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Dance teacher salary
Average dance teacher salary
$47,909
Average Dance Teacher Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a dance teacher is $47,909 per year. This figure can vary based on numerous factors including geographic location, years of experience, and the educational institution or organization employing the teacher. For instance, dance teachers at performing arts schools or private studios may earn more compared to those in public education settings.
How Much Does a Dance Teacher Make?
The hourly wage for a dance teacher typically stands at around $23. However, this can increase significantly in areas with a high demand for dance instruction, particularly in urban centers. Many dance teachers supplement their income by offering private lessons or participating in performance opportunities.
Where Can a Dance Teacher Earn More?
States such as California and New York often offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and the concentration of arts institutions. Additionally, specialized roles, such as choreography or dance education administration, can lead to increased earnings. For those considering a career in dance education, understanding these dynamics is essential for making informed career choices.
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Where can a Dance Teacher earn more?
Dance teacher salary estimates from across the web
Average dance teacher salary by state
The average dance teacher salary in New York, New Jersey, and Vermont are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average dance teacher salary states are North Carolina, Arkansas, and Mississippi.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for dance teachers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $61,894 | $29.76 |
| 2 | New York | $70,698 | $33.99 |
| 3 | Indiana | $51,703 | $24.86 |
| 4 | South Carolina | $51,311 | $24.67 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $52,205 | $25.10 |
| 6 | Vermont | $60,965 | $29.31 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $54,984 | $26.43 |
| 8 | Maryland | $52,626 | $25.30 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $48,557 | $23.34 |
| 10 | Michigan | $49,351 | $23.73 |
| 11 | Nevada | $51,873 | $24.94 |
| 12 | Montana | $47,696 | $22.93 |
| 13 | Washington | $53,404 | $25.68 |
| 14 | Idaho | $50,690 | $24.37 |
| 15 | Maine | $52,798 | $25.38 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $52,289 | $25.14 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $49,481 | $23.79 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $47,534 | $22.85 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $53,742 | $25.84 |
| 20 | Louisiana | $49,395 | $23.75 |
| 21 | South Dakota | $48,290 | $23.22 |
| 22 | Florida | $46,179 | $22.20 |
| 23 | Kansas | $45,636 | $21.94 |
| 24 | Tennessee | $45,036 | $21.65 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $45,307 | $21.78 |
| 26 | California | $48,314 | $23.23 |
| 27 | Delaware | $45,311 | $21.78 |
| 28 | Illinois | $43,486 | $20.91 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $46,095 | $22.16 |
| 30 | Ohio | $43,701 | $21.01 |
| 31 | Utah | $46,184 | $22.20 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $43,482 | $20.90 |
| 33 | Rhode Island | $46,007 | $22.12 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $42,140 | $20.26 |
| 35 | Colorado | $43,158 | $20.75 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $41,893 | $20.14 |
| 37 | Missouri | $43,371 | $20.85 |
| 38 | Arizona | $46,126 | $22.18 |
| 39 | Georgia | $43,271 | $20.80 |
| 40 | Oregon | $45,373 | $21.81 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | $44,732 | $21.51 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $41,205 | $19.81 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $53,505 | $25.72 |
| 44 | Virginia | $41,534 | $19.97 |
| 45 | Alaska | $44,658 | $21.47 |
| 46 | Texas | $37,290 | $17.93 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $41,470 | $19.94 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $39,554 | $19.02 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $39,003 | $18.75 |
| 50 | Iowa | $31,238 | $15.02 |
| 51 | Alabama | $37,492 | $18.02 |
Highest paying cities for dance teachers
The highest-paying cities for dance teachers are New York, NY, Newark, NJ, and Newton, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $70,827 | $34.05 |
| 2 | Newark, NJ | $61,963 | $29.79 |
| 3 | Newton, MA | $54,984 | $26.43 |
| 4 | Stamford, CT | $53,700 | $25.82 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $52,807 | $25.39 |
| 6 | Las Vegas, NV | $51,904 | $24.95 |
| 7 | Goose Creek, SC | $51,269 | $24.65 |
| 8 | Detroit, MI | $49,532 | $23.81 |
| 9 | Berkeley, CA | $49,001 | $23.56 |
| 10 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $46,561 | $22.39 |
| 11 | Yuma, AZ | $46,323 | $22.27 |
| 12 | Newport, RI | $46,220 | $22.22 |
| 13 | Washington, DC | $44,747 | $21.51 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $43,622 | $20.97 |
| 15 | Atlanta, GA | $43,201 | $20.77 |
| 16 | Arlington, VA | $42,267 | $20.32 |
| 17 | Levittown, PA | $42,171 | $20.27 |
| 18 | El Paso, TX | $38,163 | $18.35 |
Dance teacher salary details
A dance teacher's salary ranges from $32,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $71,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a dance teacher's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $71,000 | $5,917 | $34 |
| 75th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
| Average | $47,909 | $3,992 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
Highest paying dance teacher jobs
The highest paying types of dance teachers are voice teacher, private music instructor, and piano instructor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Aid Instructor | $44,903 | $3,742 | $21.59 | 50,978 |
| Field Instructor | $52,928 | $4,411 | $25.45 | 69,156 |
| Martial Arts Instructor | $34,287 | $2,857 | $16.48 | 24,925 |
| Driving Instructor | $51,752 | $4,313 | $24.88 | 28,948 |
| Guitar Instructor | $46,506 | $3,875 | $22.36 | 24,514 |
| Piano Instructor | $53,474 | $4,456 | $25.71 | 24,512 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for dance teachers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Karla Huebner Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Wright State University
Top companies hiring dance teachers now:
Which companies pay dance teachers the most?
Dance teacher salaries at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy and Success Academy Charter Schools are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average dance teacher salary at companies like San José Unified School District and KIPP DC are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The American Musical and Dramatic Academy | $78,260 | $37.63 |
| 2 | Success Academy Charter Schools | $70,758 | $34.02 |
| 3 | San José Unified School District | $56,535 | $27.18 |
| 4 | KIPP DC | $55,313 | $26.59 |
| 5 | Salve Regina University | $54,808 | $26.35 |
| 6 | Aspire Public Schools | $53,536 | $25.74 |
| 7 | Distinctive Schools | $53,308 | $25.63 |
| 8 | Johns Hopkins University | $52,092 | $25.04 |
| 9 | KIPP Austin Public Schools | $52,039 | $25.02 |
| 10 | Montgomery County Public Schools | $52,019 | $25.01 |
| 11 | Rocketship Education | $51,898 | $24.95 |
| 12 | Berkeley High School | $51,628 | $24.82 |
| 13 | Chatham County Schools | $51,347 | $24.69 |
| 14 | Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District | $50,645 | $24.35 |
| 15 | Purpose Built Schools Atlanta | $48,771 | $23.45 |
| 16 | Charter Schools USA | $48,369 | $23.25 |
| 17 | Center City Public Charter Schools | $48,167 | $23.16 |
| 18 | Harvest Preparatory Academy | $48,081 | $23.12 |
| 19 | SUCCESS Academy | $46,773 | $22.49 |
| 20 | West Covina USD | $46,083 | $22.16 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Dance Teacher salary by industry
The average dance teacher salary varies across industries:
- The average dance teacher salary in the hospitality industry is $51,036, the highest of any industry.
- The average dance teacher salary in the finance industry is $50,744.
- Dance teachers in the health care industry earn an average salary of $37,314, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for dance teachers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospitality | $51,036 | $24.54 |
| 2 | Education | $50,744 | $24.40 |
| 3 | Media | $48,688 | $23.41 |
| 4 | Health Care | $37,314 | $17.94 |
High paying dance teacher jobs
Dance teacher salary trends
The average dance teacher salary has risen by $4,628 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average dance teacher earned $43,281 annually, but today, they earn $47,909 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for dance teachers over the last decade.
Compare dance teacher salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average dance teacher salary over time
Compare dance teacher salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Dance teacher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $47,900 | $23.03 | +1.9% |
| 2025 | $47,000 | $22.59 | +1.2% |
| 2024 | $46,400 | $22.32 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | $46,100 | $22.16 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | $44,800 | $21.52 | +1.7% |
Recently added dance teacher salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amplus Academy | Secondary Performing Arts & Dance Teacher School Year) | Las Vegas, NV | 06/27/2025 | $50,840 |
| Ensemble Performing Arts | Musical Theater Dance Teacher | Delavan, WI | 06/27/2025 | $31,305 |
| Ensemble Performing Arts | Preschool Dance Teacher | Wellington, FL | 06/27/2025 | $73,045 |
| The Tea Center | Theater/Dance Teacher | McLean, VA | 06/21/2025 | $35,479 |
| Steamspark | Contemporary Dance Teacher | Farmers Branch, TX | 06/14/2025 | $41,740 |
| Syracuse City School District | Dance Teacher (Steam Regional High School) | Syracuse, NY | 06/12/2025 | $57,756 |
| Ingenium | Elementary Dance Teacher, #1088: Ingenium Barack Obama Charter School | Compton, CA | 06/12/2025 | $63,000 |
| West Valley Dance Company | Dance Teacher | San Jose, CA | 06/06/2025 | $52,175 |
| The Croft School | Dance Teacher | Providence, RI | 06/05/2025 | $73,045 |
| Us Swim School Association | Dance Teacher | Ballwin, MO | 06/02/2025 | $31,305 |
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