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.
- Schools offering
- 11
- Annual completions
- 35
- Typical degree level
- Associate's + Bachelor's
- Median earnings (5yr)
- $40k
About this major
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.
Where this major leads
Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.
| Occupation | Median wage | Job growth | Typical education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary | $80k | +1.7% | Master's degree |
| Fashion designers | $81k | +2.0% | Bachelor's degree |
Earnings at a glance
Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.
Median 5-year earnings
$40k
Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings
Associate's
$31k
Bachelor's
$40k
Top colleges for Costume Design
Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.
| College | Location | Assoc. | Bach. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIDM-Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising | Los Angeles, CA | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| Webster University | Saint Louis, MO | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| Stephens College | Columbia, MO | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Academy of Art University | San Francisco, CA | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Carthage College | Kenosha, WI | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Bennington College | Bennington, VT | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Seattle Pacific University | Seattle, WA | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Marymount Manhattan College | New York, NY | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Greensboro College | Greensboro, NC | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shenandoah University | Winchester, VA | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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