Best degree programs for Choreographers, ranked by enrollment
5 college programs and 374 schools train Choreographers. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $55,310 median wage, 2,860 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
5 college programs at 374 schools train choreographers, graduating 4,426 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Dance, General. The job pays a median of $55,310 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About choreographers
Create new dance routines. Rehearse performance of routines. May direct and stage presentations.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
5 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 50.0301 | 2,917 | 65.9% | 290 | $21,877 | $25,000 |
| 2 | CIP 50.0509 | 1,212 | 27.4% | 123 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
| 3 | CIP 50.0399 | 160 | 3.6% | 26 | $21,877 | $25,000 |
| 4 | CIP 50.0512 | 97 | 2.2% | 11 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
| 5 | CIP 50.0302 | 40 | 0.9% | 4 | $21,877 | $25,000 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Musical and Dramatic Academy New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 172 | Musical Theatre | 72% | $40,932 | 24% |
| 2 | Berklee College of Music Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 132 | Musical Theatre | 67% | $46,197 | 44% |
| 3 | Point Park University Pittsburgh, PA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 88 | Dance, General | 59% | $23,704 | 97% |
| 4 | Marymount Manhattan College New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 87 | Musical Theatre | 49% | $34,258 | 83% |
| 5 | Temple University Philadelphia, PA Public · 2 feeder programs | 78 | Musical Theatre | 75% | — | 80% |
| 6 | New York University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 65 | Dance, General | 88% | $29,023 | 9% |
| 7 | SUNY at Purchase College Purchase, NY Public · 2 feeder programs | 61 | Dance, General | 63% | — | 74% |
| 8 | University of California - Irvine Irvine, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 60 | Dance, General | 87% | — | 29% |
| 9 | Pace University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 57 | Dance, General | 60% | $29,994 | 76% |
| 10 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX Public · 2 feeder programs | 57 | Theatre and Dance | 89% | — | 27% |
| 11 | Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 52 | Musical Theatre | 52% | $28,087 | 89% |
| 12 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 51 | Dance, General | 69% | — | 46% |
| 13 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZ Public · 2 feeder programs | 51 | Dance, General | 68% | — | 86% |
| 14 | Texas State University San Marcos, TX Public · 2 feeder programs | 47 | Dance, General | 55% | — | 89% |
| 15 | Roosevelt University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 46 | Musical Theatre | 35% | $21,085 | 97% |
| 16 | Utah Valley University Orem, UT Public · 1 feeder programs | 44 | Dance, General | 45% | — | — |
| 17 | The Ailey School New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 42 | Dance, General | 84% | $29,991 | 32% |
| 18 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 42 | Musical Theatre | 93% | — | 16% |
| 19 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT Public · 2 feeder programs | 39 | Ballet | 65% | — | 86% |
| 20 | Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX Public · 2 feeder programs | 38 | Dance, General | 55% | — | 90% |
| 21 | The New School New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 38 | Musical Theatre | 69% | $54,185 | 63% |
| 22 | University of North Carolina School of the Arts Winston Salem, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 38 | Dance, General | 78% | — | 30% |
| 23 | Dean College Franklin, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 37 | Dance, General | 54% | $28,874 | 74% |
| 24 | Bennington College Bennington, VT Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 36 | Dance, General | 71% | $27,554 | 45% |
| 25 | Shenandoah University Winchester, VA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 36 | Musical Theatre | 67% | $27,455 | 77% |
| 26 | Aria University Milpitas, CA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 35 | Dance, General | — | — | 100% |
| 27 | Montclair State University Montclair, NJ Public · 1 feeder programs | 35 | Dance, General | 65% | — | 88% |
| 28 | Chapman University Orange, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 33 | Dance, General | 82% | $42,965 | 65% |
| 29 | Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA Public · 1 feeder programs | 33 | Dance, General | 52% | — | 69% |
| 30 | Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI Public · 3 feeder programs | 33 | Musical Theatre | 58% | — | 85% |
| 31 | University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 32 | Dance, General | 93% | — | 9% |
| 32 | Ohio University - Main Campus Athens, OH Public · 2 feeder programs | 31 | Musical Theatre | 65% | — | 85% |
| 33 | Elon University Elon, NC Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 30 | Dance, General | 84% | $33,688 | 66% |
| 34 | Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, IN Public · 3 feeder programs | 30 | Dance, General | 80% | — | 78% |
| 35 | San Diego State University San Diego, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 30 | Dance, General | 76% | — | 36% |
| 36 | Fordham University Bronx, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 29 | Dance, General | 82% | $38,931 | 59% |
| 37 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL Public · 1 feeder programs | 29 | Dance, General | 91% | — | 24% |
| 38 | Syracuse University Syracuse, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 28 | Musical Theatre | 84% | $28,851 | 46% |
| 39 | Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 28 | Musical Theatre | 86% | $25,823 | 44% |
| 40 | Texas Woman's University Denton, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 28 | Dance, General | 49% | — | 96% |
| 41 | University of Oklahoma - Norman Campus Norman, OK Public · 2 feeder programs | 27 | Dance, General | 75% | — | 77% |
| 42 | Brigham Young University Provo, UT Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 25 | Dance, General | 81% | $13,712 | 68% |
| 43 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH Public · 1 feeder programs | 25 | Dance, General | 88% | — | 61% |
| 44 | The University of Tampa Tampa, FL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 25 | Musical Theatre | 64% | $33,070 | 40% |
| 45 | Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City, OK Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 24 | Dance, General | 65% | $22,589 | 77% |
| 46 | The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL Public · 1 feeder programs | 24 | Dance, General | 73% | — | 77% |
| 47 | University of Nevada - Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV Public · 2 feeder programs | 24 | Dance, General | 51% | — | 96% |
| 48 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 24 | Dance, General | 92% | $26,873 | 10% |
| 49 | Anderson University Anderson, SC Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 23 | Musical Theatre | 66% | $24,812 | 55% |
| 50 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 23 | Dance, General | 68% | — | 90% |
What choreographers earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $173,100 | 340 | 1.89× | 34 | 813 |
| California | $75,000 | 410 | 1.22× | 68 | 586 |
| Texas | $46,460 | 380 | 1.49× | 22 | 327 |
| Illinois | $34,560 | 30 | 0.28× | 11 | 175 |
| Ohio | $66,910 | 120 | 1.13× | 18 | 145 |
| Utah | $33,640 | 60 | 1.89× | 7 | 137 |
| Florida | $36,670 | 180 | 1.00× | 8 | 134 |
| Alabama | $38,990 | 30 | 0.84× | 6 | 69 |
| Indiana | $44,840 | — | — | 7 | 58 |
| Maryland | $69,140 | 80 | 1.62× | 7 | 49 |
| Louisianamoderate | $51,170 | 210 | 5.78× | 3 | 29 |
| Minnesota | $74,810 | 40 | 0.82× | 5 | 28 |
| Nebraskamoderate | $49,490 | 60 | 3.15× | 4 | 21 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Direct rehearsals to instruct dancers in dance steps and in techniques to achieve desired effects.
- Advise dancers on standing and moving properly, teaching correct dance techniques to help prevent injuries.
- Teach students, dancers, and other performers about rhythm and interpretive movement.
- Record dance movements and their technical aspects, using a technical understanding of the patterns and formations of choreography.
- Direct and stage dance presentations for various forms of entertainment.
- Choose the music, sound effects, or spoken narrative to accompany a dance.
- Experiment with different types of dancers, steps, dances, and placements, testing ideas informally to get feedback from dancers.
- Seek influences from other art forms, such as theatre, the visual arts, and architecture.
Skills
- Active Listening3.9
- Speaking3.9
- Monitoring3.8
- Learning Strategies3.6
- Reading Comprehension3.5
- Critical Thinking3.4
- Active Learning3.3
- Writing3.0
Knowledge areas
- Fine Arts4.5
- Education and Training3.3
- Production and Processing3.3
- Administration and Management3.3
- Communications and Media3.1
- Design3.1
Abilities
- Gross Body Coordination4.1
- Originality4.0
- Gross Body Equilibrium4.0
- Oral Expression4.0
- Fluency of Ideas3.9
- Oral Comprehension3.9
Core activities
- Thinking Creatively4.9
- Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates4.5
- Performing General Physical Activities4.5
- Coaching and Developing Others4.3
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work4.2
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.2
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Choreographer
Job zone 3 of 5 · SVP 6.0 to < 7.0- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience needed
- 5 years or more
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 5 majors mapped to Choreographers5 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 50.0301Dance, General
- 50.0302Ballet
- 50.0399Dance, Other
- 50.0509Musical Theatre
- 50.0512Theatre and Dance
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Choreographer?+
High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Dance, General, which awarded 2,917 degrees in 2024-25, 65.9% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Choreographer?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 5 programs to this occupation. The largest are Dance, Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft. Together they graduate about 4,426 people a year.
How much do choreographers earn?+
The median is $55,310 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $34,090 at the 10th percentile to $138,630 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for choreographers growing?+
BLS projects a +6.1% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, faster than average, with roughly 700 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
374 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 5 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do choreographers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Dance Maker, Choreographer, Dance Director, Opera Choreographer among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 27-2032.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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