Best Dance Programs in California (2026)
Updated
Part of Top Art & Design Colleges in California by Earnings
This page ranks the 10 Dance programs in California by median earnings of Dance graduates four years after completing. Chapman University tops the list at $50,612, followed by California State University-Long Beach at $46,387 and University of California-Riverside at $45,804.
Across the listed schools, median earnings range from $50,612 to $15,182, with a median of $42,546. For 2 of the 10 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 7 of the 10 programs, and private nonprofits for 3. California State University-Fullerton posts the lowest average net price on the page at $6,555.
California State University-Long Beach ranks 5th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chapman University · Orange, CA | $50,612 | $46,555 | $33,559 | 65.4% |
| Chapman University reports $50,612 in median earnings of Dance graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $46,555. | |||||
| 2 | California State University-Long Beach · Long Beach, CA | $46,387 | $10,440 | $7,183 | 46.3% |
| California State University-Long Beach ranks 2nd on this list, with median earnings of $46,387 for its Dance graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | University of California-Riverside · Riverside, CA | $45,804 | $14,304 | $8,852 | 76.4% |
| University of California-Riverside admits 76% of applicants and posts median earnings of $45,804 for its Dance graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA | $44,858 | $16,109 | $9,231 | 33.0% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $13,993 in federal loans at University of California-Santa Barbara, where the Dance program reports earnings of $44,858 four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | San Francisco State University · San Francisco, CA | $44,627 | $12,278 | $9,341 | 96.4% |
| San Francisco State University admits 96% of applicants and reports an average net price of $12,278. | |||||
| 6 | University of California-Irvine · Irvine, CA | $40,466 | $14,251 | $8,123 | 28.6% |
| University of California-Irvine reports $40,466 in median earnings of Dance graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $8,123 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 7 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $36,277 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
| With an admission rate of 9%, University of California-Los Angeles is the most selective school on the list, and its Dance graduates earn a median of $36,277 four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | Loyola Marymount University · Los Angeles, CA | $35,288 | $48,381 | $32,268 | 45.1% |
| Loyola Marymount University, a private nonprofit university in Los Angeles, reports median earnings of $35,288 for its Dance graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | California State University-Fullerton · Fullerton, CA | $20,140 | $6,555 | $3,315 | 90.5% |
| California State University-Fullerton carries the lowest average net price on the list at $6,555 and reports a Dance earnings median of $20,140 four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | California Institute of the Arts · Valencia, CA | $15,182 | $46,080 | $26,686 | 32.3% |
| Ranked 10th on this list, California Institute of the Arts reports $15,182 in median earnings of Dance graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $26,686 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Dance graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in California appear. The figure reflects federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after they finished. For 2 of the 10 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. Chapman University leads the list at $50,612, followed by California State University-Long Beach at $46,387, a gap of $4,225.
Related rankings
- Best Dance Programs in the United States
- Best Colleges in California
- Top Dance Programs in Texas by Earnings
- Dance Programs in New York
- Dance Programs in North Carolina
- Dance Programs in Pennsylvania
- Top Art & Design Colleges in California by Earnings
- Art & Design Colleges in California for Social Mobility