For anyone who is interested in earning a fashion design degree, finding the right college is a very important factor. While there are many schools where this degree is available, the best schools to earn this degree are those who have a very dedicated program, knowledgeable professors, plenty of experience opportunities, and lots of job connections for students after graduation. The following nine schools have been ranked as the best colleges and universities from which to earn a fashion degree. While not in order, these top nine represent institutions with the highest jobs procured, study options, program offerings, and people in the industry. Some listed schools don’t offer a fashion degree, but do have other fantastic programs to give students a jump-start in a career in fashion. Included is the average approximate annual tuition for a Bachelor’s degree, plus some distinctive aspects about each school.
Parsons, The New School for Design
• $40,660
• Alma mater of Marc Jacobs, Jason Wu, Donna Karan, Anna Sui, and Tom Ford.
Fashion Institute for Technology (FIT)
• $6,068 for residents of New York, $16,370 for out-of-state
• Graduates of programs at FIT have appeared on the show “Project Runway.”
Rhode Island School of Design
• $42,622
• Annual surveys show that 70% of graduates from RISD are employed in a job directly related to their major a year after graduation.
Academy of Art University
• $18,840
• The largest accredited private art and design university.
• This university was the only school to show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York.
Savannah College of Art and Design
• $32,950
• SCAD has restored so many old historic buildings to use for college facilities that they have been recognized by the American Institute of Architects, the Victorian Society of America, the Historic Savannah Foundation, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Pratt Institute
• $38,010
• Pratt was named by Kiplinger’s Personal funpub as one of the best values in private colleges and universities in the country.
• Fashionista ranked Pratt as the #3 design school in the country in 2013
Kent State University
• $9,816 for Ohio residents, $17,776 for non-residents
• Kent State offers a study-abroad program at its facility in the Garment District of New York City for those interested in fashion design and other related fields.
Drexel University
• $43,135
• If accepted to a study abroad program, students can opt to spend a year at the London College of Fashion
Otis College of Art and Design
• $38,300
• Rick Owens and Cynthia Vincent both attended Otis.
The first step to deciding where you would like to attend college is deciding your program of study. While most times, students looking to enter the fashion field choose a degree in fashion design, other related degrees include fashion studies, fashion marketing, fashion merchandising, fashion management, and apparel design. By earning any of these degrees from the proper university, students will be on the right track to begin pursuing their career in fashion
