My daughter got a 4 yr theatre degree so she could pursue a stage manager career. She was fortunate enough to make alot of connections thru her profs while in school..basically knowing someone who knows someone. As soon as she graduated she got to tour with a national entertainment group that paid for travel/room/board, gave her per diem pay, and also a salary. So she earned/saved $10,000 over a 4 month period, allowing her to live in NYC and start building a resume by jumping from one gig to the next. She did the same thing the following year.
The theatre community really looks after their own..they remember the ones who they have worked with in the past and will call them up and ask them to come back for a job or refer them to other colleagues. She made a decent income while still in school by getting paid to work on university theatre jobs and local community productions. It has helped her alot to have a good work ethic..and patience 
She has had a time where she has had to fall back on serving in a restaurant between jobs but for the most part has been able to build up her resume in the theatre field over the last 3 years.
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