by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for dance students pursuing a bachelor's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 300 bachelor's degrees in dance to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The dance bachelor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality dance program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
The overall quality of a bachelor's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we include a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a collection of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their bachelor's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their bachelor's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for dance students working on their bachelor's degree.
The dance school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Dance Bachelor's Degree Schools in California.
In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.
Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for dance students seeking a a bachelor's degree.
University of California - Riverside is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a bachelor's degree in dance. UCR is a very large public university located in the city of Riverside.More information about a bachelor’s in dance from University of California - Riverside
Every student who is interested in a bachelor's degree in dance has to check out University of California - Irvine. Located in the city of Irvine, UC Irvine is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Bachelor's recipients from the dance program at University of California - Irvine make $4,011 above the standard college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.
More information about a bachelor’s in dance from University of California - Irvine
It's difficult to beat University of California - Los Angeles if you wish to pursue a bachelor's degree in dance. UCLA is a very large public university located in the city of Los Angeles.
Soon after graduation, dance bachelor's recipients generally earn around $19,787 in their early careers.
More information about a bachelor’s in dance from University of California - Los Angeles
Every student pursuing a degree in a bachelor's degree in dance needs to check out University of Southern California. Located in the city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the dance program report average early career wages of $25,653.
More information about a bachelor’s in dance from University of Southern California
Located in the city of Orange, Chapman is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the dance program state that they receive average early career wages of $21,275.
More information about a bachelor’s in dance from Chapman University
UCSB is a very large public university located in the medium-sized suburb of Santa Barbara.More information about a bachelor’s in dance from University of California - Santa Barbara
Located in the large city of Long Beach, CSULB is a public university with a very large student population.
Dance bachelor's degree recipients from California State University - Long Beach get an earnings boost of approximately $6,585 over the typical earnings of dance graduates.
More information about a bachelor’s in dance from California State University - Long Beach
Located in the large city of Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the dance program report average early career income of $19,107.
More information about a bachelor’s in dance from Loyola Marymount University
CalArts is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Valencia.More information about a bachelor’s in dance from California Institute of the Arts
Cal State Fullerton is a very large public university located in the large suburb of Fullerton.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the dance program report average early career wages of $24,087.
More information about a bachelor’s in dance from California State University - FullertonExplore all the Best Dance Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 226 | 50 |
| Oregon | 185 | 20 |
| Nevada | 129 | 30 |
| Hawaii | 112 | 4 |
Dance is one of 10 different types of Visual & Performing Arts programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Dance | 300 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Fine & Studio Arts | 3,997 |
| Film, Video & Photographic Arts | 2,722 |
| Design & Applied Arts | 2,456 |
| Music | 1,666 |
| Drama & Theater Arts | 1,591 |
| General Visual & Performing Arts | 416 |
| Arts & Media Management | 257 |
| Other Visual Art | 28 |
