Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at Northwestern State University of Louisiana

Northwestern State's theatre program graduates earn just $16,973 in their first year—roughly 18% below Louisiana's median and landing in the bottom quarter of state theater programs. Even in a notoriously low-paying field, these numbers stand out. You're looking at graduates earning significantly less than what LSU or University of New Orleans theater students make, despite similar debt loads around $22,000.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.31 means your child would owe more than a full year's salary right out of school. While that's actually better than some theater programs nationally, it's still a challenging financial position when annual earnings barely clear $17,000. At that income level, making meaningful progress on student loans while covering basic living expenses becomes genuinely difficult, not just inconvenient.

If your child is set on theater, they should understand this program trails other Louisiana options by $3,000-4,000 annually in starting salary—money that matters considerably at this income level. The 94% admission rate suggests accessibility, but that ease of entry doesn't translate to stronger financial outcomes. Unless your family can significantly limit borrowing or your child has concrete plans for how this degree fits into a viable career path, the numbers suggest looking at LSU or UNO's programs instead, where graduates at least reach the state median for theater earnings.