Ballet teacher vs dance instructor

The differences between ballet teachers and dance instructors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a ballet teacher and a dance instructor. Additionally, a ballet teacher has an average salary of $54,072, which is higher than the $34,931 average annual salary of a dance instructor.

The top three skills for a ballet teacher include ballet technique, modern dance and creative dance. The most important skills for a dance instructor are dance classes, role model, and hip hop dance.

Ballet teacher vs dance instructor overview

	Ballet Teacher	Dance Instructor
Yearly salary	$54,072	$34,931
Hourly rate	$26.00	$16.79
Growth rate	27%	12%
Number of jobs	52,119	36,095
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

Ballet teacher vs dance instructor salary

Ballet teachers and dance instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Ballet Teacher	Dance Instructor
Average salary	$54,072	$34,931
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $88,000	Between $23,000 And $52,000
Highest paying City	-	Waltham, MA
Highest paying state	-	Massachusetts
Best paying company	-	Kern Community College District
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between ballet teacher and dance instructor education

There are a few differences between a ballet teacher and a dance instructor in terms of educational background:

	Ballet Teacher	Dance Instructor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Most common major	Dance	Dance
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ballet teacher vs dance instructor demographics

Here are the differences between ballet teachers' and dance instructors' demographics:

	Ballet Teacher	Dance Instructor
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 7.2% Female, 92.8%	Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 6.4% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 6.0% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between ballet teacher and dance instructor duties and responsibilities

Ballet teacher example responsibilities.

Measure for costumes and organize and distribute costumes to parents.
Choreograph multiple pieces for performances along with making costumes and hair pieces.
Contribute to becoming NAEYC accredit by assisting in execution of aggressive classroom action plans proving center competency for national recognition.
Teach basic, intermediate, and advance salsa classes.
Have assumed both lead and floating positions, ensuring proper implementation of Montessori and safety guidelines in every classroom.

Dance instructor example responsibilities.

Promote for demonstrate leadership skills and competence in managing students.
Choreograph beginner, intermediate and advance dance repertoire in the areas of ballet, pointe and modern dance.
Teach classical ballet, contemporary dance, and Pointe work to children, teens, and adults.
Dance instruction include skills such as Zumba workouts, ballet, tap, jazz, and Hawaiian dance.
Earn the title of Sensei.
Administer first aid when need and hold CPR certification.

Ballet teacher vs dance instructor skills

Common ballet teacher skills

Ballet Technique, 35%
Modern Dance, 16%
Creative Dance, 15%
Syllabus, 11%
Role Model, 7%
Children AGE, 6%

Common dance instructor skills

Dance Classes, 16%
Role Model, 9%
Hip Hop Dance, 8%
Dance Program, 7%
Fine Arts, 5%
Front Desk, 5%

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Ballet Teacher vs Dance Instructor

Updated January 8, 2025

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