Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at Ithaca College

At $18,243 in first-year earnings, Ithaca College's theatre program falls below both the national median ($20,698) and sits near the middle of New York programs—40th percentile statewide. The $26,000 in typical debt matches state and national medians, but the real challenge is how that debt stacks up against actual earnings. Theatre graduates here need to find nearly a year and a half of gross income just to cover their student loans, making the financial math particularly tight in an already precarious field.

The gap between Ithaca and top-performing New York programs is striking. Manhattan School of Music graduates earn $29,400—61% more than Ithaca's theatre grads—while even SUNY Buffalo ($25,810) and CUNY Hunter ($25,059) deliver significantly stronger outcomes with likely lower in-state tuition. Given Ithaca's 70% admission rate and relatively high sticker price for a private institution, families should carefully weigh whether the school's specific theatre connections and training justify the cost difference.

This doesn't mean talented students should avoid theatre programs—but if choosing this path, the debt matters enormously. With earnings this low in year one, every thousand dollars of additional borrowing compounds the challenge. Families should compare net costs carefully against public alternatives in New York that deliver better early earnings without the private school premium.