by our College Data Analytics Team
[Costume Design](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/costume-design/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for costume design students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the costume design degrees they offer, see the list below.
Leading the list is Academy Of Art University, our #1 best value for costume design in the Far Western Region. Academy Of Art University is a moderately-sized private for-profit school located in the city of San Francisco. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $30,736. Typical student debt for costume design graduates is $31,000. Early-career costume design graduates make about $28,717. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in costume design will find it at Fidm Fashion Institute Of Design And Merchandising Los Angeles, which ranked #2. Fidm Fashion Institute Of Design And Merchandising Los Angeles is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $35,000. Typical student debt for costume design graduates is $20,498. Costume Design graduates of Fidm Fashion Institute Of Design And Merchandising Los Angeles earn a median of $28,741 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at California Institute Of The Arts earned it the #3 place for costume design. Set in the suburb of Valencia, California Institute Of The Arts is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $58,996. Costume Design graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Costume Design graduates of California Institute Of The Arts earn a median of $28,915 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 32%.
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The ranking above is published 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.