Best institutions to study Dance
Compare 297 U.S. colleges offering Dance by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 46 states.
Dance programs report a median of $21,877 one year after graduation (College Scorecard, 2024), and map to CIP 50.03 and the Dancers occupation (BLS SOC).
About Dance programs
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 opportunities to explore different styles and techniques. Students can specialize in areas such as General Dance, Ballet, or other dance forms, enhancing their artistic abilities and performance skills.
In the Dance program, students develop essential skills such as active listening, critical thinking, and physical fitness. Coursework typically involves studying and practicing dance moves, harmonizing movements with music, and training to maintain technical proficiency. Students also learn about fine arts, psychology, and customer service, which contribute to their overall understanding of dance as an art form.
Top 50 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas State University San Marcos, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,967 | 33 | 55% | — | $22,500 |
| 2 | Stephen F Austin State University Nacogdoches, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,340 | 11 | 53% | — | $31,000 |
| 3 | University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SC Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,291 | 16 | 79% | — | — |
| 4 | Oakland University Rochester Hills, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,999 | 5 | 58% | — | $27,500 |
| 5 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,597 | 10 | 85% | — | $19,500 |
| 6 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,686 | 51 | 69% | — | $20,500 |
| 7 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IA Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,353 | 18 | 75% | — | $24,375 |
| 8 | Texas Woman's University Denton, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,634 | 28 | 49% | — | $21,953 |
| 9 | Ball State University Muncie, IN Public · Bachelor's degree | $28,838 | 6 | 62% | — | — |
| 10 | University of California - Irvine Irvine, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $28,112 | 49 | 87% | — | $20,080 |
| 11 | CUNY Lehman College Bronx, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,843 | 8 | 51% | — | $11,994 |
| 12 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,310 | 23 | 68% | — | $23,393 |
| 13 | Radford University Radford, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $26,476 | 8 | 49% | — | — |
| 14 | Muhlenberg College Allentown, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $26,415 | 8 | 82% | $23,111 | $27,000 |
| 15 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $25,653 | 15 | 92% | $26,873 | $15,875 |
| 16 | University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI Public · Bachelor's degree | $25,456 | 22 | 49% | — | $26,000 |
| 17 | University of North Texas Denton, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $25,034 | 18 | 61% | — | $24,000 |
| 18 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZ Public · Bachelor's degree | $24,826 | 41 | 68% | — | $20,616 |
| 19 | Rider University Lawrenceville, NJ Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $24,515 | 13 | 61% | $23,844 | — |
| 20 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC Public · Bachelor's degree | $24,295 | 21 | 56% | — | $25,000 |
| 21 | Dean College Franklin, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $24,236 | 32 | 54% | $28,874 | $27,000 |
| 22 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT Public · Bachelor's degree | $24,125 | 39 | 65% | — | $17,269 |
| 23 | SUNY College at Potsdam Potsdam, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $24,094 | 2 | 45% | — | — |
| 24 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $24,087 | 13 | 70% | — | $25,000 |
| 25 | Wayne State University Detroit, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $23,626 | 13 | 58% | — | $25,000 |
| 26 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC Public · Bachelor's degree | $23,587 | 18 | 69% | — | $26,625 |
| 27 | Montclair State University Montclair, NJ Public · Bachelor's degree | $23,191 | 35 | 65% | — | $27,000 |
| 28 | Hope College Holland, MI Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $23,050 | 13 | 80% | $21,746 | — |
| 29 | Berklee College of Music Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $22,993 | 63 | 67% | $46,197 | $27,000 |
| 30 | Marymount Manhattan College New York, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $21,880 | 34 | 49% | $34,258 | $27,000 |
| 31 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL Public · Bachelor's degree | $21,877 | 23 | 86% | — | $21,706 |
| 32 | Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $21,540 | 19 | 58% | — | $27,000 |
| 33 | Chapman University Orange, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $21,275 | 33 | 82% | $42,965 | $23,624 |
| 34 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH Public · Bachelor's degree | $21,167 | 25 | 88% | — | $26,000 |
| 35 | University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI Public · Bachelor's degree | $20,625 | 11 | 51% | — | $26,000 |
| 36 | DeSales University Center Valley, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $20,611 | 6 | 72% | $26,990 | — |
| 37 | University of Nevada - Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV Public · Bachelor's degree | $20,417 | 24 | 51% | — | $24,652 |
| 38 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $20,397 | 9 | 63% | — | $27,000 |
| 39 | Fordham University Bronx, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $20,381 | 29 | 82% | $38,931 | $26,000 |
| 40 | Anderson University Anderson, IN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $20,329 | 1 | 54% | $21,789 | $27,000 |
| 41 | University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $19,787 | 32 | 93% | — | $19,309 |
| 42 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock, PA Public · Bachelor's degree | $19,681 | 14 | 66% | — | $27,000 |
| 43 | Pace University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $19,614 | 34 | 60% | $29,994 | $27,000 |
| 44 | Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City, OK Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $19,548 | 24 | 65% | $22,589 | $24,100 |
| 45 | Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $19,202 | 29 | 55% | — | $26,000 |
| 46 | Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $19,107 | 9 | 79% | $36,488 | $24,250 |
| 47 | Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA Public · Bachelor's degree | $18,888 | 33 | 52% | — | $22,762 |
| 48 | The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL Public · Bachelor's degree | $18,716 | 24 | 73% | — | — |
| 49 | Point Park University Pittsburgh, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $17,781 | 76 | 59% | $23,704 | $27,000 |
| 50 | University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $17,110 | 15 | 75% | — | $20,500 |
Offered across 46 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 27-2031, Dancers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Dance program can pursue various careers in the performing arts sector. The job outlook for dance-related occupations is about as fast as average, with an expected growth rate of 4.5% and approximately 1,800 annual openings. Most positions do not require formal educational credentials, allowing for diverse entry points into the field.
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Dance
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 50.03.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 50.03 (Dance) maps to 3 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 25-1121 | Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary |
| 27-2031 | Dancersprimary |
| 27-2032 | Choreographers |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Dance programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Study and practice dance moves required in roles.
- Harmonize body movements to rhythm of musical accompaniment.
- Train, exercise, and attend dance classes to maintain high levels of technical proficiency, physical ability, and physical fitness.
- Coordinate dancing with that of partners or dance ensembles.
- Develop self-understanding of physical capabilities and limitations, and choose dance styles accordingly.
- Perform classical, modern, or acrobatic dances in productions, expressing stories, rhythm, and sound with their bodies.
Concentrations within Dance
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- Dance, GeneralCIP 50.0301
A general program that prepares individuals to express ideas, feelings, and/or inner visions through the performance of one or more of the dance disciplines, including but not limited to ballet, moder
- BalletCIP 50.0302
A program that prepares individuals to express ideals and feelings through interpretation of classical dance choreography
- Dance, OtherCIP 50.0399
Any instructional program in dance not listed above.
Common questions
What types of dance can I specialize in?+
You can specialize in General Dance, Ballet, or other dance forms.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in active listening, critical thinking, and physical fitness.
What is the job outlook for dance careers?+
The job outlook is about as fast as average, with a growth rate of 4.5%.
Do I need a formal education to work in dance?+
Most dance-related positions do not require formal educational credentials.
How much do Dance graduates earn?+
Dance graduates report median earnings of $21,877 one year after graduation, per College Scorecard (2024).
What is the CIP code for Dance?+
Dance maps to CIP 50.03 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
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.
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