Business, Management, Marketing, at FIDM-Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising

A business degree from FIDM leaves graduates earning nearly $15,000 less than the national median one year out, placing them in the bottom 10% nationally. Even among California's limited pool of comparable programs, FIDM ranks in just the 25th percentile—meaning three-quarters of similar in-state business programs produce better earning outcomes. For context, Cal State Dominguez Hills graduates start at $61,114, nearly 70% higher than FIDM's $35,898.

The program does show notable earnings growth over four years, climbing to $50,953, which brings graduates closer to national norms. But this still represents catching up to where peers from other programs started. The $29,167 in debt is slightly above national averages for business degrees, and while the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81 is manageable, it's based on starting salaries that severely lag the market.

The core issue here is value: you're paying near-typical debt for a degree that produces bottom-quartile results, even within California. FIDM's fashion-focused brand doesn't appear to translate into a competitive advantage for general business graduates. Unless your child has specific industry connections through FIDM's fashion network that would offset the earnings gap, this represents a weak ROI compared to other California business programs.