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# Best Dance Programs in California (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Top Art & Design Colleges in California by Earnings](/rankings/best-art-and-design-colleges-in-california/)

This page ranks the 10 Dance programs in California by median earnings of Dance graduates four years after completing. [Chapman University](/school/chapman-university/majors/) tops the list at $50,612, followed by [California State University-Long Beach](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/majors/) at $46,387 and [University of California-Riverside](/school/university-of-california-riverside/majors/) 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

10 schools in list order

| 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](/school/chapman-university/majors/) reports [$50,612 in median earnings](/school/chapman-university/outcomes/) 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](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/majors/) ranks 2nd on this list, with [median earnings of $46,387](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/outcomes/) 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](/school/university-of-california-riverside/majors/) [admits 76% of applicants](/school/university-of-california-riverside/admissions/) 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](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/outcomes/) in federal loans at [University of California-Santa Barbara](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/majors/), 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](/school/san-francisco-state-university/majors/) [admits 96% of applicants](/school/san-francisco-state-university/admissions/) 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](/school/university-of-california-irvine/majors/) reports [$40,466 in median earnings](/school/university-of-california-irvine/outcomes/) 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%](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/admissions/), [University of California-Los Angeles](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/majors/) 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](/school/loyola-marymount-university/majors/), a private nonprofit university in Los Angeles, reports [median earnings of $35,288](/school/loyola-marymount-university/outcomes/) 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](/school/california-state-university-fullerton/majors/) carries the lowest average net price on the list at $6,555 and reports a Dance earnings [median of $20,140](/school/california-state-university-fullerton/outcomes/) 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](/rankings/best-dance-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in California](/rankings/best-colleges-in-california/)
-   [Top Dance Programs in Texas by Earnings](/rankings/best-dance-programs-in-texas/)
-   Dance Programs in New York
-   Dance Programs in North Carolina
-   Dance Programs in Pennsylvania
-   [Top Art & Design Colleges in California by Earnings](/rankings/best-art-and-design-colleges-in-california/)
-   Art & Design Colleges in California for Social Mobility