11 Most Affordable Fashion Design Schools in the US

If you are planning to pursue a career in fashion design, have a look at the 11 most affordable fashion design schools in the US.

Fashion is fast becoming an appealing field for all sorts of people and this shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering how much fashion designers earn, which is, according to PayScale, more than 60,000 dollars per year on an average basis! Even if one puts aside the money aspect of the job, fashion design satisfies the creative juices of those people who do not see themselves fit for nine to five jobs which involve nothing but paperwork. Furthermore, employment in the wholesale apparel industry is expected to show a growing trend of about seventeen percent from 2014 to 2024.

Keeping all of these facts in mind, it is no surprise that the number of students who want to study fashion design in college has increased. However, it is quite difficult to choose an appropriate school for yourself, especially when your funds are limited. To make things easier for you, we have prepared a list of most affordable fashion design schools in the US.

Taking our data from CollegeCalc, we have considered out of state annual cost of each college offering a four year bachelor program in fashion or apparel design. As the given link states, the information about the price has been extracted from the U.S. Department of Education’s 2015-2016 IPEDS Survey. This cost, which includes tuition, books and living expenses, has then been arranged in ascending order, with the cheapest college coming in at number one on our list. An important thing to note is that some colleges have been removed from the resulting list because upon research, we concluded that these schools are no longer taking new students and are winding up their operations rendering them useless for students who are just now seeking admissions. Examples include The Art Institute of Tucson and International Academy of Design and Technology. Also, another thing that you should keep in mind is that these costs are estimates, and that you should check with the school directly in order to get the newest and the most accurate data possible.

Getting back to the topic at hand, if you want more details on fashion design education, check out our list of 5 most elite fashion schools in the world. However, for affordable ones, just read on ahead for the final ranking!

11. The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale

Out of State Annual Cost: $29,037

The first campus of The Art Institute on our list is one of the cheapest offered by the college. Although the program in all locations is quite similar, the tuition cost, as well as other living costs of each school, are different which is why we have considered them separately.

10. University of North Texas

Out of State Annual Cost: $28,289

The University of North Texas is one of the biggest universities of Texas and offers various majors, one of which is, of course, fashion design. This school, although inexpensive in general, is particularly preferable for residents of Texas as it offers huge discounts to in-state students. So if you live in Texas, it is the perfect choice for you.

9. South University – The Art Institute of Dallas

Out of State Annual Cost: $28,110

This location of the Art Institute is, naturally, affordable which is why it has made it to our list of most affordable fashion design schools in the US. It is also unique, because it is a campus of South University and, hence, combines the excellence of both institutions.

8. The Art Institute of Portland

Out of State Annual Cost: $27,786

One of the campuses of The Art Institute located in Portland doesn’t offer only apparel design studies, but also fashion marketing, giving students the opportunity to make a career in any aspect of fashion that they feel most comfortable in. Furthermore, it ranks fourth on the list of cheapest colleges in Oregon, giving students an advantage on the affordability as well.

7. Texas Tech University

Out of State Annual Cost: $27,516

Education in public universities of Texas is cheaper than in other states, as explained here, and Texas Tech University proves its affordability when it comes to fashion design. Its apparel design bachelor program provides students the opportunity to continue studies for graduate degrees or to procure reasonable jobs in the fashion industry from where they can develop themselves as they please.

6. AI Miami International University of Art and Design

Out of State Annual Cost: $27,000

If you want to study fashion design in the Sunshine State, this location of the Art Institute is perfect for you. The school stresses on traditional as well as computer generated designs and prepares students without charging too much of a hefty fee.

5. Lindenwood University

Out of State Annual Cost: $25,756

Located in Saint Charles, Missouri, Lindenwood University has just recently expanded its campus in order to accommodate more students. The School of Fine and Performing Arts at the University, which offers a degree in fashion design, stresses on the students’ need to express their creativity and transforming their passions into careers. So if you want to do just that, go on ahead and enroll into Lindenwold University, which has grabbed the fifth place on our list of 11 most affordable fashion design schools in the US.

4. Texas Woman’s University

Out of State Annual Cost: $24,801

Although this school is primarily known to be for women, it accepts male students as well. It boasts of preparing students for careers in the demanding field of fashion design and presents a comprehensive plan for students planning to attend the school for fashion, satisfying them in all aspects of the degree. Furthermore, like the University of North Texas, this school will demand less tuition if you are a Texan native, with your annual cost falling drastically to $15,441.

3. The Art Institute of Indianapolis

Out of State Annual Cost: $24,150

Another location of the Art Institute has made it to our list. It’s safe to say that the parent organization of the Art Institutes with its system of for-profit colleges is definitely a good place to study if you do not want the expenditure to be too heavy on your pocket.

2. American Intercontinental University Atlanta

Out of State Annual Cost: $23,374

This school ranks second on our list of most affordable fashion design schools in the US. It focuses on career-driven education and advertises the fact that the individual teaching provides students with support, and help them become industry specialists.

1. Brigham Young University

Out of State Annual Cost: $13,280

Located in Provo, Utah, Brigham Young University ranks first on our list of most affordable fashion design schools in the US. It is much cheaper than any other on this list and by a huge margin. Although Brigham Young University doesn’t offer a degree in fashion design exactly, its School of Family Life offers many comprehensive classes on clothing and textile, due to which a person can easily pursue a career in fashion after graduating Furthermore, if you pair these classes with a major in photography or business or even communication, you can prepare yourself for every aspect of the industry, all at a reasonable cost, which is why this school is the most affordable fashion design school in the US.