Dance at Stephen F Austin State University

Stephen F. Austin's dance program produces graduates earning $33,340 their first year—remarkably high for this field, beating 95% of dance programs nationally. However, that 60th percentile ranking within Texas tells a more nuanced story: while SFA crushes the national competition, it sits in the middle of the pack among the state's stronger dance programs, trailing Texas State by about $5,600.

The debt picture is genuinely exceptional. At $31,000, graduates owe roughly the same as the national median for dance programs ($25,000), but their significantly higher earnings mean they're borrowing less than 95% of their peers nationally and coming out with a debt-to-earnings ratio under 1.0—unusual for arts programs. Compare this to the typical dance graduate nationally, who earns just $21,878 while carrying $25,000 in debt, and the value becomes clear.

One critical caveat: this analysis relies on a small sample of recent graduates (under 30), so these numbers could shift as more data accumulates. Still, if your child is committed to pursuing dance professionally, SFA offers a stronger financial starting point than most alternatives. The combination of manageable debt and above-average earnings—even in a notoriously low-paying field—gives graduates more runway to pursue their artistic careers without crushing financial pressure.