North Carolina · Dance

Best colleges for Dance in North Carolina

Ranked by graduate earnings

University of North Carolina School of the Arts, University of North Carolina at Greensboro and University of North Carolina at Charlotte award the most Dance degrees in North Carolina: 38, 21 and 18 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 10 North Carolina colleges offer Dance and award 133 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Dance program is a part of the Visual and Performing Arts field, focusing on the study and practice of various dance forms. It caters to individuals passionate about movement, rhythm, and expression through dance, offering…

Institutions
10
offering CIP 50.03
States offered
46
with a program page
Degrees / yr
133
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$23,587
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
3
College Scorecard
Median net price
$21,563
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
70%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Dancers
—
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 3 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro Public · Bachelor's degree
$24,2952156%—$25,000
2University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Winston Salem Public · Bachelor's degree
$14,2013878%—$23,000
3University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$23,5871869%—$26,625

Colleges awarding the most Dance degrees in North Carolina

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Winston Salem Public
38$14,201
2University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro Public
21$24,295
3University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte Public
18$23,587
4Elon University
Elon Private not-for-profit
15Not reported
5East Carolina University
Greenville Public
13Not reported
6Appalachian State University
Boone Public
10Not reported
7Meredith College
Raleigh Private not-for-profit
8Not reported
8Duke University
Durham Private not-for-profit
5Not reported
9Johnson C Smith University
Charlotte Private not-for-profit
3Not reported
10High Point University
High Point Private not-for-profit
2Not reported

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Dancers (SOC 27-2031).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.5%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~1,800
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
—
typically No formal educational credential

Top skills

Active ListeningCritical ThinkingMonitoringSpeakingReading ComprehensionActive Learning

What Dancers earn in North Carolina

Jobs in North Carolina
—
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
—
annual
Best-paying metro
—

Related careers

Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary
$74,820 avg · 2,880 jobs
Dancers
—
Choreographers
—

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Dance programs in North Carolina.

Which North Carolina colleges award the most Dance degrees?+

University of North Carolina School of the Arts (38 graduates a year), University of North Carolina at Greensboro (21 graduates a year) and University of North Carolina at Charlotte (18 graduates a year) award the most Dance degrees in North Carolina, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 10 North Carolina colleges offer Dance.

Which Dance program in North Carolina has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of North Carolina at Greensboro tops the list at $24,295. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

What is the focus of the Dance program?+

The Dance program is a part of the Visual and Performing Arts field, focusing on the study and practice of various dance forms. It caters to individuals passionate about movement, rhythm, and expression through dance, offering…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop active listening, critical thinking, monitoring, speaking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Dancers?+

The national job outlook is about +4.5% growth with around 1,800 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A No formal educational credential is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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