2026 Best Value Fashion Design Schools in Pennsylvania

[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 schools below stand out for delivering a strong fashion design education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for fashion design students.
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2026 Best Value Fashion Design Schools in Pennsylvania
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the fashion design degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Fashion Design Schools
For return on investment in fashion design, no school beat Lehigh Carbon Community College this year. Set in the rural area of Schnecksville, Lehigh Carbon Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,280, while out-of-state students pay about $13,270. Students borrow a median of $14,450 to complete the fashion design program here. Early-career fashion design graduates make about $39,957. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Main Campus earned it the #2 place for fashion design. Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Main Campus is a large public school located in the town of Indiana. In-state tuition and fees average $11,380, compared with $16,297 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for fashion design graduates is $27,000. Early-career fashion design graduates make about $34,981. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Main Campus admits about 91% of applicants.
Albright College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fashion design, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Reading, Albright College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $29,082 in tuition and fees. Fashion Design graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Fashion Design graduates of Albright College earn a median of $29,793 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in fashion design will find it at Harcum College, which ranked #4. Harcum College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Bryn Mawr. In-state tuition and fees average $32,000. Students borrow a median of $26,756 to complete the fashion design program here. Fashion Design graduates of Harcum College earn a median of $40,238 early in their careers. Set against $26,756 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in fashion design will find it at Thomas Jefferson University, which ranked #5. Thomas Jefferson University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. Students from in state pay about $47,355 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the fashion design program here. Soon after graduation, fashion design degree recipients from Thomas Jefferson University generally make around $36,433. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
Drexel University came in at #6 for value in fashion design this year. Located in the city of Philadelphia, Drexel University is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $62,412. Fashion Design graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career fashion design graduates make about $38,154. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 79%.
Moore College Of Art And Design came in at #7 for value in fashion design this year. Set in the city of Philadelphia, Moore College Of Art And Design is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $52,674. Typical student debt for fashion design graduates is $27,000. Fashion Design graduates of Moore College Of Art And Design earn a median of $20,587 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 56%.
More Fashion Design Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.