---

2026 Best Value General Apparel & Textiles Associate’s Degree Schools

[General Apparel & Textiles](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/apparel-textile-studies/apparel-and-textiles-general/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 83 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general apparel & textiles students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Associate’s Degree General Apparel & Textiles Schools
• Other Degree Levels

2026 Best Value General Apparel & Textiles Schools in the United States

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general apparel & textiles degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value General Apparel & Textiles Schools

1

Fashion Institute Of Technology
New York, NY

$8,174 In-State Tuition & Fees

$12,000 Avg Student Debt

$62,696 Median Earnings (10yr)

Fashion Institute Of Technology earned the #1 spot for value among general apparel & textiles schools in the United States. Located in the city of New York, Fashion Institute Of Technology is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,174, compared with $22,696 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the general apparel & textiles program here. General Apparel & Textiles graduates of Fashion Institute Of Technology earn a median of $40,463 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.

2

Academy Of Art University
San Francisco, CA

$30,736 In-State Tuition & Fees

$21,500 Avg Student Debt

$39,008 Median Earnings (10yr)

Academy Of Art University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value general apparel & textiles schools. Set in the city of San Francisco, Academy Of Art University is a moderately-sized private for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $30,736. Typical student debt for general apparel & textiles graduates is $21,500. Soon after graduation, general apparel & textiles degree recipients from Academy Of Art University generally make around $27,630. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.

Other General Apparel & Textiles Degree Levels

Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value General Apparel & Textiles rankings across degree levels:

View All General Apparel & Textiles Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced 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 · 83 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.