2027 Best Value Costume Design Master’s Degree Schools
[Costume Design](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/drama-and-theater-arts/costume-design/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for costume design students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Costume Design Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the costume design degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Costume Design Schools
Stephens College tops our 2027 list of the best value costume design schools in the United States. Stephens College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Columbia. In-state tuition and fees average $28,300. Typical student debt for costume design graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, costume design degree recipients from Stephens College generally make around $16,476. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Stephens College admits about 77% of applicants.
Carnegie Mellon University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value costume design schools. Carnegie Mellon University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pittsburgh. Students from in state pay about $65,636 in tuition and fees. Costume Design graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career costume design graduates make about $21,814. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Carnegie Mellon University admits about 12% of applicants.
Academy Of Art University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in costume design, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of San Francisco, Academy Of Art University is a moderately-sized private for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $30,736. Typical student debt for costume design graduates is $31,000. Early-career costume design graduates make about $36,635. 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 #4 place for costume design. Located in the suburb of Valencia, California Institute Of The Arts is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $58,996. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the costume design program here. Costume Design graduates of California Institute Of The Arts earn a median of $22,475 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 32% of applicants are accepted.
Other Costume Design Degree Levels
Explore the best-value costume design schools at other degree levels:
View All Costume Design Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, 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 4 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.
