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Theatre Literature & History

Types of Degrees Theatre Literature & History Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Theatre Literature & History have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	16
Master’s Degree	5
Doctor’s Degree	4

What Theatre Literature & History Majors Need to Know

Programs in Theatre Literature & History emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Theatre Literature & History graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Theatre Literature & History emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Fine Arts — Importance 4.9 / 5; level 6.5 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 6.1 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Communications and Media — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• History and Archeology — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills built by a Theatre Literature & History program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Learning Strategies — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Theatre Literature & History careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Theatre Literature & History graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Thinking Creatively	4.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.7 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.7 / 7
Coaching and Developing Others	4.5 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Getting Information	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Theatre Literature & History professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Propellerhead Software Reason	Music or sound editing software	—
Blackboard software	Computer based training software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Cascading style sheets CSS	Web platform development software	—
Adobe InDesign	Desktop publishing software	—
The Pixel Farm PFTrack	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Adobe Creative Cloud software	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Pixar RenderMan Studio	Video creation and editing software	—
Learning management system LMS	Computer based training software	✓
Autodesk Maya	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Faux Labs Splashup	Graphics or photo imaging software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Theatre Literature & History graduates include:

• Organ Teacher
• Digital Arts Instructor
• Arts and Crafts Instructor
• Voice Professor
• Violin Teacher
• Dramatic Coach
• Woodshop Instructor
• Studio Instructor
• Dramatic Art Teacher
• Dancing Teacher
• Music Theory Professor
• Dance Instructor
• Performing Arts Instructor
• Makeup Artistry Instructor
• Art Educator

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Theatre Literature & History graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	50.7%
Doctoral degree	31.7%
Bachelor’s degree	13.9%
Post-master’s certificate	1.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.4%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.7%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Theatre Literature & History ?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 80% of Theatre Literature & History degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	20	80.0%
Men	5	20.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Theatre Literature & History graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	12	48.0%
Black or African American	8	32.0%
Race Unknown	2	8.0%
International Students	3	12.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Theatre Literature & History Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Theatre Literature & History graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb 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 Theatre Literature & History Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Theatre Literature & History 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
Directing and Theatrical Production	50.0507
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
Art History, Criticism and Conservation	50.0703

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.