Bachelor's · Boston, Massachusetts
Is Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at Boston University worth it?
Medium confidence Medium confidence: 40–99 graduates behind the earnings figures.
The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans
Graduates typically don't earn back the cost within 20 years, compared with the no-degree baseline.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $40,143
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- $42,237
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $20,468
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $155k (likely $155k – $155k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- −$1k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in MA
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- Not within 20 years in most scenarios
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- −$389k (likely −$443k – −$339k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- −$407k (likely −$509k – −$305k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 90%
- Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in
- not reported / ≤ 20%
- NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20
Change income, residency or loans Compare Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at other schools
🎨 Getting ready in high school
Students heading toward art, design & performance majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.
AP classes
- AP 2-D Art and Design
- AP Drawing
- AP Art History
- AP Music Theory
IB Higher Level
- Visual Arts HL
- Music HL or Theatre HL or Film HL
Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.
Other majors at Boston University
- Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (Graduate certificate)$263,486
- Law (First professional)$194,750
- Dentistry (First professional)$180,633
- Insurance (Master's)$177,642
- Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies (Master's)$156,087
- Computer Science (Master's)$153,937
- Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's)$150,827
- Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's)$147,178
- Computer Software and Media Applications (Master's)$140,032
- Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other (Master's)$138,128
- Computer Science (Bachelor's)$136,667
- Information Science/Studies (Master's)$136,425
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at other schools in Massachusetts
- Brandeis University$58,676
- Emerson College$44,760
- Suffolk University$43,553
- Dean College$36,724
- Northeastern University$36,309
- Northeastern University Professional Programs$36,309
- Berklee College of Music$30,651