by our College Data Analytics TeamGeneral Dance was the 212th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 3,148 degrees in this year alone. This represents a 3.4% reduction in dance movement studies degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 3,254.
This year's Best General Dance Schools ranking compares 174 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of dance movement studies programs later in this article.
A major in dance movement studies prepares you for careers in which talking to others to convey information effectively is crucial. Required skills include giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times and teaching others how to do something.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. In addition to these basic general dance program qualifications, to serve in some dance movement studies careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
Dance Movement Studies degree levels vary. You can get anything from a in general dance to the highest dance movement studies degree, a . The type of dance movement studies degree you choose will determine how long it takes to get your diploma.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A master's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to dance movement studies, with approximately 20.2% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to dance movement studies tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 31.2% |
| Doctoral Degree | 18.0% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 14.9% |
| High School Diploma | 13.6% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 7.9% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in general dance careers have.
This of course varies depending on which dance movement studies career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your dance movement studies degree? General Dance careers are expected to grow 10.8% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to general dance.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Professors | 137,200 | 12.0% |
| Dancers | 14,100 | 4.4% |
| Choreographers | 7,100 | 2.9% |
As you might expect, salaries for dance movement studies graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for general dance graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers dance movement studies grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Professors | $82,560 |
| Choreographers | $53,560 |
With over 528 different dance movement studies degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased dance movement studies school rankings to help you with this.
General Dance is one of 2 different types of Dance programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Other Dance | 87 |
| Ballet | 53 |
Image Credit: By Jazzart Dance Theatre under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
