Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at Bennington College

Bennington's theater program graduates earn just $16,579 one year out—about 20% below an already-challenging national median for theater degrees, placing it in the 12th percentile nationally. With $26,445 in median debt, graduates face a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.6, meaning they owe roughly 19 months of their first-year salary. In practical terms, this creates an immediate financial strain that makes basics like rent and loan payments difficult to juggle on theater industry wages.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) is crucial context here. Vermont has only five schools offering theater degrees, and Bennington's numbers actually sit at the state median—so this may reflect Vermont's limited theater employment ecosystem as much as the program itself. The school's 48% admission rate and 1358 average SAT suggest Bennington attracts academically capable students, yet those credentials aren't translating to theater market outcomes.

For parents, the calculus is stark: if your child is certain about pursuing theater and values Bennington's particular artistic community, understand they'll likely need substantial family support during the early career years when earnings are this low. If theater is one of several interests they're exploring, more affordable state schools or programs with stronger industry placement networks would offer similar training with less financial risk.