Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at California State University-Long Beach

Cal State Long Beach's theatre program shows an unusual pattern: starting at just $19,000 within the first year—well below both the national and California medians—earnings jump 52% by year four to reach $29,000. That's $8,500 above the state median and places graduates ahead of programs at Chapman University and San Francisco State within four years. Among California theatre programs, this ranks in the 40th percentile initially but the trajectory suggests graduates find their footing in what's notoriously one of the entertainment industry's most competitive markets.

The $15,000 in median debt is the real advantage here. While graduates from similar programs nationally carry $25,000 and Californians average $17,000, Long Beach students leave with substantially less to repay. The debt-to-earnings ratio starts at a manageable 0.78 and improves dramatically as earnings climb. For a field where many graduates piece together gig work, internships, and side jobs before establishing themselves professionally, that lighter debt load provides critical flexibility during the lean early years.

This program makes sense for students serious about theatre careers who understand the initial financial reality. The combination of below-average debt and strong earnings growth suggests graduates are successfully transitioning from survival jobs to sustainable work in their field. Just know you're signing up for a challenging first year or two financially, even if the four-year outlook is more encouraging than most theatre programs deliver.