@TeddyKGB, there are several threads on here (@EmsDad, I assume yours…? They were really good) about how much/little money actors make. However, I just wanted to point out a few things. First, if you son is a senior, he better start applying NOW if he hasn’t already. Many schools have video prescreens he has to send in (an audition to get an audition, if you will), and audition slots fill up fast. If he has already applied, ignore me. Second, if he wants to be a straight actor, try the thread on Theatre/Drama majors. This one is musical theatre. If he wants musical theatre, you’re in the right place. Third, the merits of a “top-notch” theatre program has been endlessly debated here and elsewhere, and I can’t imagine you will ever find people to agree on the answer to that. While you may get phenomenal training at other programs that are not considered “top-notch,” I think the top-notch programs can open doors and give you contacts that are really important. But the bottom line is the people who are going to work are the ones who blow everyone away in the audition room, regardless of where they went to school, or regardless of WHETHER they went to school. How they get in that room in the first place might be a different question. Fourth, with a BFA in MT (or theatre), your child is ready for a lot of jobs, not just being a Broadway actor. Kids who come out of these programs are articulate, can think on their feet, are personable, can problem solve…basically, they are all around good employees. Fifth, these days, actors can make decent livings in cities other than NY…like Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, DC, Seattle, Tampa, etc. It doesn’t have to be NYC. (And a note to @jojoice5…what makes a good acting program is most definitely not its location. Some of the best acting programs in the country are in very bizarre places, and sometimes small towns.) Best of luck!