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Dance instructor salary
Average dance instructor salary
$16.79
Average Dance Instructor Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a dance instructor in the United States is approximately $34,931 per year, translating to around $17 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on location, years of experience, and the specific institution where instructors are employed.
Salary by State
In terms of state-specific salaries, dance instructors in regions such as California and New York tend to earn higher wages compared to other states. For example, the highest paying states can offer salaries exceeding $50,000 annually. Understanding these geographical variations can help instructors target locations that align with their earning potential.
Job Opportunities
In addition to traditional dance schools, instructors may find opportunities in community centers, schools, and private studios, each offering unique compensation structures. By exploring various job listings, instructors can better gauge potential salaries and identify roles that suit their skills and aspirations.
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Where can a Dance Instructor earn more?
Dance instructor salary estimates from across the web
Average dance instructor salary by state
The highest-paying states for dance instructors are Massachusetts, Hawaii, and New York. The lowest average dance instructor salary states are Mississippi, Arkansas, and Texas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for dance instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $47,781 | $22.97 |
| 2 | South Carolina | $37,404 | $17.98 |
| 3 | Vermont | $46,247 | $22.23 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $47,984 | $23.07 |
| 5 | Nevada | $36,614 | $17.60 |
| 6 | California | $42,882 | $20.62 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $48,226 | $23.19 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $39,042 | $18.77 |
| 9 | Louisiana | $36,398 | $17.50 |
| 10 | Maine | $40,310 | $19.38 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $39,473 | $18.98 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $36,268 | $17.44 |
| 13 | Michigan | $34,664 | $16.67 |
| 14 | Maryland | $37,688 | $18.12 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $40,284 | $19.37 |
| 16 | Florida | $35,341 | $16.99 |
| 17 | Indiana | $35,768 | $17.20 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $34,613 | $16.64 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $32,827 | $15.78 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $32,465 | $15.61 |
| 21 | Delaware | $33,076 | $15.90 |
| 22 | Georgia | $31,527 | $15.16 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $34,498 | $16.59 |
| 24 | Montana | $31,892 | $15.33 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $30,659 | $14.74 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $32,141 | $15.45 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $33,897 | $16.30 |
| 28 | Arizona | $33,636 | $16.17 |
| 29 | Idaho | $33,964 | $16.33 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $33,320 | $16.02 |
| 31 | Washington | $35,393 | $17.02 |
| 32 | Oregon | $30,271 | $14.55 |
| 33 | Utah | $30,946 | $14.88 |
| 34 | Ohio | $30,338 | $14.59 |
| 35 | Colorado | $29,390 | $14.13 |
| 36 | Kansas | $31,501 | $15.14 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $30,661 | $14.74 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $29,251 | $14.06 |
| 39 | Virginia | $29,204 | $14.04 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $29,680 | $14.27 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $28,985 | $13.94 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $29,759 | $14.31 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $28,264 | $13.59 |
| 44 | Illinois | $30,051 | $14.45 |
| 45 | District of Columbia | $31,744 | $15.26 |
| 46 | Missouri | $30,110 | $14.48 |
| 47 | Alaska | $24,012 | $11.54 |
| 48 | Texas | $27,425 | $13.19 |
| 49 | Iowa | $21,419 | $10.30 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $28,008 | $13.47 |
| 51 | Alabama | $27,245 | $13.10 |
Highest paying cities for dance instructors
The highest-paying cities for dance instructors are Waltham, MA, New York, NY, and Los Angeles, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waltham, MA | $48,190 | $23.17 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $47,788 | $22.98 |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | $43,197 | $20.77 |
| 4 | Enfield, CT | $40,185 | $19.32 |
| 5 | Wayne, NJ | $39,215 | $18.85 |
| 6 | Columbia, MD | $37,715 | $18.13 |
| 7 | Columbia, SC | $37,351 | $17.96 |
| 8 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $35,566 | $17.10 |
| 9 | Green Bay, WI | $35,453 | $17.04 |
| 10 | Kirkland, WA | $35,361 | $17.00 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $33,614 | $16.16 |
| 12 | Collierville, TN | $32,260 | $15.51 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $31,357 | $15.08 |
| 14 | Canton, OH | $30,985 | $14.90 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $30,184 | $14.51 |
| 16 | Colorado Springs, CO | $29,542 | $14.20 |
| 17 | Albuquerque, NM | $29,466 | $14.17 |
| 18 | Norfolk, VA | $29,178 | $14.03 |
| 19 | Charlotte, NC | $28,994 | $13.94 |
| 20 | San Antonio, TX | $28,176 | $13.55 |
Dance instructor salary details
A dance instructor's salary ranges from $23,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $52,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a dance instructor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
| 75th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| Average | $34,931 | $2,911 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $23,000 | $1,917 | $11 |
Highest paying dance instructor jobs
The highest paying types of dance instructors are voice teacher, private music instructor, and piano instructor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dance Teacher | $47,909 | $3,992 | $23.03 | 71,355 |
| First Aid Instructor | $44,903 | $3,742 | $21.59 | 50,978 |
| Martial Arts Instructor | $34,287 | $2,857 | $16.48 | 24,925 |
| Guitar Instructor | $46,506 | $3,875 | $22.36 | 24,514 |
| Field Instructor | $52,928 | $4,411 | $25.45 | 69,156 |
| Driving Instructor | $51,752 | $4,313 | $24.88 | 28,948 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for dance instructors, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Karina Skvirsky
Associate Professor, Lafayette College
Top companies hiring dance instructors now:
Which companies pay dance instructors the most?
Dance instructor salaries at Kern Community College District and The Chicago High School for the Arts are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average dance instructor salary at companies like Boston College and Schoolcraft College are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kern Community College District | $104,980 | $50.47 |
| 2 | The Chicago High School for the Arts | $65,373 | $31.43 |
| 3 | Boston College | $59,896 | $28.80 |
| 4 | Schoolcraft College | $59,471 | $28.59 |
| 5 | Somerset Hills Country Club | $58,157 | $27.96 |
| 6 | 4CD Live | $53,025 | $25.49 |
| 7 | Franklin & Marshall College | $48,175 | $23.16 |
| 8 | Western Washington University | $43,804 | $21.06 |
| 9 | World of Dance | $42,766 | $20.56 |
| 10 | Daymar College | $42,738 | $20.55 |
| 11 | MiraCosta College | $41,610 | $20.00 |
| 12 | Ball State University | $38,302 | $18.41 |
| 13 | Cornell College | $37,228 | $17.90 |
| 14 | Prince William County | $37,095 | $17.83 |
| 15 | Ocean Community YMCA | $36,681 | $17.64 |
| 16 | DeVine | $36,570 | $17.58 |
| 17 | Good Shepherd Services | $36,346 | $17.47 |
| 18 | Associated Recreation Council | $36,287 | $17.45 |
| 19 | Los Angeles Trade-Technical College | $35,802 | $17.21 |
| 20 | EXOS | $35,480 | $17.06 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Dance Instructor salary by industry
The average dance instructor salary varies across industries:
- The average dance instructor salary in the education industry is $40,902, the highest of any industry.
- The average dance instructor salary in the finance industry is $36,785.
- Dance instructors in the health care industry earn an average salary of $30,762, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for dance instructors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $40,902 | $19.66 |
| 2 | Media | $36,785 | $17.69 |
| 3 | Hospitality | $35,880 | $17.25 |
| 4 | Professional | $34,204 | $16.44 |
| 5 | Government | $31,111 | $14.96 |
| 6 | Health Care | $30,762 | $14.79 |
High paying dance instructor jobs
Dance instructor salary trends
The average dance instructor salary has risen by $3,374 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average dance instructor earned $31,557 annually, but today, they earn $34,931 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for dance instructors over the last decade.
Compare dance instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average dance instructor salary over time
Compare dance instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Dance instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,900 | $16.79 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $34,300 | $16.47 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | $33,800 | $16.27 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | $33,600 | $16.16 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $32,600 | $15.69 | +1.7% |
Recently added dance instructor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood Companies | Variable HCA Youth Dance Instructor | Lakewood, CO | 06/30/2025 | $41,740 |
| American Preparatory Academy | Social Dance Instructor School Year | West Valley City, UT | 06/27/2025 | $41,740 |
| Lake Forest | Dance Instructor | Lake Forest, CA | 06/27/2025 | $62,610 |
| Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, Inc. | Dance Instructor | New York, NY | 06/21/2025 | $60,523 |
| City of Medford, or | Dance Instructor/Recreation Specialist | Medford, OR | 06/17/2025 | $46,937 |
| Ymca of The Inland Northwest | Dance Instructor-Litehouse/Sandpoint | Sandpoint, ID | 06/16/2025 | $37,566 |
| Ymcaspokane | Dance Instructor-Litehouse/Sandpoint | Sandpoint, ID | 06/16/2025 | $37,566 |
| Batavia Park District | Dance Instructor | Batavia, IL | 06/12/2025 | $31,305 |
| Menlo School | After School Dance Instructor | Atherton, CA | 06/12/2025 | $73,045 |
| Fred Astaire-Boca Raton | Dance Instructor | Boca Raton, FL | 06/11/2025 | $35,000 |
Dance instructor salary FAQs
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