Career Options
Internships and Jobs
With a campus located within driving distance of downtown Hollywood, internship and career possibilities are endless. Through internships, students gain relevant, hands-on experience in various fields related to their interests and goals. Career-minded students have the opportunity to look for internships that may parlay them into full-time employment upon graduation.
Students seeking internships have access to a broad range of resources, from departmental announcements and Internet postings to networking via faculty-to-industry contacts and with fellow students who have already completed internships.
Continuing Education
In addition to transitioning into one of APU’s 26 master’s degree programs or 7 doctorates, many students continue graduate-level study at other prestigious Southern California universities, such as University of Southern California (USC), University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Loyola Marymount University, and Pepperdine University.
Careers for Theater Majors
- Professional Actor
- Theater Technician
- Stage Manager
- Director
- Playwright
- Talent Agent
- Teacher/Professor
- Set Designer
- Theater Manager
- Arts Writer/Editor
- Theater Critic
Starting Salary*
A theater arts major’s typical starting salary is $25,250. The typical salary after 10–19 years is $54,526.
*Note: Salary information is provided for general reference only. APU does not guarantee the accuracy of the figures listed, and cannot predict or promise a specific salary for any graduate. For the most current salary estimates, please visit www.payscale.com.
Job Titles Held by Former Theater Majors
- Co-founder, Ann Marie Productions Theater Company
- Executive Director, Town Hall Theatre
- Artistic Director, Depot Theater
- Associate Artistic Director, Resident Acting Company at Old Creamery Theater Company
- Producing Director, Weston Playhouse
- Casting Director, Heery Casting, LLC
- President, New City Scenic & Display, Inc.
Famous People with Theater Degrees
- Warren Beatty (actor)
- Julia Louise-Dreyfuss (tv actor)
- Charlton Heston (actor)
- Oprah Winfrey (talk-show host)
- Jerry Seinfeld (tv actor)
- Glen Close (actor)
- James Earl Jones (actor)
