Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at Anderson University

Anderson University's theatre program sits right in the middle of the pack—both nationally (58th percentile) and within South Carolina (60th percentile)—with graduates earning about $22,000 one year out. That's slightly better than most theatre programs nationwide and edges out the state median. Among South Carolina's 19 theatre programs, Anderson roughly matches College of Charleston's outcomes while substantially outperforming schools like Coastal Carolina. The debt load of $25,581 is actually below the state average for theatre programs ($26,972), though the ratio of 1.18 means graduates carry more than a full year's earnings in loans.

The real caveat here is sample size—with under 30 graduates tracked, these numbers could shift significantly year to year. Theatre programs typically produce modest early earnings regardless of school quality, so Anderson's performance in the 60th percentile suggests reasonable outcomes given the field's realities. The 22% Pell Grant rate indicates this isn't primarily serving low-income students who might struggle most with debt repayment.

For parents of aspiring theatre professionals, this represents a typical investment in a passion field: manageable but not negligible debt paired with entry-level arts earnings. If your child is committed to theatre, Anderson delivers middle-of-the-road value compared to alternatives in South Carolina, though the small dataset means you're making this decision with less certainty than you'd have for larger programs.