/yr
Top Employers for Theater & Drama in Tacoma
Tacoma offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Theater & Drama graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Tacoma Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Theater & Drama Job Titles
Theater & Drama in Nearby Washington Cities
Seattle, WA
$48K starting · COL 120
16 colleges
Spokane, WA
$48K starting · COL 121
20 colleges
Vancouver, WA
$43K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Bellevue, WA
$71K starting · COL 178.5
6 colleges
Kent, WA
$46K starting · COL 115.8
6 colleges
Everett, WA
$47K starting · COL 118.2
5 colleges
Renton, WA
$49K starting · COL 122.5
5 colleges
Spokane Valley, WA
$49K starting · COL 123.1
4 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Tacoma
Chinese Studies
$62K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$57K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$50K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$57K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$47K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$50K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classics
$57K starting · 8 yr ROI
Africana Studies
$47K starting · 5 yr ROI
Theater & Drama Degree in Tacoma — 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 Tacoma.