Ever dream of seeing your designs strut down runways or grace the pages of Vogue? The US is a breeding ground for creative minds in the fashion world. From the bustling ateliers of New York to the West Coast's trendsetting vibe, there's a school waiting to ignite your inner Coco Chanel. "Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what happens." Here are the 15 best fashion schools in the US that offer comprehensive courses in fashion design, merchandising, marketing, and more. In this blog, we'll take a look at the best fashion schools in the US that can help you achieve your fashion dreams.
What is a Fashion School?
A fashion school provides specialised degrees for aspiring fashion industry professionals, offering various majors and teaching skills like needlework, design, and patternmaking. Beyond drawing and sewing, it encompasses history, business, illustration, and technology, reflecting cultural influences. While beneficial, formal education isn't mandatory, with emphasis on creativity and visual acumen.
15 Best Fashion Colleges in the US
If you consider the US as your country of choice to study fashion, we have a great selection of programmes for you. Here are some of the 15 best fashion design schools in the US, along with their location, QS ranking and famous alumnus that should be on your target list:
1. The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)
Location: New York
Average Tuition Fees: $10,000 - $15,000
Famous Alumni: Calvin Klein, Michael Kors
QS Rank: 101
Acceptance Rate: 52.8%
Every fashion design student who aspires to study in the United States has their eyes set on the prestigious and well-known Fashion Institute of Technology, also famously known by its acronym FIT. Known as one of the best fashion schools in the US, FIT provides students with all of the knowledge and skills they need to become the next big fashion mogul in the industry. Lastly, even with tight and selective eligibility criteria, a bone for creativity and a running flair for fashion will make you a right fit for ‘FIT’.
Best Courses:
1. Fashion Business Management
2. Jewellery Design
3. Accessory Design
2. Parsons The New School
Location: New York
Average Tuition Fees: $35,000 - $40,000
Famous Alumni: Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs
QS Rank: 641-650
Acceptance Rate: 35%
With cut-throat competition with the FIT, Parsons The New School has climbed its way to become one of the top recommended and best fashion schools in the US. With a strong academic and practical presence, students are encouraged to cultivate their artistic side of design, like concept creation and design thinking, that will help them carve and flourish their paths to careers such as becoming head designer or creative executive of a brand.
Best Courses:
1. Fashion Marketing
2. Fashion Design
3. Fashion Studies
3. Pratt Institute
Location: New York
Average Tuition Fees: $35,000 - $40,000
Famous Alumni: Jeremy Scott, Paul Rand
QS Rank: #10
Acceptance Rate: 50.4%
Do you notice a trend here? It does not come as a shock that most of the best fashion schools in the US are housed in the global fashion capital city of New York. In addition, Pratt Institute has also become an upcoming choice for students who are planning to pursue their fashion degrees. In fact, this institute is also present in one of the best neighbourhoods in New York, making it a perfect choice for you to study.
Best Courses:
1. Fashion Design
2. Fashion Collection + Communication
3. Textiles
4. Savannah College of Art and Design
Location: Savannah, Georgia
Average Tuition Fees: $25,000 - $35,000
Famous Alumni: M. Alice LeGrow, Tracy Yardley
QS Rank: #16
Acceptance Rate: 81.7%
Are you searching for the best fashion colleges in America? We bet Savannah College of Art and Design will be one name on every fashion aspirant's tip of the tongue. For decades, SCAD has been standing tall in the list of the best fashion schools in the US for its strong commitment to helping its students think out of the box to become world-class designers. While studying with like-minded fashion people, you will learn to potentialise your knowledge into creating world-renowned jewellery lines, runway collections, and innovative things that will charge into a fashion revolution.
Best Courses:
1. Fashion Design
2. Accessory Design
3. Fashion Marketing and Management
5. Otis College of Arts and Design
Location: Los Angeles
Average Tuition Fees: $30,000 - $40,000
Famous Alumni: Masami Teraoka, Robert Irwin
QS Rank: #151-200
Acceptance Rate: 83.3%
Unlike other best fashion schools in the US, Otis College of Arts and Design takes a different approach when it comes to teaching fashion to its students. The school believes in a collaborative environment where students can collaborate with their seniors and is committed to bringing change by including sustainable fashion as one of its electives. Apart from these reasons, the college is also lauded for its bright curriculum that includes mastering your skills in degrees like fashion design.
Best Courses:
1. Environmental Design
2. Fashion Design
3. Fine Arts
6. Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising
Location: Los Angeles
Average Tuition Fees: $30,000 - $40,000
Famous Alumni: Amanda Bynes, Lauren Conrad
QS Rank: #51-100
Acceptance Rate: 41.7%
Another feather in the cap of the best fashion schools in America, the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, also known as FIDM, has plagued the entire West Coast with its excellent standards and resources for studying fashion. The institute is set to have high employability and satisfaction rates from its alumni, making it a good tie with Otis College of Arts and Design.
Best Courses:
1. Fashion Design
2. Textile Design
3. Visual Communication
7. Columbus College of Art and Design
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Average Tuition Fees: $20,000 - $30,000
Famous Alumni: Daisy Aldan, Frank Eliscu
QS Rank: #299
Acceptance Rate: 94%
Columbus College of Art and Design is a ‘pure’ design school that can be a good place to plunge yourself into the world of fashion design. Compared to other best fashion schools in the US, Columbus College of Art and Design is a relatively budget-friendly college for students who wish to pursue a career in fashion. To deepen students' fashion senses further, the college has erected labs and studios that assist them in flowing their creative juices, designing, and creating.
Best Courses:
1. Designers
2. Costume Designers
3. Technical Designers
8. Rhode Island School Of Design
Location: Rhode Island
Average Tuition Fees: $50,000 - $60,000
Famous Alumni: James Franco, Seth MacFarlane
QS Rank: #3
Acceptance Rate: 19%
Do you want to launch your career and climb the fashion industry ladder faster? Consider applying to the reputed Rhode Island School of Design. One of the best fashion schools in America, Rhode uses advanced modern-day techniques that are useful in the industry, like superior design sketching, which is important for exploring and communicating ideas. Along with their abundance of knowledge, this best fashion school in the US is also very generous with giving their students top-notch opportunities to excel.
Best Courses:
1. Fine Arts
2. Apparel Design
3. Fashion Design
9. Drexel University
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Average Tuition Fees: $35,000 - $45,000
Famous Alumni: Chuck Barris, Michael Behe
QS Rank: 601-650
Acceptance Rate: 79.6%
Along with Engineering, Business Management, Biomedical Sciences, and Psychology, Drexel University is also making its way to becoming one of the best fashion schools in the US. But why does Drexel have an unbeatable reputation amongst the best fashion design schools in America? Drexel University fashion design alums have shined worldwide in different parts of the continent by grabbing big employment opportunities. The college encourages students to participate in exchange programs with well-reputed universities like the London College of Fashion. And so many more reasons why Drexel University makes it to the top fashion schools in the US list.
Best Courses:
1. Fashion Design
2. Textile Surface Design
3. Adobe Photoshop, InDesign & Illustrator
10. Academy of Art University
Location: San Francisco
Average Tuition Fees: $15,000 - $25,000
Famous Alumni: Scott Borrero
QS Rank: #151-200
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Academy of Art University is a very low-key yet well-coveted university for fashion design students. Established in 1929, it is also one of the oldest and top fashion schools in the US. It has seen a significant rise in popularity because of its excellence and exceptional track record of showing up at the New York Fashion Week. The university has been home to many designers for a decade; now it's your chance to mark your print on the wall of the notable alumni.
Best Courses:
1. Textile Design
2. Fashion Journalism
3. Fashion Design
11. Thomas Jefferson University
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Average Tuition Fees: $40,000 - $50,000
Famous Alumni: John Heysham Gibbon
QS Rank: #351-400
Acceptance Rate: 63.9%
If good exposure, a diverse curriculum, and high employability are your priorities, then Thomas Jefferson University might be the right place for you! Both these programmes are rigorous and comprehensive in nature, which helps in in-depth learning and knowledge about the particular field. It is considered one of the best fashion colleges in the US, as the courses are very good at exposing students to the work side of fashion. It provides study abroad programmes in other fashion capitals like London, Rome, Paris, etc. All these opportunities assist students in beaming to their best potential.
Best Courses:
1. Fashion Design
2. Fashion Merchandising and Management
3. Fashion Designing
12. Kent State University
Location: Ohio
Average Tuition Fees: $15,000 - $25,000
Famous Alumni: Jeff Richmond, Steve Harvey
QS Rank: 1001-1200
Acceptance Rate: 88%
Kent State University is another excellent university for majoring in fashion design. Considered one of the top fashion design schools in the US, it allows its students to exchange programmes with other top-tier colleges like Paris Academy in Paris and the University of Palazzo in Florence. Moreover, the cherry on the cake is that this university has an employability rate of a record more than 90%, which is huge when compared to other best fashion schools in America.
Best Courses:
1. Fashion Design
2. Fashion Industries Study
3. Fashion Merchandising
13. Iowa State University
Location: Ames, Iowa
Average Tuition Fees: $15,000 - $25,000
Famous Alumni: Clayton Anderson
QS Rank: #501
Acceptance Rate: 90.2%
You shouldn't be surprised, but Iowa State University also holds a place in our list of the best fashion schools in the US! Usually, some of the best fashion schools in the US have a very limited scope of options. Still, students studying at the top fashion programs in the US have various subjects which are way more diverse than the other top business schools. This broad scope benefits students as their pathways to more career opportunities increase. When you're studying in another country, like the US, it's crucial to know about USA student visa requirements. This knowledge boosts your chances of successfully navigating the visa process without any legal hiccups.
Best Courses:
1. Apparel
2. Merchandising
3. Design
14. Maryland Institute College of Art
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Average Tuition Fees: $50,000 - $60,000
Famous Alumni: Jeff Koons
QS Rank: #33
Acceptance Rate: 86%
Maryland Institute College of Art, or MICA, has been in the press for all good reasons! Being one of the top ranked fashion schools in the US, MICA usually offers only undergraduate courses for fashion, which are very niched to a BFA in Fiber with a concentration in experimental fashion. If you have a deep interest in fashion and have the knowledge required for fibre, then this top fashion school in the US would be the best for upskilling.
Best Courses:
1. Design
2. Material Construction
3. Experimental Garment
15. Marist College
Location: Poughkeepsie, New York
Average Tuition Fees: $40,000 - $50,000
Famous Alumni: Bill O'Reilly
QS Rank: #10
Acceptance Rate: 62.8%
Marist College is one last noteworthy mention in the list of the best fashion schools in the US. With two options for fashion design and merchandising, this college is an all-rounder for building strong portfolios in the fashion industry. There are many activities for fashion design majors to have a chance to boast their creations through a fashion show. In fact, they are judged by well-known fashion industry figures. With its years of teaching excellence, location, opportunities, and employability, Marist College is one of the best fashion schools in the US.
Best Courses:
1. Fashion Design
2. Fashion Merchandising
In conclusion, studying fashion design at one of the best fashion schools in the US will reap many benefits in terms of personal growth, knowledge and employability. You can also live your American dream by pursuing a recognised course like fashion design in one of the best fashion schools in America. As you prepare for admission to one of the best fashion colleges in the US, exploring resources like amber's insightful blogs on entrance exams such as SAT and GRE can be invaluable for your journey ahead.