2026 Best Value Dance Schools in Texas
[Dance](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/dance/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong dance education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 23 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for dance students.
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2026 Best Value Dance Schools in Texas
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the dance degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Dance Schools
For return on investment in dance, no school beat Texas Womans University this year. Located in the city of Denton, Texas Womans University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,640 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $18,480. Typical student debt for dance graduates is $21,953. Dance graduates of Texas Womans University earn a median of $29,634 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Texas Womans University admits about 96% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Houston one of the best values for dance. Located in the city of Houston, University Of Houston is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,717, compared with $22,547 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for dance graduates is $21,255. Soon after graduation, dance degree recipients from University Of Houston generally make around $57,529. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Houston admits about 74% of applicants.
University Of North Texas is a great value for students pursuing a degree in dance, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Denton, University Of North Texas is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,309 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $21,149. Students borrow a median of $24,000 to complete the dance program here. Early-career dance graduates make about $25,034. Set against $24,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in dance will find it at Sam Houston State University, which ranked #4. Located in the town of Huntsville, Sam Houston State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,228, while out-of-state students pay about $19,068. Dance graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Early-career dance graduates make about $19,202. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Texas State University San Marcos came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value dance schools. Set in the city of San Marcos, Texas State University San Marcos is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,450, while out-of-state students pay about $22,930. Students borrow a median of $22,500 to complete the dance program here. Early-career dance graduates make about $38,967. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Texas State University San Marcos admits about 89% of applicants.
The University Of Texas At Austin came in at #6 for value in dance this year. The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public school located in the city of Austin. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,688, while out-of-state students pay about $44,908. Students borrow a median of $21,275 to complete the dance program here. Dance graduates of The University Of Texas At Austin earn a median of $57,819 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,275 median debt. The University Of Texas At Austin admits about 27% of applicants.
Texas Christian University placed #7 among the best values for dance. Set in the city of Fort Worth, Texas Christian University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $61,740. Typical student debt for dance graduates is $22,960. Early-career dance graduates make about $60,035. Set against $22,960 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Texas Christian University admits about 44% of applicants.
Southern Methodist University placed #8 among the best values for dance. Southern Methodist University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Dallas. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,040. Students borrow a median of $20,712 to complete the dance program here. Soon after graduation, dance degree recipients from Southern Methodist University generally make around $70,632. That is a strong return on a $20,712 median debt. Southern Methodist University admits about 63% of applicants.
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 · 23 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
