Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame's theatre program achieves something remarkable in a field notorious for financial challenges: graduates earn $37,531 their first year—roughly double what typical theatre majors make nationally and $10,000 more than any other Indiana program. By year four, earnings jump to $56,230, suggesting graduates are landing positions with real career trajectories rather than cobbling together gig work indefinitely.

The debt picture strengthens the case. At $19,000, graduates borrow $6,000 less than the national median for this major and $3,000 less than Indiana's typical theatre graduate. That manageable debt combined with superior earnings means the debt represents just six months of first-year income—a fundamentally different financial equation than at most schools where theatre majors face debt equal to 1-2 years of earnings. This is a top-tier program (95th percentile both nationally and in Indiana) with below-average debt burden.

The sample size is moderate, so these outcomes reflect 30-100 graduates rather than thousands, but the pattern is clear: Notre Dame's brand recognition, alumni network, and rigorous admissions (12% acceptance rate) translate into theatre careers that actually pay. For families who can afford Notre Dame's tuition or secure sufficient aid, this represents one of the few paths where studying theatre doesn't mean accepting severe financial hardship after graduation.