Best Schools for Dance

Dance graduates earn a median of $23,031 within two years of graduation, ranking #279 out of 292 tracked majors — 35% below the median across all fields. There are 74 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 1,375 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: Texas State University graduates earn $42,682 while Brigham Young University graduates earn $8,000 — a $34,682 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap.

Early career salary growth is moderate: Dance graduates see an average 7% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

74
Schools
$23,031
Avg. 2yr Earnings
#279
of 292 Majors
1,375
Graduates

Public vs Private: Dance

Public (47 schools)
$23,415
avg. 2yr earnings
Private (26 schools)
$22,449
avg. 2yr earnings

Public schools produce comparable or higher early earnings for Dance, often at lower tuition — making them strong value options for this major.

Dance by State

Top Dance Schools by Graduate Earnings

#1
T

Texas State University

San Marcos, TX · Public

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,080
Grads: 68
Acceptance: 89.5%
#2
T

Texas Woman's University

Denton, TX · Public

$41,937
2yr Earnings
1yr: $29,494
Grads: 24
Acceptance: 95.0%
#3
U

University of California-Riverside

Riverside, CA · Public

$35,600
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 63.3%
#4
M

Muhlenberg College

Allentown, PA · Private

$35,420
2yr Earnings
1yr: $24,541
Grads: 23
Acceptance: 64.0%
#5
G

Goucher College

Baltimore, MD · Private

$32,925
2yr Earnings
1yr: $27,484
Grads: 16
Acceptance: 72.9%
#6
E

Elon University

Elon, NC · Private

$30,771
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 67.3%
#7
A

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Tempe, AZ · Public

$30,409
2yr Earnings
1yr: $29,454
Grads: 26
Acceptance: 90.2%
#8
U

University of South Carolina-Columbia

Columbia, SC · Public

$29,685
2yr Earnings
1yr: $28,533
Grads: 17
Acceptance: 61.5%
#9
U

University of North Texas

Denton, TX · Public

$28,960
2yr Earnings
1yr: $23,940
Grads: 19
Acceptance: 72.5%
#10
U

University of California-Irvine

Irvine, CA · Public

$28,236
2yr Earnings
1yr: $22,184
Grads: 28
Acceptance: 25.6%
#11
S

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, PA · Public

$28,236
2yr Earnings
1yr: $24,553
Grads: 32
Acceptance: 74.6%
#12
T

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, TX · Private

$27,439
2yr Earnings
1yr: $22,703
Grads: 18
Acceptance: 42.6%
#13
T

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Edinburg, TX · Public

$26,933
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 84.8%
#14
T

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX · Public

$26,896
2yr Earnings
1yr: $17,719
Grads: 20
Acceptance: 29.1%
#15
W

Wayne State University

Detroit, MI · Public

$26,739
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 82.0%
#16
B

Ball State University

Muncie, IN · Public

$26,353
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 71.6%
#17
E

East Carolina University

Greenville, NC · Public

$26,353
2yr Earnings
1yr: $23,009
Grads: 21
Acceptance: 90.1%
#18
D

Dean College

Franklin, MA · Private

$26,121
2yr Earnings
1yr: $21,538
Grads: 72
Acceptance: 73.7%
#19
S

SUNY Brockport

Brockport, NY · Public

$25,967
2yr Earnings
1yr: $22,152
Grads: 26
Acceptance: 71.3%
#20
W

Webster University

Saint Louis, MO · Private

$25,194
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 58.0%
#21
R

Rutgers University-New Brunswick

New Brunswick, NJ · Public

$25,194
2yr Earnings
1yr: $20,229
Grads: 27
Acceptance: 65.3%
#22
F

Fordham University

Bronx, NY · Private

$25,194
2yr Earnings
1yr: $26,996
Grads: 27
Acceptance: 56.3%
#23
H

Hofstra University

Hempstead, NY · Private

$25,194
2yr Earnings
1yr: $30,958
Grads: 25
Acceptance: 70.6%
#24
O

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Columbus, OH · Public

$25,194
2yr Earnings
1yr: $21,123
Grads: 23
Acceptance: 50.8%
#25
U

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA · Public

$24,421
2yr Earnings
1yr: $26,423
Grads: 16
Acceptance: 84.7%
#26
O

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, MI · Public

$24,421
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 70.2%
#27
U

University of Florida

Gainesville, FL · Public

$24,035
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 24.0%
#28
G

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, MI · Public

$24,035
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 94.7%
#29
V

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, VA · Public

$24,035
2yr Earnings
1yr: $19,193
Grads: 22
Acceptance: 93.1%
#30
M

Mercyhurst University

Erie, PA · Private

$23,693
2yr Earnings
1yr: $18,707
Grads: 22
Acceptance: 83.2%
#31
U

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, NC · Public

$23,456
2yr Earnings
1yr: $17,778
Grads: 32
Acceptance: 89.8%
#32
S

Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, TX · Public

$23,456
2yr Earnings
1yr: $25,819
Grads: 23
Acceptance: 85.4%
#33
C

Cornish College of the Arts

Seattle, WA · Private

$23,340
2yr Earnings
1yr: $16,591
Grads: 32
Acceptance: 70.5%
#34
P

Pace University

New York, NY · Private

$22,806
2yr Earnings
1yr: $23,543
Grads: 33
Acceptance: 77.1%
#35
W

Winthrop University

Rock Hill, SC · Public

$22,482
2yr Earnings
1yr: $22,670
Grads: 17
Acceptance: 75.1%
#36
R

Rider University

Lawrenceville, NJ · Private

$22,329
2yr Earnings
1yr: $25,861
Grads: 17
Acceptance: 79.4%
#37
C

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, IL · Private

$21,964
2yr Earnings
1yr: $20,411
Grads: 39
Acceptance: 91.2%
#38
T

Towson University

Towson, MD · Public

$21,964
2yr Earnings
1yr: $19,803
Grads: 20
Acceptance: 82.8%
#39
B

Berklee College of Music

Boston, MA · Private

$21,964
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 49.9%
#40
M

Minnesota State University-Mankato

Mankato, MN · Public

$21,964
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 91.3%
#41
C

CUNY Hunter College

New York, NY · Public

$21,964
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 54.0%
#42
D

DeSales University

Center Valley, PA · Private

$21,781
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 78.6%
#43
U

University of the Arts

Philadelphia, PA · Private

$21,613
2yr Earnings
1yr: $21,267
Grads: 83
Acceptance: 78.2%
#44
M

Marymount Manhattan College

New York, NY · Private

$21,403
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 78.9%
#45
U

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Milwaukee, WI · Public

$21,234
2yr Earnings
1yr: $23,394
Grads: 19
Acceptance: 88.4%
#46
T

Temple University

Philadelphia, PA · Public

$21,052
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 82.9%
#47
R

Radford University

Radford, VA · Public

$21,052
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 90.6%
#48
O

Oklahoma City University

Oklahoma City, OK · Private

$20,824
2yr Earnings
1yr: $18,266
Grads: 37
Acceptance: 70.4%
#49
C

California State University-Fullerton

Fullerton, CA · Public

$20,140
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 86.7%
#50
F

Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL · Public

$20,140
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 25.4%

Showing top 50 of 74 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Dance?
Texas State University ranks #1 for Dance with median graduate earnings of $42,682 within two years. There are 74 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.
How much do Dance graduates earn?
Dance graduates earn an average of $23,031 within two years of graduation. This is 35% below the median across all majors. Earnings range from $8,000 to $42,682 depending on the school.
How hard is it to get into a top Dance program?
The average acceptance rate across Dance programs is 70.6%. The most selective program is at New York University with a 9.4% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.
Is a public or private school better for Dance?
Private Dance programs average $22,449 in early earnings vs $23,415 at public schools. Public schools offer competitive earnings at typically lower cost, making them strong value options.

Data updated June 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders.

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