How Much Does Dance School Cost?
If you want to become a professional dancer, going to dance school is one of the best preparations that you can take. Aside from being able to hone your skills from expert faculty, dance school instills discipline and will even introduce you to people who could form part of your network when you start looking for a job.
As in any college degree, one major concern that you might have is the cost that going to dance school will entail. The expenses associated with tuition, fees, housing, food, books, supplies, dancing shoes and other equipment for dance school are not cheap. You also have to consider the fact that a career as a dancer is not going to be easy. While there will be opportunities, there will also be intense competition for the available jobs so finding a job after graduation may not be very easy.
You can still greatly reduce the cost of going to dance school by choosing a public college or university in the state where you are a resident in. By qualifying for in-state discounts, you greatly lower the cost of your tuition and other fees. You can also apply for financial aid to bring down your college costs. This can be in the form of scholarship, grants or student loans. Ask the financial aid officer of your school if you qualify for these financial aid opportunities.
On the average, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in a dance school costs about $40,000 a year for out-of-state students. The fees can range widely, from about $14,000 to over $60,000 a year. This covers tuition and fees, room and board and books and supplies. At Texas State University, the cost for in-state students is $16,660 while for out-of-state students, it is $25,864. California State University Long Beach, meanwhile, costs $19,380 for in-state students and $30,540 for out-of-state students each year. At the University of Colorado Boulder, the in-state annual cost is $24,405 while out-of-state students pay $46,173.
Private dance schools typically charge the same fee for all students regardless of their state of residency. One of the more affordable programs is from Brigham Young University in Idaho which has a yearly cost of $8,668. The Julliard School has a yearly cost of $51,250 while New York University is more expensive at $62,540 a year. In Pennsylvania, Point Park University has a yearly cost of $37,590.
If you want to go to ballet school, the annual cost for a bachelor’s degree can range from $16,000 to a little more than $48,000. At the University of Utah, in-state students pay $16,754 while out-of-state students spend $33,033 a year. The cost is more expensive in private schools. At Texas Christian University, students pay $48,620 annually.
Going to dance school is no doubt expensive. You can also fund your college expenses if you find part-time work. If there is a dance school near where you live, you can also make arrangements with your parents for you to stay at home while you’re obtaining your degree. Doing so can greatly save you the cost of housing and food.
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