Theatre Careers
Find out what careers you can achieve with a Theatre degree from MBU, and how you can get there!
Theatre Careers
These are just some of the many careers a Theatre BA can prepare you for. Select a career to learn about the job, average salary, employment outlook, required education level, and more.
Theatre & Performing Arts
Use the resources below to find more career profiles on these and hundreds of other jobs you could achieve with a Theatre BA.
Career Spotlights
Film & Video Editor
Arrange raw footage to create the final content in line with director’s vision.
Education: Bachelor’s degree
Workplaces: Self-employed, motion picture industries, publishing and broadcasting providers, technical services
Median Pay: $75,100/year
Job Outlook: 3% (average growth)
Director
Make business and creative decisions about film, television, and stage productions.
Education: Bachelor’s degree
Workplaces: Self-employed, motion picture and video industries, media networks and media streaming services, performing arts industries, television broadcasting stations
Median Pay: $90,360/year
Job Outlook: 4% (average growth)
Art Director
Oversees the design and creation of visual style and images for media productions.
Education: Bachelor’s degree
Workplaces: Advertising firms, video production companies, design consultant firms, self-employed
Median Pay: $111,040/year
Job Outlook: 4% (average growth)
MBU Alumni Employers
Our Theatre majors have gone on to build careers with performing arts organizations, educational institutions, healthcare organizations, creative agencies, and businesses across industries.
Organizations that have hired our alumni include:
- Arizona State University
- Almanac Projects
- Amnet ContentSource
- American Shakespeare Center
- Augusta County Public Schools
- Clayton Center for the Arts
- d’Art Center
- Food & Friends
- GP Strategies Corporation
- Imagination Stage, Inc.
- New Country Organics
- New York Film Academy
- Health + Hospitals
- PBS Sales and Marketing
- Richmond Creative Counseling, LLC
- Rhode Island Black Heritage Society
- Sentara Healthcare
- SOAS University of London
- The Court of Master Sommeliers
- The Home Depot
What’s your path?
MBU offers dozens of complementary minors, majors, clubs and more to enhance your study of Theatre and put you on the right path to your dream career.
Consider pairing your Theatre major with…
A minor in:
A double-major in:
Build one of these Skill Stacks to gain an edge in the job market:
- Communication
- Inclusivity
- Collaboration
- Leadership
- Creativity
Join one of these MBU clubs or professional organizations for connection and networking:
- Baldwin Charm A Cappella Group
- Bella Voce Chamber Group
- Mary Baldwin Choir
- Mary Baldwin Theatre Troupe
- Virginia Theatre Association
- American Association of Community Theatre
- US Institute of Theatre Technology
- Alpha Psi Omega Honor Society
Interested in grad school? Consider MBU’s outstanding Shakespeare & Performance graduate programs:
- Master of Letters in Shakespeare & Performance (MLitt)*
- Master of Fine Arts in Shakespeare & Performance (MFA)
*We offer an Accelerated Pathway for this program. Earn two degrees faster!
Consider pairing your Theatre major with…
A minor in:
A double-major in:
Build one of these Skill Stacks and gain an edge in the job market:
- Communication
- Problem-solving
- Collaboration
- Data fluency
- Creativity
Join one of these MBU clubs for connection and networking:
- Baldwin Program Board
- Student Senate
- Inter-Club Council
- Appropriations Committee
- Student Standards Board
- Outrageous Fortune Magazine
Explore Internships
No matter your major, an internship is a chance to explore your interests, build real-world skills, and give you a real competitive edge in the job market. The McCree Center for Career Success can help find the right opportunity for you.
Planning for Graduate School
If you’re considering graduate school in Theatre or a career requiring an advanced degree, explore your options early. Requirements vary, but most programs require transcripts, recommendations, and personal statements.
Depending on your graduate program and career goals, you may want to supplement your Theatre coursework with classes in areas such as communication, business, marketing, English, creative writing, film, or education.
Identifying potential graduate programs early can help you determine whether additional coursework is recommended or required.
Graduate programs in performance and theatre may require an audition, portfolio, writing sample, or other examples of previous work.
Students interested in these programs should begin building a body of work early and keep records of performances, productions, designs, writing, directing, and other creative projects.
Some graduate programs may require entrance exams such as the GRE (Graduate Record Examinations). Students taking these exams often take weeks or months to study the material and take practice tests.
Knowing early if an entrance exam will be included in your application will give you more time to prepare.
See what graduate programs Mary Baldwin has to offer!
McCree Center for Career Success
The McCree Center for Career Success helps students connect their education to their future careers. Services include:
- Career exploration and planning
- Resume and cover letter support
- Interview preparation
- Internship and job searches
- Networking and professional development
- Graduate school preparation
Visit us to learn more!
