Dance at The Juilliard School

Juilliard's dance program graduates earn $14,220 one year after finishing—about $5,400 less than the state median and 35% below the national average for dance degrees. While the program carries the prestige of one of the world's most selective performing arts conservatories (9% admission rate), that reputation doesn't translate into immediate financial stability. At the 5th percentile nationally, these are among the lowest first-year earnings for any dance program in the country. Even CUNY Lehman, a public college, sees graduates earning nearly double.

The $27,000 median debt is close to typical for dance programs, but paired with such low initial earnings, it creates a challenging financial picture. Most graduates are likely supplementing performing work with teaching, retail, or service jobs as they build their careers—a common path in professional dance, but one that makes loan repayment difficult in those early years. The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means individual circumstances heavily influence these numbers, and earnings patterns for elite performing artists can look very different five or ten years out.

For families who can afford to minimize borrowing, Juilliard's network and training may justify the investment if your child is committed to a professional performing career. But if loans will fund most of this education, understand that the first several years after graduation will likely be financially precarious, regardless of the school's reputation.