2026 Best Fashion Design Schools in California
Fashion Design programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 30 schools to find the best for fashion design students.
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Best Schools for Fashion Design in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall fashion design education in California.
Top Schools in Fashion Design
Santa Rosa Junior College tops our 2026 ranking of the best fashion design schools. Santa Rosa Junior College is a very large public school located in the city of Santa Rosa. Santa Rosa Junior College awarded about 10 fashion design degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the fashion design program make about $80,047 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $14,692 to complete this degree.
Read more about the fashion design program at Santa Rosa Junior College
Orange Coast College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in fashion design, landing the #2 spot this year. This very large public university is located in the city of Costa Mesa. Orange Coast College awarded about 14 fashion design degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the fashion design program make about $46,306 in their early career. Orange Coast College graduates carry a median of $8,978 in student loans.
Read more about the fashion design program at Orange Coast College
Students looking for a strong fashion design program will find one at Otis College Of Art And Design, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Los Angeles, Otis College Of Art And Design is a small private not-for-profit institution. Otis College Of Art And Design graduates 66% of students within six years. Otis College Of Art And Design awarded about 37 fashion design degrees in the most recent data year. Fashion Design graduates of Otis College Of Art And Design earn a median of $31,172 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000.
See the full fashion design program report for Otis College Of Art And Design
A rank of #4 makes California College Of The Arts one of the top schools for fashion design. Set in the city of San Francisco, California College Of The Arts is a small private not-for-profit institution. About 61% of students finish within six years. California College Of The Arts awarded about 19 fashion design degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, fashion design degree recipients from California College Of The Arts generally make around $28,673. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree.
See the full fashion design program report for California College Of The Arts
Students looking for a strong fashion design program will find one at Mt San Antonio College, which ranked #5. Located in the suburb of Walnut, Mt San Antonio College is a very large public university. About 47 fashion design degrees were awarded at Mt San Antonio College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, fashion design degree recipients from Mt San Antonio College generally make around $44,391. Mt San Antonio College graduates carry a median of $9,384 in student loans.
Get the full fashion design details for Mt San Antonio College
Santa Monica College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best fashion design schools. Santa Monica College is a very large public school located in the city of Santa Monica. Santa Monica College graduates 81% of students within six years. Santa Monica College awarded about 33 fashion design degrees in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in fashion design from Santa Monica College
Palomar College earned the #7 position for fashion design this year. This very large public university is located in the suburb of San Marcos. Palomar College awarded about 21 fashion design degrees in the most recent data year.
See the full fashion design program report for Palomar College
Long Beach City College landed the #8 spot for fashion design this year. Long Beach City College is a very large public school located in the city of Long Beach. Long Beach City College awarded about 10 fashion design degrees in the most recent data year. Typical student debt for the program is $6,000.
Get the full fashion design details for Long Beach City College
College Of The Sequoias earned the #9 position for fashion design this year. College Of The Sequoias is a large public school located in the city of Visalia. There were roughly 11 fashion design students who graduated with this degree at College Of The Sequoias in the most recent data year. Graduates of the fashion design program make about $37,749 in their early career. College Of The Sequoias graduates carry a median of $10,288 in student loans.
Read more about the fashion design program at College Of The Sequoias
Academy Of Art University earned the #10 position for fashion design this year. Academy Of Art University is a moderately-sized private for-profit school located in the city of San Francisco. Academy Of Art University graduates 34% of students within six years. Academy Of Art University awarded about 32 fashion design degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the fashion design program make about $28,555 in their early career. Academy Of Art University graduates carry a median of $33,312 in student loans.
See the full fashion design program report for Academy Of Art University
Los Angeles Trade Technical College came in at #11 for fashion design this year. Los Angeles Trade Technical College is a very large public school located in the city of Los Angeles. There were roughly 50 fashion design students who graduated with this degree at Los Angeles Trade Technical College in the most recent data year. Fashion Design graduates of Los Angeles Trade Technical College earn a median of $53,553 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $14,833 to complete this degree.
See the full fashion design program report for Los Angeles Trade Technical College
Fidm Fashion Institute Of Design And Merchandising Los Angeles placed #12 among the best fashion design schools. Fidm Fashion Institute Of Design And Merchandising Los Angeles is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. About 171 fashion design degrees were awarded at Fidm Fashion Institute Of Design And Merchandising Los Angeles in the most recent year. Students who receive their fashion design degree from Fidm Fashion Institute Of Design And Merchandising Los Angeles earn around $25,436 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $21,833 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in fashion design from Fidm Fashion Institute Of Design And Merchandising Los Angeles
More Fashion Design Rankings
View All Fashion Design Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 30 schools evaluated.
- 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.
