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Dance instructor/choreographer salary

Average dance instructor/choreographer salary

$46,612

$22.41 hourly rate

Entry-level dance instructor/choreographer salary
$30,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Average Dance Instructor/Choreographer Salary

The average salary for a dance instructor or choreographer in the United States is $46,612 per year. This figure can vary based on factors such as location, experience, and the specific industry. For example, instructors in performing arts schools may earn different salaries than those teaching in community centers or private studios.

Where Can a Dance Instructor/Choreographer Earn More?

Geographic location plays a significant role in salary potential. States like California and New York often offer the highest salaries due to the demand for dance professionals in urban centers. Additionally, metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles and New York City consistently rank among the top cities for high-paying opportunities in this field.

Salary Insights by Experience

Experience is another critical factor impacting salary. Typically, instructors with more years in the industry command higher wages. Entry-level positions may start at lower rates, but with dedication and skill development, professionals can advance to higher-paying roles over time.

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Where can a Dance Instructor/Choreographer earn more?

Compare salary by location
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Columbus, OH$55,475
Fayetteville, AR$40,663

Average dance instructor/choreographer salary by state

The highest-paying states for dance instructor/choreographers are New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. The lowest average dance instructor/choreographer salary states are North Carolina, Kentucky, and Arkansas.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for dance instructor/choreographers

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1New Jersey$69,474$33.40
2New York$79,422$38.18
3Nevada$55,695$26.78
4Colorado$54,650$26.27
5Michigan$53,700$25.82
6South Carolina$52,752$25.36
7Massachusetts$61,539$29.59
8Maryland$58,276$28.02
9New Hampshire$58,096$27.93
10West Virginia$55,796$26.82
11Maine$57,288$27.54
12Connecticut$60,306$28.99
13Louisiana$51,616$24.82
14Indiana$54,141$26.03
15Wisconsin$53,008$25.48
16Idaho$53,251$25.60
17California$52,360$25.17
18Rhode Island$51,545$24.78
19Utah$50,480$24.27
20Montana$48,738$23.43
21Hawaii$57,430$27.61
22Delaware$50,610$24.33
23Washington$54,065$25.99
24Oregon$49,354$23.73
25South Dakota$49,479$23.79
26Wyoming$46,687$22.45
27Oklahoma$50,491$24.27
28North Dakota$48,048$23.10
29Arizona$49,153$23.63
30Florida$48,702$23.41
31Minnesota$49,962$24.02
32Ohio$47,064$22.63
33Texas$48,311$23.23
34Vermont$48,458$23.30
35Georgia$44,370$21.33
36Tennessee$46,144$22.18
37Pennsylvania$46,796$22.50
38Alaska$44,264$21.28
39North Carolina$42,642$20.50
40New Mexico$44,444$21.37
41Kansas$46,509$22.36
42Virginia$45,073$21.67
43Illinois$45,918$22.08
44Kentucky$42,579$20.47
45District of Columbia$49,200$23.65
46Nebraska$43,977$21.14
47Mississippi$40,510$19.48
48Iowa$32,006$15.39
49Missouri$44,025$21.17
50Arkansas$40,774$19.60
51Alabama$38,661$18.59
Top dance instructor/choreographer jobs near you

Highest paying cities for dance instructor/choreographers

The highest-paying cities for dance instructor/choreographers are Las Vegas, NV, Lakewood, WA, and Cupertino, CA.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Las Vegas, NV$55,475$26.67
2Lakewood, WA$54,825$26.36
3Cupertino, CA$53,241$25.60
4New Orleans, LA$51,525$24.77
5El Paso, TX$49,809$23.95
6Washington, DC$49,229$23.67
7Chandler, AZ$49,148$23.63
8Saint Petersburg, FL$49,054$23.58
9Chicago, IL$46,289$22.25
10Atlanta, GA$44,248$21.27
11Fayetteville, AR$40,663$19.55

Dance instructor/choreographer salary details

A dance instructor/choreographer's salary ranges from $30,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $71,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average dance instructor/choreographer salary graph
Average dance instructor/choreographer salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a dance instructor/choreographer's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$71,000$5,917$34
75th Percentile$58,000$4,833$28
Average$46,612$3,884$22
25th Percentile$37,000$3,083$18
10th Percentile$30,000$2,500$14

Highest paying dance instructor/choreographer jobs

The highest paying types of dance instructor/choreographers are voice teacher, private music instructor, and piano instructor.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
First Aid Instructor$44,903$3,742$21.5950,978
Martial Arts Instructor$34,287$2,857$16.4824,925
Dance Teacher$47,909$3,992$23.0371,355
Instructor$53,426$4,452$25.6939,273
Guitar Instructor$46,506$3,875$22.3624,514
Field Instructor$52,928$4,411$25.4569,156

Top companies hiring dance instructor/choreographers now:

  1. Morningstar jobs (2)
  2. AlphaVista Services jobs (2)
  3. The Walt Disney Company jobs (3)
  4. Young Champions Of America jobs (4)
  5. Arby's jobs (2)

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$48,000$47,400$46,800$46,200$45,600$45,000
MaleFemale

Dance Instructor/Choreographer salary by industry

The average dance instructor/choreographer salary varies across industries:

  • The average dance instructor/choreographer salary in the education industry is $51,220, the highest of any industry.
  • The average dance instructor/choreographer salary in the finance industry is $46,885.
  • Dance instructor/choreographers in the health care industry earn an average salary of $38,891, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for dance instructor/choreographers

RankIndustryAverage salaryHourly rate
1Education$51,220$24.63
2Hospitality$46,885$22.54
3Real Estate$45,247$21.75
4Media$44,934$21.60
5Retail$40,704$19.57
6Non Profits$39,338$18.91
7Health Care$38,891$18.70

High paying dance instructor/choreographer jobs

Dance instructor/choreographer salary trends

The average dance instructor/choreographer salary has risen by $4,502 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average dance instructor/choreographer earned $42,110 annually, but today, they earn $46,612 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for dance instructor/choreographers over the last decade.

Compare dance instructor/choreographer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average dance instructor/choreographer salary over time

Compare dance instructor/choreographer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Dance instructor/choreographer salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2025$46,600$22.41+1.9%
2024$45,700$21.98+1.2%
2023$45,200$21.71+0.7%
2022$44,800$21.56+2.9%
2021$43,500$20.93+1.7%

Recently added dance instructor/choreographer salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
DivadanceDance Instructor/ChoreographerWestmont, CA06/26/2025$62,610
DivadanceDance Instructor/ChoreographerForest Park, GA06/26/2025$62,610
SCU Credit UnionQuarterly Lecturer: Dance ChoreographerSanta Clara, CA06/25/2025$114,624
Santa Clara UniversityQuarterly Lecturer: Dance ChoreographerSanta Clara, CA06/20/2025$114,624
DivadanceDance Instructor/ChoreographerBoston, MA06/14/2025$62,610
DivadanceDance Instructor/Choreographer-MorningWesterville, OH05/27/2025$62,610
DivadanceDance Instructor/ChoreographerMcKinney, TX05/21/2025$62,610
DivadanceDance Instructor/ChoreographerChandler, AZ05/15/2025$62,610
DivadanceInstructor/ChoreographerSandy Springs, GA04/25/2025$62,610
DivadanceDance Instructor/ChoreographerOak Park, IL04/20/2025$62,610

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