by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 158 U.S. colleges awarded 1,247 degrees and certificates in Theater Design & Technology. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 44% of graduates. College Factual ranks 30 schools in its 2027 Best Theater Design & Technology Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $21,269 one year after completing, rising to $40,353 after four years.
Studying Theater Design & Technology covers Technical Theatre/theatre Design And Technology. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Artistic, Technical And Dramatic Principles And Techniques To The Communication Of Dramatic Information, Ideas, Moods, And Feelings Through Technical Theatre Methods. Includes Instruction In Set Design, Lighting Design, Sound Effects, Theatre Acoustics, Scene Painting, Property Management, Costume Design, And Technical Direction And Production And Use Of Computer Applications To Support These Functions. Examples: [Scene Painting].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, theater design & technology draws strong interest, with 1,247 degrees awarded annually. 158 colleges award theater design & technology degrees, an average of 8 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 106.
By level, the 1,247 awards include 36 certificates, 161 associate degrees, 543 bachelor’s degrees and 499 master’s degrees.
Women earned 62% of theater design & technology degrees and certificates in the latest year (775 of 1,247). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (723) and Hispanic or Latino (260), and international students earned 64.
College Factual ranks 30 schools in its 2027 Best Theater Design & Technology Schools ranking, including 7 for associate degrees, 20 for bachelor’s degrees and 6 for master’s degrees. It also ranks theater design & technology schools within 14 states. In all, 158 colleges offer theater design & technology programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Theater Design & Technology Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common theater design & technology credential is the bachelor’s degree: 543 of the 1,247 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to theater design & technology call most for Speaking, Instructing and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of Fine Arts, Education and Training and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Written Expression.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a theater design & technology degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 36 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 161 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 543 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 499 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to theater design & technology, at 47.0%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 47.0% |
| Doctoral degree | 26.0% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 18.0% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 3.3% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.1% |
| Some college courses | 2.0% |
| First professional degree | 1.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.6% |
Source: O*NET Online.
2 occupations are related to Theater Design & Technology, with an average median salary of $78,016; the strongest outlook belongs to Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary, at 9.1% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Violin Teacher, Adjunct Graphic Design Instructor, Voice Teacher and Music Professor.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to theater design & technology, at 1,074,154.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,074,154 | 9.1% |
| Set and Exhibit Designers | 253,386 | -2.7% |
Theater Design & Technology graduates earn a median $21,269 one year after completing their program, $40,353 after four years and $33,075 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $21,269 |
| 4 years | $40,353 |
| 5 years | $33,075 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to theater design & technology is Set and Exhibit Designers, with a median salary of $109,049.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Set and Exhibit Designers | $109,049 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,983 |
Theater Design & Technology has 10 similar majors in the Visual & Performing Arts field, which together award 15,081 degrees a year; the largest are Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General (10,369), Acting (1,721) and Musical Theatre (1,217). Browse all Visual & Performing Arts majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 10,369 |
| Acting | 1,721 |
| Musical Theatre | 1,217 |
| Playwriting and Screenwriting | 937 |
| Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other | 418 |
| Directing and Theatrical Production | 214 |
| Theatre and Dance | 99 |
| Theatre Literature, History and Criticism | 39 |
| Comedy Writing and Performance | 35 |
| Costume Design | 32 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
