Best Dance Degrees in the US by ROI
Top colleges ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all active states. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs Analyzed
50
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$485,325
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$41,889
Cost of attendance
| # | College | State | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Texas State University
Grad rate: 56.0% |
TX | -$55,147 | $46,031 | $26,348 | $22,500 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
Radford University
Grad rate: 51.7% |
VA | -$181,544 | $38,259 | $26,681 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Texas Woman's University
Grad rate: 46.2% |
TX | -$212,612 | $36,931 | $20,399 | $21,953 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Muhlenberg College
Grad rate: 81.6% |
PA | -$213,198 | $47,919 | $73,782 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
Arizona State University Campus Immersion
Grad rate: 67.4% |
AZ | -$222,208 | $38,078 | $28,047 | $23,393 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
University of North Texas
Grad rate: 59.2% |
TX | -$225,820 | $37,423 | $25,470 | $24,000 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
University of Iowa
Grad rate: 73.4% |
IA | -$226,138 | $37,715 | $26,883 | $24,375 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
SUNY Brockport
Grad rate: 59.7% |
NY | -$240,556 | $36,732 | $25,635 | $24,190 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Grad rate: 66.2% |
PA | -$261,294 | $35,714 | $24,781 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Ohio State University-Main Campus
Grad rate: 87.9% |
OH | -$269,200 | $36,159 | $29,320 | $26,000 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
Wayne State University
Grad rate: 58.3% |
MI | -$345,946 | $31,749 | $26,794 | $25,000 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Temple University
Grad rate: 76.3% |
PA | -$390,366 | $32,264 | $39,799 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
California Institute of the Arts
Grad rate: 64.0% |
CA | -$415,300 | $36,920 | $78,425 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Towson University
Grad rate: 68.7% |
MD | -$422,154 | $27,904 | $26,621 | $25,000 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
Sam Houston State University
Grad rate: 55.6% |
TX | -$431,468 | $27,085 | $24,517 | $26,000 | Full ROI → |
| 16 |
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
Grad rate: 84.7% |
NJ | -$449,234 | $28,399 | $35,232 | $26,879 | Full ROI → |
| 17 |
Wright State University-Main Campus
Grad rate: 44.8% |
OH | -$449,420 | $24,180 | $23,255 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 18 |
Adelphi University
Grad rate: 68.2% |
NY | -$451,596 | $30,909 | $57,444 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 19 |
Dean College
Grad rate: 43.9% |
MA | -$485,258 | $32,120 | $62,802 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 20 |
Pace University
Grad rate: 61.4% |
NY | -$493,558 | $32,763 | $68,092 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 21 |
University of Missouri-Kansas City
Grad rate: 56.0% |
MO | -$493,800 | $22,239 | $24,645 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 22 |
Fordham University
Grad rate: 81.8% |
NY | -$499,924 | $34,229 | $77,351 | $26,000 | Full ROI → |
| 23 |
Florida State University
Grad rate: 83.9% |
FL | -$505,975 | $22,903 | $23,683 | $21,706 | Full ROI → |
| 24 |
University of Florida
Grad rate: 90.7% |
FL | -$506,371 | $22,139 | $21,719 | $16,500 | Full ROI → |
| 25 |
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Grad rate: 80.6% |
NC | -$526,942 | $22,316 | $25,553 | $23,000 | Full ROI → |
| 26 |
University at Buffalo
Grad rate: 73.5% |
NY | -$531,527 | $22,616 | $29,043 | $20,500 | Full ROI → |
| 27 |
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Grad rate: 57.9% |
NC | -$533,222 | $20,952 | $19,628 | $25,000 | Full ROI → |
| 28 |
SUNY at Purchase College
Grad rate: 64.2% |
NY | -$536,014 | $22,730 | $28,541 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 29 |
Shenandoah University
Grad rate: 66.5% |
VA | -$541,920 | $25,004 | $50,500 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 30 |
Rider University
Grad rate: 64.8% |
NJ | -$548,808 | $25,356 | $53,982 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 31 |
University of California-Irvine
Grad rate: 86.3% |
CA | -$556,832 | $22,738 | $36,121 | $20,080 | Full ROI → |
| 32 |
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Grad rate: 68.8% |
NC | -$557,959 | $20,306 | $22,034 | $26,625 | Full ROI → |
| 33 |
Western Michigan University
Grad rate: 56.5% |
MI | -$566,990 | $21,204 | $28,655 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 34 |
Columbia College Chicago
Grad rate: 47.8% |
IL | -$574,726 | $25,046 | $49,799 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 35 |
Point Park University
Grad rate: 59.2% |
PA | -$581,602 | $24,769 | $50,133 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 36 |
DeSales University
Grad rate: 69.2% |
PA | -$583,396 | $24,712 | $59,409 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 37 |
Montclair State University
Grad rate: 64.8% |
NJ | -$597,594 | $19,128 | $25,926 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 38 |
Marymount Manhattan College
Grad rate: 53.3% |
NY | -$603,638 | $26,408 | $63,837 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 39 |
California State University-Long Beach
Grad rate: 71.3% |
CA | -$609,535 | $16,969 | $20,310 | $20,500 | Full ROI → |
| 40 |
Belhaven University
Grad rate: 48.3% |
MS | -$618,431 | $20,269 | $38,359 | $22,500 | Full ROI → |
| 41 |
Oklahoma City University
Grad rate: 66.9% |
OK | -$619,411 | $21,885 | $46,144 | $24,100 | Full ROI → |
| 42 |
University of the Arts
Grad rate: 67.6% |
PA | -$626,326 | $26,673 | $70,834 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 43 |
University of Hartford
Grad rate: 57.6% |
CT | -$637,612 | $22,574 | $62,273 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 44 |
University of South Florida
Grad rate: 74.4% |
FL | -$651,299 | $15,552 | $22,301 | $24,545 | Full ROI → |
| 45 |
Loyola Marymount University
Grad rate: 80.6% |
CA | -$657,985 | $25,911 | $75,867 | $24,250 | Full ROI → |
| 46 |
New York University
Grad rate: 87.8% |
NY | -$659,379 | $26,408 | $79,121 | $23,004 | Full ROI → |
| 47 |
The University of Alabama
Grad rate: 73.2% |
AL | -$686,876 | $14,061 | $32,024 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 48 |
Chapman University
Grad rate: 81.9% |
CA | -$714,820 | $24,119 | $81,327 | $23,624 | Full ROI → |
| 49 |
Cornish College of the Arts
Grad rate: 52.4% |
WA | -$724,870 | $18,609 | $55,150 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 50 |
Berklee College of Music
Grad rate: 67.5% |
MA | -$770,486 | $19,273 | $69,874 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Dance Degrees by State
Browse Dance programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.