Dance at University of California-Irvine

UC Irvine's dance program outperforms most programs nationally—ranking in the 86th percentile for earnings—but graduates face an unusual challenge: median pay actually drops from $28,112 in the first year to $22,738 by year four. With a small graduating class (under 30 students), these numbers could shift significantly year to year, but the downward trajectory deserves attention. The relatively modest $20,080 in median debt keeps this financially viable even with declining pay, though within California, this program sits at the 60th percentile—respectable but not exceptional.

The comparison to other UC and California programs is telling. While UCI dance grads earn more initially than those from UCLA's program, they trail Long Beach State and USC throughout the early career period. The earnings decline could reflect graduates pivoting to related but lower-paying creative work, pursuing advanced degrees, or facing the reality that full-time dance performance work becomes harder to sustain over time.

For families, this program offers better-than-average outcomes within a challenging field, with manageable debt that won't become crushing even as earnings dip. The small sample size means your child's experience could differ substantially from these medians. If they're committed to dance and value UC Irvine's selective academic environment (26% admission rate), this is among the safer financial bets in the field—but they should enter with realistic expectations about income trajectories and have backup plans for supplementary income streams.