Fashion schools give out degrees like associate’s (which takes two years) and bachelor’s (which takes four years). Some schools even have a higher level called master’s, which takes two more years after the bachelor’s. However, how much is fashion school? What’s the total cost that comes with it?
Your degree matters
After finishing fashion school, students move into jobs like designing clothes, buying materials, setting up displays to sell things, making things look good, and promoting products. While not many become famous designers, fashion students find work in different areas like making costumes, writing about fashion, planning interiors, making ads, creating graphics, helping stores with fashion, and making jewelry.
The world of fashion is quick and has lots of job choices when you’re done with school. If you really like creating things and art, going to fashion school can give you the learning, practice, and contacts to do well in this tough field. You’ll learn not just about making clothes and designs but also about the business side, like money management and getting people interested.
The fashion school you choose plays a large role
Fashion design programs are available at various types of schools like community colleges, regular colleges, career schools, and even art schools. Some schools focus solely on fashion. Wherever you choose to study, make sure the school has the right approvals from organizations that set industry standards and have good reputations. Check if they are recognized by major groups like the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Aside from the school’s credentials and reputation, think about other factors when choosing a school. Consider where it’s located (it’s a good idea to pick a school in the place where you want to live and work), what kind of facilities it has, how long the degree program lasts, and how much tuition will be. For an extra advantage, select a school with skilled teachers who are currently working in the field.
They’ll give you the most current information about the industry and can also help you connect with important people. Lastly, ask the schools you’re looking at about the percentage of students they place in jobs and what kinds of jobs their graduates have. This will help you see if what you learn in class will be useful in the real world.
The top fashion schools in the US
Fashion design is a really tough area where you need to be creative, skilled, and smart about business. If you want to learn fashion design in the US, there are some really good universities known for their great programs and industry links. Here are a few top universities and their respective yearly tuition fees to think about for studying fashion design in the US:
- Parsons School of Design: $53,000
- Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT): $6,900 – $17,500
- Pratt Institute: $54,000
- Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): $53,000
- Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD):$38,000
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago: $53,000 – $56,000
- California Institute of the Arts: $53,000 – $55,000
How much does a fashion school cost?
The fashion designer course fees in the US can change a lot depending on where you go, what program you choose, where the school is, and other things. But, on average, the money you need for tuition and fees to study fashion design at a public school could be around $10,000 to $30,000 every year if you’re from the same state. Yet, if you’re from a different state, it might be between $20,000 and $50,000 each year.
For private schools, the cost for tuition and fees to get a fashion design degree is usually higher. It could be from $30,000 to $60,000 each year. But what are the total fees for a fashion designing course if you want a master’s degree? It will cost you more, which may end up between $30,000 and $70,000 per year.
- Books: You’ll probably spend about $500 to $1,500 each year on books and stuff you need for your classes.
- Materials: The things you need for fashion design classes can be costly too. You should think about spending roughly $1,000 to $3,000 every year on these things.
- Place to Live: If you live on the school’s campus in a dorm, it might cost you from $6,000 to $20,000 per year. If you live outside the school, it could be $8,000 to $12,000 or even more each year.
- Food: You’ll also need to think about meals and food while you’re in school. This could cost you between $2,000 and $5,000 per year.
Typical salary of a fashion designer
Fashion Designer salaries change based on how much experience they have. A beginner Fashion Designer with less than a year of experience usually earns about $57,027 on average. If you’ve been a Fashion Designer for 1 to 4 years, your average earnings are around $59,586. For those with 5 to 9 years of experience, as a middle-career Fashion Designer, you can expect to make an average of $71,261.
If you’re an experienced Fashion Designer with 10 to 19 years in the field, your average earnings could be about $88,341. In the later stage of your career, with 20 or more years of experience, Fashion Designers typically earn an average of $83,929.