2026 Best Dance Master’s Degree Schools
Dance degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their dance programs.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 364 schools to find the best for dance students.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Dance in the United States
See the highest-ranked dance schools offering a master’s degree below.
Top Schools in Dance
Leading the list is Saint Marys College Of California, our #1 school for dance. Set in the suburb of Moraga, Saint Marys College Of California is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 70%. About 11 dance degrees were awarded at Saint Marys College Of California in the most recent year. Students who receive their dance degree from Saint Marys College Of California earn around $70,806 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $25,041.
See the full dance program report for Saint Marys College Of California
A rank of #2 makes New York University one of the top schools for dance. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of New York. The six-year graduation rate is 88%. About 23 dance degrees were awarded at New York University in the most recent year. Students who receive their dance degree from New York University earn around $36,556 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $23,004 to complete this degree.
Get the full dance details for New York University
Jacksonville University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in dance, ranking #3. Located in the city of Jacksonville, Jacksonville University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 51%. About 11 dance degrees were awarded at Jacksonville University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, dance degree recipients from Jacksonville University generally make around $46,274. Typical student debt for the program is $25,619.
See the full dance program report for Jacksonville University
Hollins University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in dance, ranking #4. Set in the suburb of Roanoke, Hollins University is a small private not-for-profit institution. Hollins University graduates 65% of students within six years. About 12 dance degrees were awarded at Hollins University in the most recent year. Students who receive their dance degree from Hollins University earn around $26,798 in the first couple years of their career. Hollins University graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
See the full dance program report for Hollins University
Other Dance Degree Levels
Explore the best dance schools at other degree levels:
View All Dance Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 364 schools evaluated.
- 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.
