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Best Apparel & Textiles Schools
The top 25 of 52 U.S. colleges offering an undergraduate Apparel & Textiles degree, ranked by early-career earnings and return on investment — using each school's real, aid-adjusted net price rather than sticker tuition.
Is Apparel & Textiles worth it?
It can be, provided you don't overpay for the degree. The apparel industry is notorious for a "glamour tax," where entry-level jobs in glitzy fashion capitals pay modest salaries because the supply of eager graduates is so high. If you take on massive debt for a private art or design school, the math rarely works out. The real financial value in this field lies at large, low-cost public universities that treat apparel and textiles as a business and supply chain discipline, feeding graduates directly into corporate retail headquarters and regional athletic wear brands.
| # | School | State | Median earnings | Net price / yr | 10-yr net ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana University-Bloomington | IN | $50,264 | $16,264† | +$438K |
| 2 | University of Delaware | DE | $47,760 | $17,799† | +$406K |
| 3 | Ohio University-Eastern Campus | OH | $39,969 | $3,925† | +$384K |
| 4 | Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus | OH | $39,969 | $5,755† | +$377K |
| 5 | Ohio University-Southern Campus | OH | $39,969 | $5,993† | +$376K |
| 6 | Ohio University-Lancaster Campus | OH | $39,969 | $5,650† | +$377K |
| 7 | Ohio University-Zanesville Campus | OH | $39,969 | $5,746† | +$377K |
| 8 | Florida State University | FL | $41,130 | $11,297† | +$366K |
| 9 | University of Northern Iowa | IA | $44,647 | $15,901† | +$383K |
| 10 | University of Arkansas | AR | $40,948 | $18,209† | +$337K |
| 11 | University of Missouri-Columbia | MO | $40,176 | $20,268† | +$321K |
| 12 | Utah State University | UT | $51,221 | $14,936† | +$452K |
| 13 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | OH | $41,827 | $17,339† | +$349K |
| 14 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | NC | $40,059 | $10,965† | +$357K |
| 15 | Washington State University | WA | $40,081 | $14,971† | +$341K |
| 16 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | CA | $38,262 | $11,531† | +$336K |
| 17 | Fashion Institute of Technology | NY | $40,463 | $19,095† | +$328K |
| 18 | North Dakota State University-Main Campus | ND | $40,558 | $15,543† | +$343K |
| 19 | Central Washington University | WA | $51,494 | $18,476† | +$441K |
| 20 | San Francisco State University | CA | $30,082 | $12,278† | +$252K |
| 21 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | $37,245 | $19,857† | +$293K |
| 22 | Iowa State University | IA | $40,849 | $18,589† | +$334K |
| 23 | Ohio University-Main Campus | OH | $39,969 | $21,637† | +$313K |
| 24 | Auburn University | AL | $37,329 | $24,323† | +$276K |
| 25 | Missouri State University-Springfield | MO | $35,703 | $17,613† | +$287K |
Top 10 programs by 10-year net ROI
Why these schools rank where they do
Indiana University-Bloomington takes the #1 spot because it treats apparel as a corporate juggernaut. Housed in the Eskenazi School, IU’s Apparel Merchandising program operates as a massive talent pipeline for Midwest retail powerhouses. Brands like Target, Kohl's, and Abercrombie & Fitch recruit heavily from Bloomington, meaning graduates step straight into structured, well-paying corporate buying and planning roles rather than fighting for underpaid design internships.
Geography and corporate headquarters dictate the rest of the board. The University of Arkansas lands in the top ten thanks to the gravity of Bentonville; graduates are quickly absorbed into the massive Walmart vendor and sourcing ecosystem. Similarly, Utah State and Central Washington punch above their weight by feeding the booming, high-margin outdoor apparel industries in the Rockies and the Pacific Northwest.
The most revealing takeaway, however, is the Fashion Institute of Technology sitting at #17, while a slew of Ohio University regional campuses dominate the top ten. FIT is arguably the most famous fashion school in the country, but living in Manhattan is expensive, and entry-level fashion jobs in New York notoriously underpay due to sheer competition. Meanwhile, students at Ohio University's regional branches pay a fraction of the tuition and sit right next to Columbus—the quiet powerhouse of American retail and home to corporate giants like Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works, and Express. In this major, proximity to corporate retail headquarters beats runway prestige every time.
What is Apparel & Textiles?
This field is the engine behind the global fashion and clothing industry, blending creative design with hard-nosed business and materials science. Graduates don't just sketch garments; they spend their days forecasting retail trends, managing overseas supply chains, developing sustainable fabrics, and working as buyers or merchandisers for major global brands.
Frequently asked questions
Should I get an apparel degree or a general business degree?
If you want to work on the corporate side of retail, a general business degree offers more flexibility if you decide to change industries later. However, a dedicated apparel and textiles degree teaches highly specific industry software, textile science, and retail math that a standard finance or marketing major won't cover. If you are dead-set on becoming a buyer, product developer, or sourcing analyst, the specialized major gives you a distinct edge and access to industry-specific career fairs.
Do I need to move to New York or Los Angeles to work in fashion?
Only if you want to work in luxury fashion or high-end editorial. The vast majority of the industry's stable, well-paying jobs are in corporate retail, activewear, and outdoor gear. Those companies are headquartered all over the country—Columbus, Seattle, San Francisco, and even Bentonville, Arkansas, are massive hubs for apparel professionals.
What is the difference between fashion design and apparel merchandising?
Design focuses on the physical creation of clothing: sketching, draping, patternmaking, and sewing. Merchandising is the business side: analyzing sales data, forecasting consumer trends, negotiating with overseas factories, and managing inventory. Merchandising and supply chain roles are generally more abundant, offer more structured corporate career paths, and are the primary reason the large public universities on this list rank so highly.