Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at Plymouth State University

Plymouth State's theatre program lands in an uncomfortable middle ground: it beats the national median for theatre earnings by about $1,800, but trails other New Hampshire programs by roughly $1,200 annually. That state ranking—40th percentile—matters more than you might think, since New Hampshire has only five programs offering this degree and in-state tuition will likely drive your decision.

The debt load of $27,000 sits at the national median but translates to a 1.20 debt-to-earnings ratio on first-year income of $22,489. In practical terms, your child would be looking at monthly loan payments around $300 on income that barely exceeds $1,800 per month before taxes. That's tight, though not unusual for theatre graduates. The 5th percentile debt ranking is genuinely encouraging—at least students here aren't carrying the crushing $35,000+ loads seen at many programs.

The critical caveat: these numbers come from fewer than 30 graduates, so one or two high-earning alumni could skew results significantly. If your child is considering theatre as a practical career path rather than a passion pursuit, the University of New Hampshire offers a $2,300 annual earnings advantage that compounds meaningfully over time. For students committed to theatre despite the financial reality, Plymouth keeps debt reasonable, but the earnings ceiling appears lower than the state's flagship option.