Best Dance Programs in the Midwest (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Art & Design Colleges in the Midwest
Regional list from Best Dance Programs in the United States
This page ranks the 13 Dance programs in the Midwest by the median earnings of Dance graduates four years after completing. University of Iowa leads the list with median earnings of $60,188 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $60,188 to $24,035, with a median of $34,518. The gap between the top two programs is $12,119.
Public institutions dominate the list, accounting for 11 of the 13 programs, while 2 are private. Wayne State University ranks 80th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the best showing on the page. Oakland University posts the lowest average net price at $9,120.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Iowa · Iowa City, IA | $60,188 | $22,531 | $15,316 | 83.6% |
| University of Iowa reports median earnings of $60,188 for its Dance graduates four years after completing, the highest on this list. | |||||
| 2 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities · Minneapolis, MN | $48,069 | $16,778 | $6,642 | 79.8% |
| Admitting 80% of applicants, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities posts median earnings of $48,069 for its Dance graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | Western Michigan University · Kalamazoo, MI | $45,108 | $15,273 | $5,263 | 84.6% |
| Western Michigan University carries a median federal debt of $27,000 among Dance completers who borrowed, alongside median earnings of $45,108 four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Columbia College Chicago · Chicago, IL | $41,842 | $26,598 | $20,924 | 89.5% |
| Columbia College Chicago, a private nonprofit institution in Chicago, shows an average net price of $26,598 and a Dance earnings median of $41,842 four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | Anderson University · Anderson, IN | $41,772 | $25,021 | $23,119 | 79.3% |
| Anderson University ranks 5th on this list, with median earnings of $41,772 for its Dance graduates four years after completing and a cohort of 5 graduates. | |||||
| 6 | Minnesota State University-Mankato · Mankato, MN | $37,959 | $19,139 | $12,339 | 88.4% |
| Minnesota State University-Mankato posts an average net price of $12,339 for families earning under $30,000, while its Dance graduates earn a median of $37,959 four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | Ball State University · Muncie, IN | $34,518 | $14,940 | $7,834 | 85.5% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed from Ball State University left with a median of $23,250 in federal loans, and the school's Dance completers earn a median of $34,518 four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI | $29,695 | $15,014 | $10,329 | 90.7% |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has an admission rate of 91% and its Dance graduates report median earnings of $29,695 four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | University of Missouri-Kansas City · Kansas City, MO | $28,834 | $13,310 | $10,576 | 72.2% |
| A median federal debt of $18,750 across all of the school's borrowers who completed coincides with median earnings of $28,834 for Dance graduates of University of Missouri-Kansas City four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | Wayne State University · Detroit, MI | $26,739 | $12,766 | $11,090 | 81.2% |
| Wayne State University ranks 80th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Dance graduates earn a median of $26,739 four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH | $25,194 | $17,339 | $4,885 | 60.6% |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus admits 61% of applicants and carries an average net price of $4,885 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 12 | Oakland University · Rochester Hills, MI | $24,421 | $9,120 | $4,422 | 87.8% |
| Oakland University reports median earnings of $24,421 for its Dance graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $9,120. | |||||
| 13 | Grand Valley State University · Allendale, MI | $24,035 | $16,317 | $12,272 | 83.0% |
| Grand Valley State University ranks 13th on this list, with median earnings of $24,035 for its Dance graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 83%. | |||||
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 the Midwest appear. The figures cover federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled, reported four years after completing for nine of the 13 programs. For 4 of the 13 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. The range from $24,035 to $60,188 and the median of $34,518 cover the 13 schools with a published figure. University of Iowa leads University of Minnesota-Twin Cities by $12,119 in median earnings after completing.