Bachelor's · Boston, Massachusetts
Is Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at Emerson College worth it?
High confidence High confidence: 100+ 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
- $35,921
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- $48,078
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $24,250
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $209k (likely $209k – $209k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $5k 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
- −$407k (likely −$451k – −$367k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- −$318k (likely −$423k – −$214k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 80%
- 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 / ≤ 10%
- 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 Emerson College
- Marketing (Master's)$93,412
- Marketing (Bachelor's)$76,623
- Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's)$74,005
- Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Master's)$65,081
- Journalism (Bachelor's)$63,337
- Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Bachelor's)$61,496
- Publishing (Master's)$61,304
- Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor's)$59,301
- Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's)$59,202
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's)$57,493
- Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's)$56,485
- Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Master's)$53,881
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at other schools in Massachusetts
- Brandeis University$58,676
- Suffolk University$43,553
- Boston University$39,322
- Dean College$36,724
- Northeastern University$36,309
- Northeastern University Professional Programs$36,309
- Berklee College of Music$30,651