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# Best Dance Programs in the South (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Art & Design Colleges in the South](/rankings/best-art-and-design-colleges-in-the-south/)

Regional list from [Best Dance Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-dance-programs/)

This page ranks the 29 Dance programs in the South by the median earnings of Dance graduates four years after completing. [Stephen F Austin State University](/school/stephen-f-austin-state-university/majors/) ranks 1st on this list, reporting median earnings of $57,593 for its graduates four years after completing.

Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $57,593 to $17,307, with a median of $33,269. For 12 of the 29 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions account for 23 of the programs, or 79% of the list, alongside 6 private nonprofits. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley posts the lowest average net price on the page, at $4,831.

The University of Texas at Austin ranks 9th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

## The ranked list

29 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Stephen F Austin State University · Nacogdoches, TX | $57,593 | $14,260 | $10,318 | 94.0% |
|  | [Stephen F Austin State University](/school/stephen-f-austin-state-university/majors/) ranks 1st on this list, reporting [median earnings of $57,593](/school/stephen-f-austin-state-university/outcomes/) for its Dance graduates four years after completing. |
| 2 | University of South Carolina-Columbia · Columbia, SC | $55,274 | $22,811 | $12,634 | 60.2% |
|  | [University of South Carolina-Columbia](/school/university-of-south-carolina-columbia/majors/) posts an [average net price of $22,811](/school/university-of-south-carolina-columbia/cost/) and median earnings of $55,274 for its Dance graduates four years after completing. |
| 3 | Texas Woman's University · Denton, TX | $53,072 | $11,963 | $9,948 | 96.1% |
|  | [Texas Woman's University](/school/texas-womans-university/majors/) [admits 96% of applicants](/school/texas-womans-university/admissions/) and its Dance graduates earn a median of $53,072 four years after completing. |
| 4 | Texas State University · San Marcos, TX | $53,057 | $16,805 | $12,715 | 89.3% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a [median of $21,000](/school/texas-state-university/outcomes/) in federal loans at [Texas State University](/school/texas-state-university/majors/), where the Dance program reports median earnings of $53,057 four years after completing. |
| 5 | The University of Alabama · Tuscaloosa, AL | $51,744 | $22,420 | $19,169 | 76.7% |
|  | [The University of Alabama](/school/the-university-of-alabama/majors/) [ranks 233rd on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/the-university-of-alabama/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Dance graduates earn a median of $51,744 four years after completing. |
| 6 | University of North Texas · Denton, TX | $49,063 | $15,649 | $12,311 | 72.2% |
|  | [University of North Texas](/school/university-of-north-texas/majors/) reports [median earnings of $49,063](/school/university-of-north-texas/outcomes/) for its Dance graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $15,649. |
| 7 | Sam Houston State University · Huntsville, TX | $48,568 | $16,404 | $12,474 | 90.3% |
|  | With an [admission rate of 90%](/school/sam-houston-state-university/admissions/), [Sam Houston State University](/school/sam-houston-state-university/majors/) shows median earnings of $48,568 for its Dance graduates four years after completing. |
| 8 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte · Charlotte, NC | $48,518 | $15,435 | $10,357 | 79.6% |
|  | [University of North Carolina at Charlotte](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-charlotte/majors/) carries a [median federal debt of $21,500](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-charlotte/cost/) across all of the school's borrowers who completed, while its Dance graduates earn a median of $48,518 four years after completing. |
| 9 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro · Greensboro, NC | $45,084 | $10,965 | $7,305 | 88.5% |
|  | An [average net price of $10,965](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/cost/) and median earnings of $45,084 for its Dance graduates four years after completing are reported by [University of North Carolina at Greensboro](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro/majors/). |
| 10 | East Carolina University · Greenville, NC | $42,785 | $15,739 | $10,046 | 89.2% |
|  | [East Carolina University](/school/east-carolina-university/majors/) [ranks 180th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/east-carolina-university/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Dance graduates earn a median of $42,785 four years after completing. |
| 11 | University of Florida · Gainesville, FL | $42,624 | $6,541 | $1,982 | 24.2% |
|  | [University of Florida](/school/university-of-florida/majors/) [admits 24% of applicants](/school/university-of-florida/admissions/), and its Dance graduates earn a median of $42,624 four years after completing. |
| 12 | Florida State University · Tallahassee, FL | $40,892 | $11,297 | $5,938 | 24.2% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a [median of $18,000](/school/florida-state-university/outcomes/) in federal loans at [Florida State University](/school/florida-state-university/majors/), where the Dance program reports median earnings of $40,892 four years after completing. |
| 13 | George Mason University · Fairfax, VA | $36,901 | $17,915 | $11,942 | 87.5% |
|  | [George Mason University](/school/george-mason-university/majors/), a public university in Fairfax, reports [median earnings of $36,901](/school/george-mason-university/outcomes/) for its Dance graduates four years after completing. |
| 14 | Oklahoma City University · Oklahoma City, OK | $34,105 | $22,857 | $15,187 | 77.0% |
|  | Oklahoma City University admits 77% of applicants and its Dance graduates earn a median of $34,105 four years after completing. |
| 15 | University of South Florida · Tampa, FL | $33,269 | $9,812 | $4,122 | 43.2% |
|  | Graduates across all fields at [University of South Florida](/school/university-of-south-florida/majors/) who borrowed left with a [median of $17,988](/school/university-of-south-florida/outcomes/) in federal loans, and the school's Dance graduates earn a median of $33,269 four years after completing. |
| 16 | Goucher College · Baltimore, MD | $32,925 | $22,470 | $13,471 | 77.7% |
|  | Goucher College posts an average net price of $22,470, and its Dance graduates earn a median of $32,925 four years after completing. |
| 17 | University of North Carolina School of the Arts · Winston Salem, NC | $32,463 | $14,906 | $3,165 | 30.0% |
|  | University of North Carolina School of the Arts ranks 17th on this list, with a median of $32,463 for its Dance graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 30%. |
| 18 | Belhaven University · Jackson, MS | $32,324 | $15,676 | $10,551 | 49.8% |
|  | Belhaven University reports median earnings of $32,324 for its Dance graduates four years after completing, alongside a school-wide median federal debt of $26,333 for borrowers who completed. |
| 19 | Elon University · Elon, NC | $30,771 | $41,555 | $26,523 | 66.4% |
|  | Elon University shows an average net price of $41,555, and its Dance graduates earn a median of $30,771 four years after completing. |
| 20 | Texas Christian University · Fort Worth, TX | $27,439 | $36,660 | $17,956 | 44.5% |
|  | [Texas Christian University](/school/texas-christian-university/majors/) [ranks 548th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/texas-christian-university/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Dance graduates earn a median of $27,439 four years after completing. |
| 21 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley · Edinburg, TX | $26,933 | $4,831 | $3,785 | 94.2% |
|  | [The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/majors/) carries an [average net price of $4,831,](/school/the-university-of-texas-rio-grande-valley/cost/) and its Dance graduates earn a median of $26,933 four years after completing. |
| 22 | The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, TX | $26,896 | $19,857 | $12,553 | 26.6% |
|  | [The University of Texas at Austin](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-austin/majors/) [admits 27% of applicants](/school/the-university-of-texas-at-austin/admissions/), and its Dance graduates earn a median of $26,896 four years after completing. |
| 23 | Virginia Commonwealth University · Richmond, VA | $24,035 | $23,433 | $17,512 | 92.6% |
|  | [Virginia Commonwealth University](/school/virginia-commonwealth-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $24,035](/school/virginia-commonwealth-university/outcomes/) for its Dance graduates four years after completing, and an admission rate of 93%. |
| 24 | Winthrop University · Rock Hill, SC | $22,482 | $15,343 | $12,608 | 79.3% |
|  | Winthrop University ranks 696th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Dance graduates earn a median of $22,482 four years after completing. |
| 25 | Towson University · Towson, MD | $21,964 | $17,413 | $6,962 | 82.0% |
|  | [Towson University](/school/towson-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $21,964](/school/towson-university/outcomes/) for its Dance graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 15. |
| 26 | Radford University · Radford, VA | $21,052 | $14,578 | $8,965 | 89.5% |
|  | [Radford University](/school/radford-university/majors/) [admits 90% of applicants](/school/radford-university/admissions/) and its Dance graduates earn a median of $21,052 four years after completing. |
| 27 | Shenandoah University · Winchester, VA | $19,455 | $30,298 | $24,356 | 77.0% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Winchester, Shenandoah University has an average net price of $30,298 and reports median earnings of $19,455 for its Dance graduates four years after completing. |
| 28 | Valdosta State University · Valdosta, GA | $17,624 | $10,945 | $9,378 | 72.3% |
|  | [Valdosta State University](/school/valdosta-state-university/majors/) ranks 28th on this list and shows an [average net price of $9,378](/school/valdosta-state-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |
| 29 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus · Norman, OK | $17,307 | $15,300 | $10,509 | 76.6% |
|  | [University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus](/school/university-of-oklahoma-norman-campus/majors/) posts a 77% admission rate and its Dance graduates earn a [median of $17,307](/school/university-of-oklahoma-norman-campus/outcomes/) four years after completing, from a cohort of 21. |

## 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 South appear. The figure is the median for federally aided completers of the program who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 12 of the 29 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. Stephen F Austin State University leads with $57,593, and the gap to second-ranked University of South Carolina-Columbia is $2,319.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Dance Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-dance-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in the South](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-south/)
-   [Top Dance Programs in the Northeast by Earnings](/rankings/best-dance-programs-in-the-northeast/)
-   [Best Dance Programs in the Midwest](/rankings/best-dance-programs-in-the-midwest/)
-   [Top Dance Programs in the West by Earnings](/rankings/best-dance-programs-in-the-west/)
-   Art & Design Colleges in the South for Social Mobility
-   [Best Art & Design Colleges in the South](/rankings/best-art-and-design-colleges-in-the-south/)