Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at Shenandoah University

Shenandoah's theatre program costs $27,000 in debt to launch a career starting at under $18,000—barely above minimum wage. While earnings nearly double by year four to $31,336, that first year creates a serious financial squeeze that students at lower-debt programs won't face. Among Virginia's 33 theatre programs, this ranks in just the 25th percentile for earnings despite carrying slightly above-average debt, meaning three-quarters of comparable state programs deliver better outcomes.

The concerning reality is that graduates here earn about $5,000 less annually than the Virginia median for theatre programs, and nearly $19,000 less than what Virginia Tech's theatre graduates make. That gap persists even after the strong earnings growth. The moderate sample size (30-100 graduates) makes these figures reasonably reliable, not statistical noise.

For a family taking on $27,000 in debt, this represents a high-risk investment in a notoriously difficult field. Virginia offers stronger theatre programs at similar or lower cost—James Madison, George Mason, and VCU all produce better early-career outcomes. Unless your child has specific reasons to attend Shenandoah (particular faculty, performance opportunities, or scholarship money that changes the debt equation), the numbers suggest looking at programs where graduates start closer to $23,000-25,000 instead.