What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft is tracked across 230 U.S. postsecondary institutions in the College Scorecard field-of-study file, which links CIP code classifications from IPEDS to Treasury earnings records. This profile covers the associate's credential level specifically, because the Department of Education reports program-level outcomes separately for associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral awards. The CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) taxonomy lets analysts roll up specialties into broader families, which is why earnings medians across schools can be compared on a common basis.
Across all reporting institutions, the mean of school-level medians is $26,251, calculated from 5 schools with published earnings data. The earnings distribution stretches from $15,909 at the low end to $30,729 at the top, with a 25th-75th percentile band between $27,161 and $30,146 around a median of $27,311. The top-reporting institution in this program is New York Film Academy at $30,729. These numbers reflect earnings measured roughly a year after completion, using Social Security Administration tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants.
Variation across schools matters more than a single national figure. Completers counts reported per school indicate how many graduates’ earnings feed the median, which means small programs produce more volatile numbers. Median debt at the program level, when paired with earnings, yields a debt-to-earnings ratio that is the College Scorecard’s standard affordability signal — ratios under 1.0 indicate earnings exceed cumulative debt. Use the school-by-school table to spot institutions where Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft graduates out-earn peers at comparable cost, and to surface gainful-employment patterns that only become visible at the CIP-code level.
American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New York accounts for 38.0% of all Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft associate's credential graduates
That concentration — well above the 5% national median for largest-entity share — means Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. That school produced 78 graduates in the most recent cohort, anchoring a meaningful slice of national supply for this field. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.55 — near the typical range (US average ~1) — aligned with the typical 1:1 ratio that defines federal gainful-employment thresholds
debt-to-earnings ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: this ratio uses federal loan principal, not all education debt — private loans, parent PLUS loans not in the borrower’s name, and institutional debt are excluded Variation between sub-units within Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft is typically wider than the Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft-aggregate figure suggests.
How much do Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft graduates earn? ▼
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft graduates earn $26,251 on average across 230 schools. Earnings range from $15,909 to $30,729 depending on the institution.
Which school pays the most for Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft? ▼
New York Film Academy has the highest reported median earnings for Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft graduates at $30,729, based on College Scorecard data.
What credential do you get in Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft? ▼
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft programs typically award a Associate's credential. Earnings vary by school and credential level.
Top Schools for Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Closest schools offering this program — compare earnings side by side
Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Median earnings represent graduates who received federal financial aid, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal student aid applicants. Completers count and debt figures reflect program-level data reported through IPEDS. Data is updated annually.