Choreographers

SOC Code: 27-2032
Also known as:
Ballet Director, Choreographer, Choreography Director, Dance Choreographer, Dance Director
Median Annual Salary
$55,600
+6.1% growth (2024-2034)
700
Openings/Year
5K
Current Jobs

What Choreographers Do

Create new dance routines. Rehearse performance of routines. May direct and stage presentations.

💰 Salary

$55,600
Median annual wage (2024)

📈 Job Growth

+6.1%
Faster than average

🎓 Education

High school diploma or equivalent
Typical entry-level requirement

🚀 Annual Openings

700
Projected average per year

👔 Work Experience

5 years or more
Required before entry

📚 On-the-Job Training

Long-term on-the-job training
Expected training period

Employment Projections (2024-2034)

Current Employment (2024)

4,600

Projected Employment (2034)

4,900

Related Careers

Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary

$80,190 • +1.7% growth
View →

Actors

N/A • +0.3% growth
View →

Dancers

N/A • +4.5% growth
View →

Music directors and composers

$63,670 • -0.3% growth
View →

Musicians and singers

N/A • +1.1% growth
View →

Top Skills Required

Instructing
Active Listening
Speaking
Coordination
Monitoring

Daily Tasks & Responsibilities

  • Direct rehearsals to instruct dancers in dance steps and in techniques to achieve desired effects.
  • Advise dancers on standing and moving properly, teaching correct dance techniques to help prevent injuries.
  • Teach students, dancers, and other performers about rhythm and interpretive movement.
  • Record dance movements and their technical aspects, using a technical understanding of the patterns and formations of choreography.
  • Direct and stage dance presentations for various forms of entertainment.
  • Choose the music, sound effects, or spoken narrative to accompany a dance.
  • Experiment with different types of dancers, steps, dances, and placements, testing ideas informally to get feedback from dancers.
  • Seek influences from other art forms, such as theatre, the visual arts, and architecture.
  • Develop ideas for creating dances, keeping notes and sketches to record influences.
  • Coordinate production music with music directors.

Technology & Tools

Facebook Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Word Salesforce software

📚 Entry-Level Education

High school diploma or equivalent
Most common requirement

🎯 Recommended Education

High School Diploma
O*NET recommended level

Degree Programs for Choreographers

These degree programs can prepare you for a career as a choreographers:

Dance, General

3,076 degrees awarded • 303 colleges offer this program
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Musical Theatre

1,157 degrees awarded • 120 colleges offer this program
View Colleges →

Dance, Other

153 degrees awarded • 25 colleges offer this program
View Colleges →

Theatre and Dance

122 degrees awarded • 11 colleges offer this program
View Colleges →

Ballet

45 degrees awarded • 4 colleges offer this program
View Colleges →

Best Colleges for Becoming a Choreographers

Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees in related programs. These are the top-rated colleges that prepare students to become choreographers.

# College Location Related Degrees Repit Grade
1 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 29 A+
2 University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 18 A+
3 New York University New York, NY 73 A
4 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 57 A
5 University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA 51 A
6 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 34 A
7 University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 32 A
8 University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 24 A
9 University of Georgia Athens, GA 16 A
10 Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH 47 B+
11 California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA 36 B+
12 Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ 34 B+
13 University of North Carolina School of the Arts Winston Salem, NC 27 B+
14 Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX 27 B+
15 Florida State University Tallahassee, FL 26 B+
16 University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI 21 B+
17 University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MD 21 B+
18 The Juilliard School New York, NY 20 B+
19 University of South Florida Tampa, FL 17 B+
20 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL 15 B+

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much do choreographers make?
The median annual salary for choreographers is $55,600.
What education do choreographers need?
Most choreographers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent. Common degree programs include Dance, General, Musical Theatre, Dance, Other.
Is becoming choreographers a good career choice?
Choreographers is projected to see +6.1% job growth from 2024 to 2034, which is faster than average for all occupations. With approximately 700 job openings expected annually, there are good opportunities for those entering the field.
What are the best colleges for choreographers?
Top colleges for aspiring choreographers include University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, University of California-Los Angeles, New York University, The University of Texas at Austin, University of California-Irvine. These schools are ranked based on their Repit grade and the number of graduates in related programs.
What other job titles are similar to choreographers?
Choreographers may also be known as: Ballet Director, Choreographer, Choreography Director, Dance Choreographer, Dance Director, Dance Instructor, Dance Maker, Dance Master, Dancing Master, Musical Choreographer, Opera Choreographer, Teaching Choreographer. These titles often refer to similar roles with varying responsibilities or specializations.