Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at North Carolina A & T State University

North Carolina A&T's theatre program carries $26,000 in debt but produces first-year earnings of just $21,000—slightly below North Carolina's median of $21,112 and ranking in only the 40th percentile statewide. For context, UNC Chapel Hill graduates in this program earn $26,457 their first year, while even regional state schools like Western Carolina and East Carolina produce better outcomes. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.24 means graduates owe more than an entire year's salary, which can strain budgets when starting salaries barely exceed $20,000.

The extremely small sample size here—fewer than 30 graduates—is crucial context. These numbers might not represent a typical graduate's experience, and a few outliers can dramatically skew results either way. That said, theatre programs generally lead to modest early earnings regardless of school, and this program's debt load is actually near the national median of $25,000.

If your child is passionate about theatre and specifically wants the HBCU experience at A&T, understand they'll likely face tight finances initially. However, given the data's unreliability and the program's below-median performance within North Carolina, it's worth comparing costs and outcomes at other state schools like Western Carolina or East Carolina, which show slightly better earnings with similar debt loads and larger, more stable graduate cohorts.