Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw State's theatre program outperforms most Georgia competitors while keeping graduates' financial footing surprisingly stable. At $25,182 four years out, graduates earn more than those from UGA and SCAD—the state's flagship programs—and rank in the 60th percentile statewide. That's noteworthy in a field where many programs leave graduates struggling to break $20,000 annually. The debt load of $25,500 translates to just over one year's starting salary, which is manageable compared to programs where graduates owe two or three times their annual income.

The 17% earnings growth from year one to year four suggests graduates are finding footing in the notoriously unstable arts economy, though these remain subsistence-level wages. Most theatre graduates at this income level are cobbling together gig work, teaching, or combining arts work with service jobs. Parents should understand their child will likely need financial support during the early career years, regardless of program quality.

For a student committed to theatre, this program offers a reasonable path—better than most Georgia alternatives and slightly above the national median. But the underlying reality of theatre careers remains: this is a passion-driven field where financial security comes slowly, if at all. The program won't change that fundamental equation, though it appears to position graduates as well as can be expected.