Dance instructor/choreographer vs private music instructor

The differences between dance instructor/choreographers and private music 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 dance instructor/choreographer and a private music instructor. Additionally, a private music instructor has an average salary of $55,947, which is higher than the $46,612 average annual salary of a dance instructor/choreographer.

The top three skills for a dance instructor/choreographer include dance classes, hip-hop dance and dance performances. The most important skills for a private music instructor are clarinet, saxophone, and music theory.

Dance instructor/choreographer vs private music instructor overview

	Dance Instructor/Choreographer	Private Music Instructor
Yearly salary	$46,612	$55,947
Hourly rate	$22.41	$26.90
Growth rate	12%	12%
Number of jobs	34,865	29,072
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

Dance instructor/choreographer vs private music instructor salary

Dance instructor/choreographers and private music instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Dance Instructor/Choreographer	Private Music Instructor
Average salary	$46,612	$55,947
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $71,000	Between $35,000 And $88,000
Highest paying City	Las Vegas, NV	-
Highest paying state	New York	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	Education	-

Differences between dance instructor/choreographer and private music instructor education

There are a few differences between a dance instructor/choreographer and a private music instructor in terms of educational background:

	Dance Instructor/Choreographer	Private Music Instructor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Most common major	Dance	Music
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	Stanford University

Dance instructor/choreographer vs private music instructor demographics

Here are the differences between dance instructor/choreographers' and private music instructors' demographics:

	Dance Instructor/Choreographer	Private Music Instructor
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 21.9% Female, 78.1%	Male, 54.4% Female, 45.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 6.1% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 6.9% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between dance instructor/choreographer and private music instructor duties and responsibilities

Dance instructor/choreographer example responsibilities.

Lead children's classes, training kids in kicks, punches, self-defense and how to avoid physical confrontations.
Teach a full tap dance syllabus to all ages and all skill levels.
Prepare a syllabus for each class, stretching/warm-up students, teaching dance technique and routines.
Prepare and run all dance rehearsals.
Schedule and run rehearsals, re-serve rehearsal space and arrange for accompanists.
Teach dance/choreograph several classes including competition musical theatre, jazz, and Zumba.

Private music instructor example responsibilities.

Own and manage a small business as a CPR and first aid instructor and consultant for diverse clients.
band coaching, theory & songwriting classes
Provide individual traditional and Suzuki piano instruction.
Cover the fundamental concepts of chemistry and biology including cell biology, metabolism, microbiology, genetics, evolution and histology.
Instruct adults in a variety of topics including; emotional psychology, biological psychology, anatomy and physiology, motivational psychology ...

Dance instructor/choreographer vs private music instructor skills

Common dance instructor/choreographer skills

Dance Classes, 20%
Hip-Hop Dance, 13%
Dance Performances, 10%
Musical Theater, 7%
Dance Program, 4%
Dance Studio, 4%

Common private music instructor skills

Clarinet, 16%
Saxophone, 12%
Music Theory, 9%
Music Education, 8%
Mathematics, 7%
Guitar Lessons, 6%

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Dance Instructor/Choreographer
Dance Instructor/Choreographer vs Private Music Instructor

Updated January 8, 2025

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