Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft at Western Wyoming Community College
WY · Associate's Degree · CIP 50.05
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft degree from Western Wyoming Community College earn a median salary of $39,655 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $42,594. The degree typically pays for itself in 131.6 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$23,252
Typical Career
$39,655
Top Performers
$50,265
Estimated break-even: 131.6 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$264
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,305. Most students can comfortably afford about a $264 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Wyoming buys what costs $0.93 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Retail Trade.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$42,594
Nominal: $39,655 in Wyoming (COL 93.1% of national avg) · 7.4% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $17,352 | $22,038 | $30,926 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $23,252 | $39,655 | $50,265 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $28,969 | $40,342 | $56,877 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $39,655 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in WY, which has a cost-of-living index of 93.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $39,655 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9310)
= $42,594 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
In terms of industry placement, a significant portion of graduates find employment in Health Care & Social Assistance, accounting for 30.4% and 27.4% of the workforce, followed by Mining, Quarrying & Oil/Gas Extraction at 15.3%. The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 131.6 years, suggesting that the return on investment for this degree may be limited in the short to medium term. Overall, while the program may foster personal growth and skill development, the financial return may not be as favorable compared to other career paths.
Compare with Another School
See how the Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft degree at Western Wyoming Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
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Other Degrees at Western Wyoming Community College
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.