2026 Best Value Dance Schools in Massachusetts
[Dance](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/dance/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 11 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value dance schools.
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2026 Best Value Dance Schools in Massachusetts
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in dance, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Dance Schools
For return on investment in dance, no school beat University Of Massachusetts Amherst this year. Located in the city of Amherst, University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,772, compared with $40,449 for out-of-state students. Dance graduates carry a median of $25,234 in student loans. Dance graduates of University Of Massachusetts Amherst earn a median of $53,543 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,234 median debt. The acceptance rate is 60%.
Dean College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value dance schools. Set in the suburb of Franklin, Dean College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $46,526 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the dance program here. Soon after graduation, dance degree recipients from Dean College generally make around $24,236. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
Berklee College Of Music came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value dance schools. Berklee College Of Music is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $52,040. Dance graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, dance degree recipients from Berklee College Of Music generally make around $22,993. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 44%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
