How many college dance programs are in California?

We track 28 college and university dance programs in California — 7 offer BFA degrees, 6 offer MFA, across 23 cities.

Which California dance programs are NASD-accredited?

6 California programs in our directory are NASD-accredited, including California Institute of the Arts, Chapman University, California State University Long Beach. NASD accreditation is the national standard for dance-degree programs.

Does California have any dance conservatories?

Yes — California Institute of the Arts. Conservatories offer intensive pre-professional training with a smaller ratio of academic coursework than a research university.

What's the difference between a BFA and a BA in dance?

A BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) is a professional degree with ~75% studio + 25% academic coursework — best for students headed into performance, choreography, or industry careers. A BA (Bachelor of Arts) is closer to 50/50, giving flexibility for double majors, teaching credentials, or dance-adjacent careers.

Can community college dance students transfer to a California BFA program?

Yes — most 4-year BFA and BA dance programs in California accept community college transfers with an AA in dance or a general-education AA plus dance coursework. Individual credit acceptance varies; contact the receiving institution's admissions office. See our AA (transfer path) page for community colleges with dance programs.

Colleges · United States

Dance Programs in California

28 college dance programs in California across 7 institution types. BFA, BA, MFA, minor, and AA transfer pathways. Free to browse. Updated weekly.

28
Programs
7
BFA
23
Cities

California

All California programs by institution type

Degree

Type

Accredited

Showing 28 programs

Research University

Community College

Liberal Arts

Religious-Affiliated

More dance in California

Continue your search for dance training in California across DanceFinder:

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Other US states with dance programs

New York dance programs34 Pennsylvania dance programs15 Texas dance programs14 North Carolina dance programs13 Ohio dance programs13 Florida dance programs11 Virginia dance programs8 Michigan dance programs8

Frequently asked questions

How many college dance programs are in California?: We track 28 college and university dance programs in California — 7 offer BFA degrees, 6 offer MFA, across 23 cities.
Which California dance programs are NASD-accredited?: 6 California programs in our directory are NASD-accredited, including California Institute of the Arts, Chapman University, California State University Long Beach. NASD accreditation is the national standard for dance-degree programs.
Does California have any dance conservatories?: Yes — California Institute of the Arts. Conservatories offer intensive pre-professional training with a smaller ratio of academic coursework than a research university.
What's the difference between a BFA and a BA in dance?: A BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) is a professional degree with ~75% studio + 25% academic coursework — best for students headed into performance, choreography, or industry careers. A BA (Bachelor of Arts) is closer to 50/50, giving flexibility for double majors, teaching credentials, or dance-adjacent careers.
Can community college dance students transfer to a California BFA program?: Yes — most 4-year BFA and BA dance programs in California accept community college transfers with an AA in dance or a general-education AA plus dance coursework. Individual credit acceptance varies; contact the receiving institution's admissions office. See our AA (transfer path) page for community colleges with dance programs.

Verify before you decide. DanceFinder works to keep this current, but program details change — always confirm dates, costs, and requirements on the school's official website.