Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New York

The numbers here cluster right at the national median—$14,335 in first-year earnings against $17,170 in debt—but that obscures a crucial reality: these are poverty-level wages for a specialized performing arts certificate. While the program edges into the 60th percentile among New York's dozen theatre training programs, that's a narrow distinction when the entire field produces such modest returns.

The 14% earnings growth to $16,346 by year four suggests some career progression, though graduates remain well below a living wage in New York City. The 1.20 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable on paper, but stretches thin when you're earning less than full-time minimum wage. For context, American Musical and Dramatic Academy graduates earn 21% more within a year, showing there's variation even within this niche field.

These figures deserve extra caution—the sample size is under 30 graduates, meaning a few outliers could shift the picture dramatically. If your child has trust fund support or is using this as supplemental training while pursuing other income, the program might serve its purpose as intensive theatre preparation. But as a standalone path to financial independence, especially in expensive New York City, the math doesn't work without substantial family support or additional income streams.