Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at University of Northern Iowa

University of Northern Iowa's theatre program shows something unusual for arts degrees: strong upward momentum after a modest start. That 54% earnings jump from year one to year four ($22,289 to $34,270) suggests graduates are finding traction in their field or developing valuable transferable skills. Among Iowa's 20 theatre programs, this ranks right at the 60th percentile—solidly middle-of-the-pack in a state where even the flagship university's program posts nearly identical first-year earnings.

The debt picture is reasonable for a theatre degree. At $24,875, it's actually below both the state median ($25,748) and the national benchmark ($25,000), with a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.12 in year one that drops to about 0.73 by year four. This isn't a STEM-level financial outcome, but theatre degrees rarely are—the question is whether this particular program helps graduates do better than they would elsewhere. Nationally, this program outperforms 62% of similar programs, which suggests UNI provides decent training and industry connections for aspiring theatre professionals.

The bottom line: if your child is committed to theatre, this program offers a less financially risky path than most alternatives. The relatively low debt combined with improving earnings creates breathing room for graduates to pursue their field while keeping loans manageable. Just understand that first year will likely mean side jobs or shared housing—the payoff comes with experience.