by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 11 U.S. colleges awarded 32 degrees and certificates in Costume Design. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 38% of graduates. Graduates earn a median $21,269 one year after completing, rising to $40,353 after four years.
A degree in Costume Design involves the study of Costume Design. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Design And Select Costumes For Characters In Theatre And The Performing Arts And To Serve As Part Of A Production Team. Includes Instruction In Costume Design, Script Analysis, Theory And Criticism, Period Styles, History Of Costume, Stage Makeup, Rendering, And Costume Construction.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, costume design is a popular field of study, with 32 degrees awarded annually. 11 colleges award costume design degrees, an average of 3 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 7.
By level, the 32 awards include 1 certificates, 10 bachelor’s degrees and 12 master’s degrees.
Women earned 88% of costume design degrees and certificates in the latest year (28 of 32). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (19) and multiracial (3), and international students earned 4.
The most common costume design credential is the master’s degree: 12 of the 32 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to costume design call most for Speaking, Instructing and Active Listening, and for knowledge of Fine Arts, Education and Training and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Written Expression.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a costume design degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 1 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 10 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 12 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to costume design, at 39.9%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 39.9% |
| Doctoral degree | 24.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 21.7% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 10.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.8% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.6% |
| Some college courses | 0.2% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
2 occupations are related to Costume Design, with an average median salary of $50,020; the strongest outlook belongs to Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary, at 9.1% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Piano Teacher, Arts Teacher, Ceramics Teacher and Adjunct Professor.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to costume design, at 1,074,154.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,074,154 | 9.1% |
| Fashion Designers | 259,478 | -2.9% |
Costume Design graduates earn a median $21,269 one year after completing their program, $40,353 after four years and $33,075 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $21,269 |
| 4 years | $40,353 |
| 5 years | $33,075 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to costume design is Fashion Designers, with a median salary of $53,057.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Fashion Designers | $53,057 |
| Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,983 |
Costume Design has 10 similar majors in the Visual & Performing Arts field, which together award 16,296 degrees a year; the largest are Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General (10,369), Acting (1,721) and Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology (1,247). Browse all Visual & Performing Arts majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General | 10,369 |
| Acting | 1,721 |
| Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology | 1,247 |
| Musical Theatre | 1,217 |
| Playwriting and Screenwriting | 937 |
| Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other | 418 |
| Directing and Theatrical Production | 214 |
| Theatre and Dance | 99 |
| Theatre Literature, History and Criticism | 39 |
| Comedy Writing and Performance | 35 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.