Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at Suffolk University

Suffolk's theater program posts earnings that beat 70% of similar programs nationally, but the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these results could swing significantly year to year. At $23,189 in first-year earnings, graduates earn slightly more than the Massachusetts median for theater programs and notably more than the national figure. The debt load of $27,000 matches the state average while staying well below what most theater students face nationally.

The 1.16 debt-to-earnings ratio is actually quite manageable for a performing arts degree, where low starting salaries are the norm across nearly all institutions. Even Dean College, the top-earning theater program in Massachusetts at $29,639, doesn't fundamentally change the financial reality: theater graduates typically need supplemental income streams early in their careers. What matters here is whether the Boston theater scene—with its network of regional theaters, educational institutions, and production companies—justifies the investment compared to less expensive options.

Given the limited sample size, prospective students should verify whether recent graduates have secured work in their target area of theater (performance, technical production, arts administration) before committing. The numbers suggest reasonable outcomes for this field, but they're based on too few graduates to bank on confidently. If your child has specific professional connections or opportunities lined up in Boston's theater community, that context matters more than these statistics.