2026 Best Value Fashion Design Schools in New York
[Fashion Design](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/fashion-design/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 16 schools to find the best return on investment for fashion design students.
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2026 Best Value Fashion Design Schools in New York
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in fashion design, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Fashion Design Schools
For return on investment in fashion design, no school beat Cuny Queens College this year. Cuny Queens College is a very large public school located in the city of Queens. In-state tuition and fees average $7,538, with out-of-state students paying around $15,488. Typical student debt for fashion design graduates is $17,625. Early-career fashion design graduates make about $19,349. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Cuny Queens College admits about 64% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Cuny Kingsborough Community College one of the best values for fashion design. Located in the city of Brooklyn, Cuny Kingsborough Community College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,252, while out-of-state students pay about $8,132. Typical student debt for fashion design graduates is $7,858. Soon after graduation, fashion design degree recipients from Cuny Kingsborough Community College generally make around $19,146. Set against $7,858 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in fashion design will find it at Nassau Community College, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of Garden City, Nassau Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,330, compared with $12,130 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $10,600 to complete the fashion design program here. Early-career fashion design graduates make about $18,107. That is a strong return on a $10,600 median debt.
Mohawk Valley Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fashion design, landing the #4 spot this year. Mohawk Valley Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Utica. Students from in state pay about $6,218 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $8,851. Students borrow a median of $9,534 to complete the fashion design program here. Fashion Design graduates of Mohawk Valley Community College earn a median of $38,373 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $9,534 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in fashion design will find it at Suny Westchester Community College, which ranked #5. Located in the suburb of Valhalla, Suny Westchester Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,948, while out-of-state students pay about $12,486. Fashion Design graduates carry a median of $8,764 in student loans. Fashion Design graduates of Suny Westchester Community College earn a median of $57,520 early in their careers. Set against $8,764 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Suny College At Oneonta landed the #6 spot for fashion design value this year. Set in the town of Oneonta, Suny College At Oneonta is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,831, with out-of-state students paying around $19,781. Students borrow a median of $22,046 to complete the fashion design program here. Soon after graduation, fashion design degree recipients from Suny College At Oneonta generally make around $36,629. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
Villa Maria College placed #7 among the best values for fashion design. Located in the city of Buffalo, Villa Maria College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $28,670. Students borrow a median of $15,395 to complete the fashion design program here. Fashion Design graduates of Villa Maria College earn a median of $31,909 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,395 median debt. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Fashion Institute Of Technology landed the #8 spot for fashion design value this year. Set in the city of New York, Fashion Institute Of Technology is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,174 in tuition and fees, compared with $22,696 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fashion design graduates is $18,500. Early-career fashion design graduates make about $20,692. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Fashion Institute Of Technology admits about 60% of applicants.
Marist College ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value fashion design schools. Set in the suburb of Poughkeepsie, Marist College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $47,620 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for fashion design graduates is $26,929. Soon after graduation, fashion design degree recipients from Marist College generally make around $28,336. That is a strong return on a $26,929 median debt. Marist College admits about 56% of applicants.
Syracuse University ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value fashion design schools. Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Syracuse. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $65,528. Fashion Design graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career fashion design graduates make about $46,181. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Syracuse University admits about 46% of applicants.
Pratt Institute Main landed the #11 spot for fashion design value this year. Pratt Institute Main is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Brooklyn. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,845. Students borrow a median of $19,000 to complete the fashion design program here. Soon after graduation, fashion design degree recipients from Pratt Institute Main generally make around $40,880. Set against $19,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 73% of applicants are accepted.
The New School ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best value fashion design schools. Located in the city of New York, The New School is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $58,730 in tuition and fees. Fashion Design graduates carry a median of $23,606 in student loans. Early-career fashion design graduates make about $36,279. That is a strong return on a $23,606 median debt. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
More Fashion Design Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
