What are some typical career paths (and time durations) for MTgrads? What kind of salaries can the average person make straight out of college and at mid-career? Do performance roles evaporate as performers age, especially female roles?
There is no typical career path for an MT. There are, however, only 1/3 as many paying jobs for women as for men and sadly the pay levels are often lower for females (for example some theatres use equity contracts for male dancers while female leads get non-equity salaries). I think longevity is a function of type, and I suspect dancers frequently work younger while singers often mature into larger roles.
I see D’s friends who have graduated from a wide range of schools earning from nothing or measly $150/project stipends to $2000/week depending on the level of work they are booking. Of course those doing film and TV are doing better.
Does the college name on your resume really matter? Or does experience, audition performance, fit-for-role matter more? When is it worth it for parents to raid the 401k and/or go into deep debt for an MT degree?
Are the $2000/wk jobs sustainable? Or are they typically for a short duration? What percentage of MT grads are supporting themselves entirely by MT work, with no side jobs?
There is no typical path for a MT graduate. And typically, there is no ongoing salary, since work as a performer tends to be short period contracts and not ongoing salaries. Many earn money by doing several things. Some balance performance work with survival jobs. No single job is sustainable really because they are not long term jobs.
I cannot give you what percentage of MT grads are supporting themselves entirely by MT work. I can only relate my own kid’s experience but that is just one person. It doesn’t give you an overall outlook but is merely an example. My daughter is 27. She graduated from a BFA in MT program 7 years ago. She has supported herself since her graduation day at age 20 in NYC. All of her jobs have been in theater or music. She has pieced together many jobs over these years. The first four years or so, besides performance jobs, she had “survival” jobs too but ALL of those were in theater and music (and may not be considered “survival” by some people…such as musical directing, teaching in BFA programs, etc.). She no longer can fit in any survival jobs. But she does have a 3-prong career and currently in busy in all three areas (but if one were not to be busy, she’d have the other two, etc.). She performs in musicals, writes/composes musicals, and is a singer/songwriter (pop/jazz/folk/rock/soul). She is not rich but she fully supports herself working in her field. She works VERY hard and all the time. She is on stage in NYC as I type this.
She would say that it takes time to build a career. You can’t judge it the first couple of years out. Things for her have built up over time. Her career is better now than in her first year, etc. She doesn’t audition much. She doesn’t rely on getting cast as the only way to find work in the field, though she is also cast consistently in shows in recent years. She has also turned down work and/or had schedule conflicts But she works every day and night.
PS, she is engaged to another BFA (Acting) graduate.
There are some sobering facts and figures in this thread:
How would you advise other parents about taking on a large amount of debt or raiding retirement accounts to pay for an MT degree at a “dream school”
Like @soozievt I can’t offer percentages, but according to equity stats a rather small percentage of their members book ANY paid weeks in any given year. Our D has earned a living wage solely performing for the past two years, usually with 2-3 month contracts back-to-back, but I don’t presume this will always be the case nor that it is typical.
In my opinion it is never a good idea for parents to raid their retirement funds to pay for their kids’ education, though the new car, new house, dining out and travel funds are another story.
Very individualized decision processes, so I don’t advise other parents what to do. Speaking for myself, I would pay the same amount of money for a MT degree as a degree in any other field. I wasn’t really thinking about paying for a certain major as I was thinking about paying for an education. No matter what someone majors in, they have a college degree and can always work doing a myriad of things, not just what they majored in. I also don’t consider the “worth” of a degree based on the eventual salary one may earn. I was very happy to pay for (and will be paying for 10 years post graduation) my kids’ college educations. They loved their schools, had great experiences, and I am fortunate that both are pursuing their fields of passion and working at dream type jobs and supporting themselves.
I will add that both of my kids are very driven, motivated types. I wonder if I would feel differently paying for my kids’ degrees if they got poor grades and didn’t make the most of their educational opportunities and just had a good time for four years. .
@GMTplus7 - is there a particular reason you are looking for info- or just general knowledge?
Just general knowledge-- i mean no disrespect. The discipline is so far removed from anything that I know.
In any case, some of the financial issues I’ve raised apply to all disciplines (including engineers), and are issues that many parents are struggling with right now as they make the college decision.
I would add that the college years are not too early to get started. My VP daughter has worked several paying jobs while studying. She apprenticed (non-paying) then taught (paying) at a well-known theatre. She has run summer camps for kids, directing shows (earned enough to pay herself, her assistants, and her musicians). She has done her first professional recording (paid for rehearsals and recording sessions). She has sung in churches (paid). She has also been cast in a few shows, some paying a stipend, some unpaid but making good contacts. And she has coached kids in piano and voice (though not consistently, as she has many schedule conflicts). She has also worked as assistant director/stage manager at her school (paid with generous scholarship). In all of these jobs, she is making contacts that she may be able to use once she graduates. On top of this, she keeps on top of all audition notices and usually has an audition or a callback about once a week. She has so much audition experience that she has nerves of steel and no fear of rejection. While we pay her tuition, rent, and utilities, she earns enough that she never asks us for extra funds, though we occasionally contribute cost of MT voice lessons, a series of dance classes, or an acting class–all of which she puts together herself outside her VP major. Each summer she has either worked in theatre-related jobs or has performed summer stock, which she will do again this coming summer. She is very hardworking, very busy, but feels she is making progress toward her goals while still in college. I couldn’t be more proud of all she has achieved and, while the cost of her college is a stretch for us, we feel it is money well spent and much appreciated.
Good point @claire74. My MT daughter also was earning money during her college years in this field…in summers and also some paid professional positions at times during the school year. Same with my other daughter in her field. So, they had paid experience under their belts before graduating.
One day my daughter said of her experiences in professional theatre to-date “If I think of doing this just for fun it’s a crazy amount of work, but when I remember I’m getting paid I realize that I have the best job in the world.”
Something our working MTs have that not all college graduates ever will is an opportunity to earn a living doing something they genuinely love. When and if they stop loving it, or crave a lifestyle they can’t attain through performing, they are smart, organized and motivated enough to do something else.
@GMTplus7 I would advise that you DON’T go into huge amounts of debt and DON’T raid your 401k. If the student has to compromise and go to a cheaper school, then use the savings to invest in summer programs to supplement what they are not getting in the degree program. There are lots of ways to get the training you need, don’t get caught up in the idea that you MUST come up with the money or you are ruining your child’s chances at a career - you’re not. If the difference is $10-20k over four years between two schools, that’s one conversation. But if the difference is more than $20k, I start questioning if the shortcomings can’t be made up for during the summer. Besides, the student can always transfer if they are not happy with where they end up.
My students who actively pursue this (meaning they audition non-stop) book work. Some are earning non-equity regional theatre rates (around $300-600 per week), others are earning $2,100 per week plus per diem (~$900) on tour. Lot’s of my students book cruise ships at $1,000 per week to pay down their loans.
~VT