Dance at Anderson University

Anderson University's dance program graduates earn roughly the state median for dance majors in Indiana, but that's cold comfort when the median itself sits barely above $20,000 a year. With $27,000 in debt, graduates face a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.33—meaning they owe more than a full year's salary. The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these figures could shift with more data, but the fundamental challenge remains: dance is a notoriously difficult field for immediate post-graduation earnings, regardless of where you study.

What makes this particularly tough is the range within Indiana itself. Ball State graduates in this major earn over $28,000—about 40% more than Anderson grads—while IU-Bloomington's figure sits lower at roughly $15,000. This variation suggests that institutional factors matter, but even the best outcome in the state still means navigating a challenging financial landscape. The relatively low debt ($27,000 ranks in just the 5th percentile nationally for dance programs) does help contain the damage somewhat.

For families considering this path, the question isn't really whether Anderson offers good value compared to other dance programs—it's whether pursuing a dance degree makes financial sense given your child's specific career goals and family resources. If professional performance or choreography is the dream, understanding that lean early years are essentially built into the field is critical. The debt here won't crush them, but neither will the starting salary provide much cushion.