Also in California: All fashion schools in California · Fashion marketing schools in California
California fashion design schools at a glance (2026)
- 36 colleges report a fashion design program: 33 public and 3 private.
- Lowest yearly cost after grants: West Valley College in Saratoga, $1,033.
- Community college fees: $46 per unit for California residents.
- California State University tuition: $6,838 a year for residents in 2026-27, plus campus fees.
- Closing: California College of the Arts closes in June 2027.
Thirty-six California colleges report a fashion design program to the U.S. Department of Education. Most are community colleges, where residents pay $46 per unit. Six California State University campuses report design programs, and three private colleges offer bachelor’s degrees. This page compares them on cost and explains what each design program involves. For merchandising and the full state list, see our guide to fashion schools in California.
Fashion Design programs in California
| School | City | Type | Tuition (in-state) | Average net price | Program focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Valley Collegefederal data | Saratoga | Public | Not reported | $1,033 | Design |
| College of the Sequoiasfederal data | Visalia | Public | $1,394 | $1,096 | Design and merchandising |
| Long Beach City Collegefederal data | Long Beach | Public | $1,560 | $1,192 | Design and merchandising |
| Fullerton Collegefederal data | Fullerton | Public | $1,150 | $1,302 | Design and merchandising |
| Mt. San Antonio Collegefederal data | Walnut | Public | $1,364 | $1,676 | Design and merchandising |
| Santa Monica Collegefederal data | Santa Monica | Public | $1,158 | $1,693 | Design and merchandising |
| Palomar Collegefederal data | San Marcos | Public | $1,356 | $1,839 | Design and merchandising |
| Orange Coast Collegefederal data | Costa Mesa | Public | $1,222 | $1,850 | Design and merchandising |
| San Joaquin Delta Collegefederal data | Stockton | Public | $1,180 | $2,451 | Design and merchandising |
| Los Angeles Trade Technical Collegefederal data | Los Angeles | Public | $1,238 | $3,531 | Design and merchandising |
| Allan Hancock Collegefederal data | Santa Maria | Public | $1,158 | $3,975 | Design |
| California State University-Fresnofederal data | Fresno | Public | $8,224 | $5,418 | Design |
| Sacramento City Collegefederal data | Sacramento | Public | $1,288 | $5,713 | Design |
| American River Collegefederal data | Sacramento | Public | $1,288 | $5,730 | Design and merchandising |
| City College of San Franciscofederal data | San Francisco | Public | $1,696 | $5,852 | Design and merchandising |
| California State University-Northridgefederal data | Northridge | Public | $7,850 | $6,346 | Design |
| Santa Rosa Junior Collegefederal data | Santa Rosa | Public | $1,318 | $6,765 | Design and merchandising |
| Santa Ana Collegefederal data | Santa Ana | Public | $1,188 | $7,224 | Design and merchandising |
| California State Polytechnic University-Pomonafederal data | Pomona | Public | $8,147 | $9,404 | Design and merchandising |
| California State University-Long Beachfederal data | Long Beach | Public | $8,338 | $9,426 | Design and merchandising |
| San Francisco State Universityfederal data | San Francisco | Public | $8,324 | $9,803 | Design |
| California State University-Sacramentofederal data | Sacramento | Public | $9,014 | $11,186 | Design |
| Mendocino Collegefederal data | Ukiah | Public | $1,414 | $11,640 | Design |
| El Camino Collegefederal data | Torrance | Public | $1,156 | $13,761 | Design and merchandising |
| Pasadena City Collegefederal data | Pasadena | Public | $1,180 | $16,993 | Design |
| San Diego Mesa Collegefederal data | San Diego | Public | $1,154 | $21,767 | Design and merchandising |
| Saddleback Collegefederal data | Mission Viejo | Public | $1,156 | $23,913 | Design and merchandising |
| Chaffey Collegefederal data | Rancho Cucamonga | Public | $1,184 | $24,504 | Design and merchandising |
| Sierra Collegefederal data | Rocklin | Public | $1,448 | $27,774 | Design and merchandising |
| Monterey Peninsula Collegefederal data | Monterey | Public | $1,188 | $35,126 | Design |
| Academy of Art Universityfederal data | San Francisco | Private | $32,224 | $41,747 | Design and merchandising |
| Woodbury Universityfederal data | Burbank | Private | $48,629 | $44,337 | Design and merchandising |
| Otis College of Art and Designfederal data | Los Angeles | Private | $58,143 | $50,943 | Design |
| Antelope Valley Collegefederal data | Lancaster | Public | $1,124 | Not reported | Design |
| Cañada Collegefederal data | Redwood City | Public | $1,332 | Not reported | Design and merchandising |
| College of Alamedafederal data | Alameda | Public | $1,258 | Not reported | Design |
Source: tuition and average net price (yearly cost after grants, for students receiving federal aid) from College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, retrieved November 1, 2026. Program lists: IPEDS completions, 2022-23 and 2023-24. Each “federal data” link opens that school’s record.
What it costs
36 colleges in California report a program covering fashion design. Net price, what students actually pay after grants, ranges from $1,033 at West Valley College to $50,943 at Otis College of Art and Design, with a median of $6,765 a year. Net price includes living costs, so students who live at home usually pay less. The national fashion design directory lets you compare these programs with options in other states.
Bachelor’s degrees in fashion design
Otis College of Art and Design (Los Angeles)
Otis is a private art college that awards a BFA. Applicants send a portfolio in one of two ways: an open portfolio of 10 to 20 images of recent work, or a structured portfolio of ten images on three set prompts (Otis portfolio requirements). Tuition for 2026-27 is $55,744 a year, plus $1,128 in fees (Otis costs). Its average cost after grants, $50,943, is the highest on this list.
Academy of Art University (San Francisco)
The Academy offers a BFA in Fashion Design and an MFA. Admission does not require a portfolio, test scores or grades. The portfolio comes later: the 120-unit BFA includes a sophomore portfolio course and a senior portfolio course. Its average cost after grants is $41,747 a year.
Cal Poly Pomona
Cal Poly Pomona’s design track is the B.S. in Fashion Design, Technology, and Management, Design and Production option. It covers product development, technical design and production management. The department’s apparel program was accredited by TAPAC, the textile and apparel accreditor, for seven years from April 2025. Its average cost after grants is $9,404.
California State University, Long Beach
CSULB awards a BA in Fashion Merchandising and Design with a Fashion Design option (120 units). Students need a C or better in each required course. CSULB admits 46% of all applicants, the most selective rate among the CSU campuses on this list. In 2026-27, residents pay $6,838 in tuition and $1,910 in mandatory fees (CSULB costs).
California State University, Northridge
CSUN’s Fashion Design and Production option is part of its B.S. in Fashion Design and Merchandising. It focuses on apparel manufacturing, processing and quality control. Its average cost after grants is $6,346. Among the bachelor’s programs here, only Fresno State is lower, at $5,418.
California College of the Arts (San Francisco): closing
CCA offers a 120-unit BFA in Fashion Design, and every spring its seniors show their thesis collections to a professional jury. However, CCA will close in June 2027. Students enrolled in spring 2027 can finish through a teach-out agreement with CalArts. New students should plan on another school.
Fresno State, Sacramento State, San Francisco State and Woodbury University also report fashion design programs. Compare their costs in the table above.
Community colleges: the low-cost start
Most of the schools on this list are community colleges. California residents pay $46 per unit, a rate the state has not raised since 2012 (Legislative Analyst’s Office). Admission is open, so no portfolio is needed to start.
For example, Santa Monica College offers an associate degree and a certificate in fashion design, with 42 units in the major. LA Trade-Tech, Fullerton, Orange Coast, Pasadena, Long Beach City College and Mt. San Antonio also report fashion design programs.
Transferring to a CSU
Many students take fashion and general education courses at a community college, then transfer to a CSU for the bachelor’s degree. Check which courses count on ASSIST, the state’s official transfer website. CSUN, for example, publishes a transfer road map for its fashion design option and requires at least 30 units at CSUN. Ask a counselor early, because course credit for fashion classes differs by campus.
Choosing between public and private
The gap is large. The 30 public colleges with a federal cost figure average $9,333 a year after grants. The 3 private colleges average $45,676. The lowest-cost private option, Academy of Art University in San Francisco, still averages $41,747. A community college followed by a CSU is usually the cheapest route to a bachelor’s in fashion design.
Fashion design jobs in California
California employs 6,470 fashion designers, more than any other state, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). BLS does not publish a California median wage for this job. The national median for fashion designers is $80,960. California also has 48,010 buyers and purchasing agents across all industries, with a median of $82,720 (BLS).
Closed and changed schools
- FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising) closed its programs on March 31, 2025. Its fashion education continues as ASU FIDM, part of Arizona State University, with four-year fashion degrees in Los Angeles and Phoenix.
- California College of the Arts closes in June 2027 (see above).
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest fashion design program in California?
West Valley College in Saratoga has the lowest average cost after grants on this list, $1,033 a year. All California community colleges charge residents $46 per unit.
How many California colleges offer fashion design?
36 colleges on our list report a fashion design program: 33 public and 3 private. California College of the Arts is not counted because it is closing in June 2027.
Do I need a portfolio for fashion design in California?
Otis requires one when you apply. Academy of Art does not, but its BFA includes sophomore and senior portfolio courses. Community colleges admit without a portfolio. Check each CSU program’s own requirements.
What happened to FIDM?
FIDM closed on March 31, 2025. Its programs continue as ASU FIDM in Los Angeles and Phoenix.
Schools identified via U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS data (CIP 50.0407 and 19.09). Costs are the federal figures used on our California page. Program details, portfolio rules and 2026-27 tuition were checked on each school’s site on October 31, 2026. Federal costs were updated on November 1, 2026. Net price is the average paid after grants by federal aid recipients. See our methodology.