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Directing & Theatrical Production

Types of Degrees Directing & Theatrical Production Majors Are Earning

Those studying Directing & Theatrical Production have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	22
Associate’s Degree	1
Bachelor’s Degree	124
Master’s Degree	66

What Directing & Theatrical Production Majors Need to Know

Studies in Directing & Theatrical Production emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Directing & Theatrical Production graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Directing & Theatrical Production emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Communications and Media — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Fine Arts — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Directing & Theatrical Production program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Directing & Theatrical Production careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Directing & Theatrical Production graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Thinking Creatively	4.6 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.2 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.0 / 7
Working with Computers	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.9 / 7
Coaching and Developing Others	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Directing & Theatrical Production professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Apple Final Cut Pro	Video creation and editing software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Adobe Audition	Music or sound editing software	—
Adobe After Effects	Video creation and editing software	✓
Hypertext markup language HTML	Web platform development software	—
Adobe Creative Cloud software	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Directing & Theatrical Production graduates include:

• Ceramics Teacher
• Open Rank Professor
• Art Professor
• Music Theory Teacher
• Adjunct Graphic Design Instructor
• Music Theory Professor
• Stagecraft Professor
• Lighting Design Lecturer
• Drama Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Ballet Professor
• Dramatic Art Teacher
• Instructor
• Woodshop Instructor
• Media Arts Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Directing & Theatrical Production graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	33.5%
Master’s degree	28.8%
Doctoral degree	17.3%
High school diploma or equivalent	5.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	5.4%
Some college courses	2.7%
Postsecondary certificate	2.4%
Less than a high school diploma	1.2%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.2%
First professional degree	1.1%
Post-master’s certificate	0.9%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Directing & Theatrical Production?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 68.1% of Directing & Theatrical Production degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	145	68.1%
Men	68	31.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Directing & Theatrical Production graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	149	70.0%
Asian	9	4.2%
Hispanic or Latino	23	10.8%
Black or African American	9	4.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.5%
Two or More Races	13	6.1%
Race Unknown	3	1.4%
International Students	6	2.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Directing & Theatrical Production Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Directing & Theatrical Production graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$21,253
4 years	$29,200
5 years	$33,047

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $33,047 — roughly 55% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Directing & Theatrical Production Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Directing & Theatrical Production graduates earn a median of $29,200 four years after completion — about 23% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft	50.05
Acting	50.0506
Comedy Writing and Performance	50.0511
Costume Design	50.0510
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General	50.0501
Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other	50.0599
Musical Theatre	50.0509
Playwriting and Screenwriting	50.0504
Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology	50.0502
Theatre and Dance	50.0512
Theatre Literature, History and Criticism	50.0505
Cinematography and Film/Video Production	50.0602

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.