2027 Best Value Dance Schools in North Carolina

[Dance](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/dance/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for dance students.
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2027 Best Value Dance Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in dance, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Dance Schools
University Of North Carolina At Greensboro tops our 2027 list of the best value dance schools in North Carolina. University Of North Carolina At Greensboro is a very large public school located in the city of Greensboro. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,661, with out-of-state students paying around $24,012. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the dance program here. Dance graduates of University Of North Carolina At Greensboro earn a median of $24,295 early in their careers. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of North Carolina At Greensboro admits about 88% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in dance will find it at University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Winston Salem, University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts is a small public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,477, compared with $27,211 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,000 to complete the dance program here. Dance graduates of University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts earn a median of $14,201 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of North Carolina School Of The Arts admits about 30% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes University Of North Carolina At Charlotte one of the best values for dance. University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public school located in the city of Charlotte. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,239, compared with $22,492 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for dance graduates is $26,625. Dance graduates of University Of North Carolina At Charlotte earn a median of $23,587 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
East Carolina University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value dance schools. East Carolina University is a very large public school located in the city of Greenville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,361, compared with $23,638 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,747 to complete the dance program here. Soon after graduation, dance degree recipients from East Carolina University generally make around $51,931. Set against $24,747 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Appalachian State University came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value dance schools. Set in the town of Boone, Appalachian State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,579, compared with $25,212 for out-of-state students. Dance graduates carry a median of $21,992 in student loans. Dance graduates of Appalachian State University earn a median of $42,340 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Elon University came in at #6 for value in dance this year. Set in the suburb of Elon, Elon University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $46,958 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $21,619 to complete the dance program here. Dance graduates of Elon University earn a median of $50,463 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 66% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.