ROI Major

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at Georgia College & State University

GA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 50.05

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft degree from Georgia College & State University earn a median salary of $46,471 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in GA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $51,349. The degree typically pays for itself in 17.8 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$30,560

Typical Career

$46,471

Top Performers

$56,372

Estimated break-even: 17.8 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$310

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,873. Most students can comfortably afford about a $310 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Georgia buys what costs $0.91 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 22.6%
Health Care & Social Assistance 20.4%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 10.3%

Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$51,349

Nominal: $46,471 in Georgia (COL 90.5% of national avg) · 10.5% higher purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

17.8 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $20,397 $26,866 $46,207
5 Years After Graduation $30,560 $46,471 $56,372
10 Years After Graduation $42,631 $52,765 $64,402

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $46,471 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in GA, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $46,471 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9050) = $51,349 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates in Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft from Georgia College & State University experience a gradual increase in earnings over time. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $26,866, rising to $46,471 five years later, and reaching $52,765 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $51,349.17, indicating that while initial earnings may be lower than some fields, there is potential for growth in the long term.

The top industries for graduates include Educational Services (22.6%), Health Care & Social Assistance (20.4%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (10.3%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 17.8 years, suggesting that while the return on investment may take time to materialize, graduates can find opportunities in diverse sectors. Overall, students should weigh the long-term benefits against the initial financial investment in their education.

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Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.