Playwriting and Screenwriting

Types of Degrees Playwriting and Screenwriting Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many playwriting & screenwriting graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	375
Graduate Certificate	13

What Playwriting and Screenwriting Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, playwriting and screenwriting majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Playwriting and Screenwriting Majors

Playwriting and Screenwriting majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Fine Arts - Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Skills for Playwriting and Screenwriting Majors

playwriting and screenwriting majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Abilities for Playwriting and Screenwriting Majors

As you progress with your playwriting and screenwriting degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

What Can You Do With a Playwriting and Screenwriting Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with playwriting and screenwriting:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Art, Drama, and Music Professors	12.0%	$69,960
Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers	7.6%	$62,170

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Playwriting and Screenwriting?

This major is dominated by women with about 57% of recent graduates being female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of playwriting and screenwriting majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	18
Black or African American	50
Hispanic or Latino	44
White	180
International Students	46
Other Races/Ethnicities	37

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Playwriting and Screenwriting. About 12.3% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Playwriting and Screenwriting

Some degrees associated with playwriting and screenwriting may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to playwriting and screenwriting have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	6.7%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	5.3%
Some College Courses	2.7%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	0.9%
Bachelor’s Degree	25.2%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	1.8%
Master’s Degree	34.6%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	1.1%
Doctoral Degree	22.1%

Online Playwriting and Screenwriting Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	4	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	3	0
Bachelor’s Degree	3	2
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	40	4
Post-Master’s	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Playwriting and Screenwriting

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to playwriting and screenwriting.

Major	Number of Grads
Theater Arts	10,917
Acting	1,791
Musical Theater	1,247
Theater Design & Technology	1,139
Other Dramatic/Theatre Arts & Stagecraft	465
Directing & Theatrical Production	220
Theatre and Dance	111
Comedy Writing and Performance	44
Theatre Literature, History & Criticism	37
Costume Design	31

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Donald Judge under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.