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2022 Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California

18 Ranked Colleges
322 Degrees Awarded
$22,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor's in California

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 3,397 people earned their degree in dance, making the major the 161st most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, dance graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $20,940 and had an average of $26,168 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 504 dance graduates with average earnings and debt of $17,450 and $21,542 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 322 dance graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” ranking looked at 18 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in dance. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent dance programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the dance program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Dance Schools

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree dance students.

Top 18 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Dance in California

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Long Beach landed the #1 spot on the list. California State University - Long Beach is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSULB, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Dance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $9,622 for California Bachelor’s Degree Dance students per year to attend California State University - Long Beach.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full California State University - Long Beach Dance Report

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Fullerton landed the #2 spot on the list. Fullerton, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s dance degrees to 34 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State Fullerton, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Dance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fullerton is $7,991 for California Bachelor’s Degree Dance students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Dance at Cal State Fullerton

#3

San Jose State University

San Jose, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend San Jose State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. San Jose State is a public institution located in San Jose, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree dance students list, San Jose State has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Dance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,928 for California Bachelor’s Degree Dance students per year to attend San Jose State.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Dance at San Jose State

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Irvine landed the #4 spot on the list. University of California - Irvine is a large school located in Irvine, California that handed out 40 bachelors’s dance degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine also took the #2 spot in our “Best Dance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,783 for California Bachelor’s Degree Dance students per year to attend UC Irvine.

The low student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full UC Irvine Dance Report

#5

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. UCLA is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Dance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $14,279 for California Bachelor’s Degree Dance students per year to attend University of California - Los Angeles.

The low student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full University of California - Los Angeles Dance Report

#6

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #6. San Francisco, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s dance degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SFSU, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Dance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SFSU is $15,113 for California Bachelor’s Degree Dance students.

Full San Francisco State University Dance Report

#7

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California

University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. This large school is located in Santa Barbara, California, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s dance degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree dance students list, UCSB has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Dance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Santa Barbara is $15,884 for california bachelor’s degree dance students.

The low student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read full report on Dance at University of California - Santa Barbara

#11 in overall quality

University of California - San Diego ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. This large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s dance degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Dance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - San Diego is $14,232 for california bachelor’s degree dance students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UCSD Dance Report

#9

San Diego State University

San Diego, California

San Diego State University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. This large school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s dance degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree dance students list, SDSU has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Dance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for San Diego State University is $14,788 for california bachelor’s degree dance students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Dance at San Diego State University

#10

University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley, California
#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, University of California - Berkeley did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s dance degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley also took the #3 spot in our “Best Dance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $15,329 for california bachelor’s degree dance students per year to attend University of California - Berkeley.

The low student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full University of California - Berkeley Dance Report

#11

University of California - Riverside

Riverside, California

With a ranking of #11, University of California - Riverside did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. This large school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s dance degrees in 2019-2020.

UCR did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Dance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $12,871 for california bachelor’s degree dance students per year to attend University of California - Riverside.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - Riverside Dance Report

#12

Mills College

Oakland, California
#16 in overall quality

Mills College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Mills College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Oakland, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree dance students list, Mills has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Dance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Mills is $22,202 for california bachelor’s degree dance students.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Mills Dance Report

#13

Dominican University of California

San Rafael, California

Dominican University of California landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. DUofC is located in San Rafael, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s dance degrees to qualified students.

DUofC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Dance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend DUofC is $32,978 for California Bachelor’s Degree Dance students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Dominican University of California Dance Report

#14

California Institute of the Arts

Valencia, California

California Institute of the Arts did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #14. California Institute of the Arts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Valencia, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

CalArts not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Dance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend CalArts is $50,412 for California Bachelor’s Degree Dance students.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 4.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Dance at California Institute of the Arts

#15

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, California

Loyola Marymount University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s dance degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree dance students list, Loyola Marymount has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Dance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Loyola Marymount is $42,861 for california bachelor’s degree dance students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Loyola Marymount Dance Report

#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Saint Mary’s College of California did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Saint Mary’s College of California is a small school located in Moraga, California that handed out 2 bachelors’s dance degrees in 2019-2020.

SMC also made our “Best Dance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for SMC is $34,392 for california bachelor’s degree dance students.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Dance at Saint Mary’s College of California

#17

Chapman University

Orange, California

With a ranking of #17, Chapman University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Chapman is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Orange, California. It awarded 31 bachelors’s dance degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree dance students list, Chapman has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Dance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $41,350 for California Bachelor’s Degree Dance students per year to attend Chapman.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Dance at Chapman University

#18

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#1 in overall quality

University of Southern California did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Dance Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #18. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s dance degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree dance students list, USC has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Dance Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Southern California is $29,528 for california bachelor’s degree dance students.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of Southern California Dance Report

Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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