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University of Lynchburg

/ Academics / Majors and Minors / Theatre Major / What Jobs Can I Get With a Theatre Degree?

What Jobs Can I Get With a Theatre Degree?

Theatre majors are versatile candidates for a wide range of entertainment jobs. Your first gig may not be on Broadway or in Hollywood, but you might get there if you follow your passion.

Theatre Careers and Salaries

A theatre degree can lead you virtually anywhere. Like a career where you’re living your dream and love what you do. Your pay depends on a variety of things: full-time, part-time, or contract; what field you’re interested in; where you live; and, if you’re with a touring company or a permanent theater. So, what do you do? Start at the bottom and push your way up to your dream job. In some cases, you may need supplemental income as you start.

If you love the work and have the drive and talent, you can find a rewarding future in theater.

Starting pay can be:

  • Lighting technician: $8.17 per hour ($15,686 per year)
  • Makeup artist: $18.45 per hour ($33,504 per year)
  • Production assistant: $9.86 ($20,500)
  • Prop maker: $13.65 per hour ($26,220)
  • Scenic artist: $18 per hour ($37,328 per year)
  • Stagehand: $14.79 per hour ($28,396 per year)

As you advance, more options become available:

  • Drama teacher: $51,033
  • Lighting designer: $58,137
  • Prop manager: $50,812
  • Set designer: $52,475
  • Theater company manager: $50,777
  • Theater technician: $43,721
  • Wardrobe supervisor: $60,725

 

Jason DowJason Dow ’17
Deandre ShortDeandre Short ’17
Samantha ToppingSamantha Topping ’19
Evan GendreauEvan Gendreau ’17
Anna WehrAnna Wehr ’17
Ellee EvansEllee Evans ’19
Margaret ClarkeMargaret Clarke ’20
Kelsey DowlingKelsey Dowling ’17
Elena KritterElena Kritter ’12
Dustin WilliamsDustin Williams ’05
Tyler BarrettTyler Barrett ’16
Derek CooperDerek Cooper ’11
Sierra Spicer ’14, ’16 MBA
Gina Grundman ’14
Bradley Branham ’15

What are some of our graduates doing

  • Tyler Barrett ’16: Assistant technical director, Aurora Theatre
  • Bradley Branham ’15: Client Success Manager at Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C.
  • Margaret Clarke ’20: Program intern, Disney College
  • Derek Cooper ’11: Teaching associate, Port Discovery Children’s Museum
  • Jason Dow ’17: Master carpenter, Ogunquit Playhouse
  • Kelsey Dowling ’17: Intern at Bravo, Boston University Graduate School
  • Ellee Evans ’19: Actress, Wolfbane Productions
  • Evan Gendreau ’17: Associate Director of Theatre Services at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts
  • Gina Grundman ’14: Associate media planner, Stratacomm
  • Elena Kritter ’12: Devised theatre specialist, NYC, MFA Program, American University
  • Deandre Short ’17: MFA Playwriting program, Columbia University
  • Sierra Spicer 14 BA, ’16 MBA: Senior associate, Donor Services Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
  • Samantha Topping ’19: Education Director, Imagination Stage, Washington, D.C.
  • Anna Wehr ’17: Master of Theatre Management, Virginia Tech
  • Dustin Williams ’05: Founder and artistic director, Wolfbane Productions
Additional Careers
  • Actor, film and television (NCIS, Mad Men, Lifetime)
  • Actress, film and television (Miss Congeniality, Hallmark)
  • Associate media planner, Stratacomm
  • Drama teacher, Liberty High School
  • Face character, Disney World Face
  • Lead technician, The Shakespeare Theatre
  • Producing artistic director/founder, Wolfbane Productions
  • Program manager, Southeastern Theatre Conference
  • Properties coordinator, Imagination Stage
Summer Theatre and internships

Many of our students participate in summer theatre and internships, gaining professional experience between their undergraduate years.

Recent companies include:

  • Audience relations, Arena Stage, Washington, D.C.
  • Children’s Theatre, Center Stage, Baltimore, Md.
  • Clear Space Theatre Company, Rehoboth, Del.
  • Community outreach, Center Stage, Baltimore, Md.
  • Lost Colony Outdoor Drama, Manteo, N.C.
  • Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Auburn, N.Y.
  • Ogunquit Playhouse, Ogunquit, Maine
  • Phamaly Theatre, Denver, Colo.
  • Public relations, Academy Center of the Arts, Lynchburg, Va.
  • Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre, Winchester, Va.
  • The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Madison, N.J.
  • Theater management, Virginia Theatre Association, Lynchburg, Va.
  • Violet Baptist Church Drama Ministry, Columbus, Ohio
  • Virginia Stage Company, Norfolk, Va.
Graduate and Professional Education

Some of our graduates have continued their professional education at excellent schools and conservatories.

  • Atlantic Acting School, New York, N.Y.
  • MEd in theatre for youth, Emerson College
  • MFA in scene design, University of North Carolina-Greensboro
  • MFA in stage management, Rutgers University
  • William Esper Acting Studio, New York, N.Y.
Salary and job projections come from national averages in the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other sources, including Glassdoor, Indeed, and industry-specific posts and publications. The data is meant to provide you with an idea of career options and salary ranges, not as a guarantee of obtaining these positions after graduation. These represent national averages and may vary by source and time frame collected. Actual salaries vary by region. Some jobs may require additional training or graduate education.