2026 Best Value General Dance Schools in New York
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general dance degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Dance Schools
Cuny Hunter College tops our 2026 list of the best value general dance schools in New York. Cuny Hunter College is a very large public school located in the city of New York. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,382, with out-of-state students paying around $15,332. Students borrow a median of $11,091 to complete the general dance program here. Early-career general dance graduates make about $51,372. Set against $11,091 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 54% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Cuny Lehman College one of the best values for general dance. Set in the city of Bronx, Cuny Lehman College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,410, with out-of-state students paying around $15,360. General Dance graduates carry a median of $11,994 in student loans. General Dance graduates of Cuny Lehman College earn a median of $27,843 early in their careers. Set against $11,994 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Suny At Purchase College one of the best values for general dance. Suny At Purchase College is a mid-sized public school located in the suburb of Purchase. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,016, compared with $19,266 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general dance program here. Soon after graduation, general dance degree recipients from Suny At Purchase College generally make around $12,039. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 74%.
Students looking for strong value in general dance will find it at University At Buffalo, which ranked #4. Located in the suburb of Buffalo, University At Buffalo is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,936, compared with $31,536 for out-of-state students. General Dance graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general dance degree recipients from University At Buffalo generally make around $17,110. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 74%.
Students looking for strong value in general dance will find it at Adelphi University, which ranked #5. Located in the suburb of Garden City, Adelphi University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $48,775 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general dance graduates is $25,487. General Dance graduates of Adelphi University earn a median of $51,037 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,487 median debt. Adelphi University admits about 66% of applicants.
Pace University New York placed #6 among the best values for general dance. Located in the city of New York, Pace University New York is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $53,510. Typical student debt for general dance graduates is $27,000. General Dance graduates of Pace University New York earn a median of $19,614 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Pace University New York admits about 76% of applicants.
New York University landed the #7 spot for general dance value this year. Located in the city of New York, New York University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $62,796 in tuition and fees. General Dance graduates carry a median of $23,004 in student loans. Early-career general dance graduates make about $36,556. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 9%.
Hofstra University placed #8 among the best values for general dance. Located in the suburb of Hempstead, Hofstra University is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $57,660. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the general dance program here. Early-career general dance graduates make about $55,705. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 68%.
The Ailey School landed the #9 spot for general dance value this year. Located in the city of New York, The Ailey School is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,817. Typical student debt for general dance graduates is $19,500. General Dance graduates of The Ailey School earn a median of $13,598 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 32%.
Marymount Manhattan College came in at #10 for value in general dance this year. Marymount Manhattan College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,870. General Dance graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career general dance graduates make about $21,880. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 83%.
The Juilliard School earned the #11 position for value in general dance this year. Located in the city of New York, The Juilliard School is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $57,950. Typical student debt for general dance graduates is $27,000. General Dance graduates of The Juilliard School earn a median of $14,220 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 9%.
Fordham University came in at #12 for value in general dance this year. Located in the city of Bronx, Fordham University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $64,470. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the general dance program here. Soon after graduation, general dance degree recipients from Fordham University generally make around $20,381. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 59% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 33 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 13 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.
[General Dance](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/dance/general-dance/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
