Five Georgia colleges offer fashion design or merchandising programs, based on U.S. Department of Education data. The state splits cleanly in two: three public universities where in-state students pay $6,022–$11,450, and SCAD — the Southeast’s dedicated art school — where the real cost averages $49,430 a year. The comparison below covers the best fashion schools in Georgia on cost, size, and focus. Data updated July 2026.
Compare All 5 Fashion Schools in Georgia
| School | City | Type | Tuition/yr | Net price/yr | Enrollment | Program focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Southern UniversityCheapest sticker here: $6,022 in-state in Statesboro. | Statesboro | Public | $6,022 | $15,267 | 21,790 | Design & Textiles |
| Georgia State UniversityDowntown Atlanta campus of 26,623 students. | Atlanta | Public | $8,664 | $15,931 | 26,623 | Merchandising |
| University of GeorgiaThe Athens flagship, with the lowest university net price on this list: $13,936. | Athens | Public | $11,450 | $13,936 | 32,137 | Design + Merch |
| Brenau UniversitySmall Gainesville private. Aid brings $34,027 down to $18,924. | Gainesville | Private | $34,027 | $18,924 | 1,029 | Merchandising |
| Savannah College of Art and DesignThe Southeast's dedicated art school, 15,243 students. Note the $49,430 net runs above the sticker once living costs count. | Savannah | Private | $41,630 | $49,430 | 15,243 | Design + Merch |
Showing 5 of 5 schools
Best Fashion Schools in Georgia: Three Standouts
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
The biggest name in Southern fashion education, with design and fashion marketing programs across Savannah and Atlanta campuses and 15,243 students. The honest math: published tuition is $41,630, but the average net cost lands at $49,430 once housing and fees count — the only school on this list where the real price runs above the sticker.
University of Georgia
The value pick: the Athens flagship reports both design and merchandising tracks and has the lowest university net price on the list, $13,936. In-state tuition is $11,450 on a 32,137-student campus 70 miles from Atlanta’s apparel market.
Georgia State University
The Atlanta option: 26,623 students downtown, blocks from AmericasMart — one of the country’s biggest wholesale merchandise marts — with in-state tuition of $8,664 and a $15,931 average net.
Fashion Design Schools vs. Fashion Merchandising Schools in Georgia
SCAD and UGA report both fashion design and fashion merchandising tracks, Georgia Southern reports an apparel and textiles program, and Georgia State and Brenau focus on merchandising. For studio design specifically, the practical choice narrows fast: SCAD if the budget allows, UGA if it doesn’t.
How Much Does Fashion School Cost in Georgia?
The three publics are tightly grouped at $13,900–$16,000 net after grants — among the most predictable pricing of any state we’ve compared. Brenau sits at $18,924 after aid cuts its sticker by nearly half. SCAD is its own tier at $49,430, roughly triple the publics; weigh that against the industry access its name buys.
Fashion Schools in Georgia: FAQs
What is the cheapest fashion school in Georgia?
University of Georgia has the lowest average net price among the universities at $13,936 a year, and Georgia Southern has the lowest published tuition at $6,022 in-state, per U.S. Department of Education data.
Is SCAD good for fashion?
SCAD is the Southeast's dedicated art and design school, with fashion design and fashion marketing programs across its Savannah and Atlanta campuses and 15,243 students. Budget carefully: its average net cost of $49,430 a year runs above the published tuition once housing is counted.
How much does fashion school cost per year in Georgia?
Published in-state tuition runs from $6,022 (Georgia Southern) to $41,630 (SCAD). The three public universities net out between $13,900 and $16,000 after grants; SCAD averages $49,430 all-in.
Which Georgia schools offer fashion design rather than merchandising?
SCAD and UGA report both design and merchandising tracks, and Georgia Southern reports an apparel and textiles program. Georgia State and Brenau focus on the merchandising side.
Fashion Schools in Nearby States
More Georgia guides: Fashion Design Schools in Georgia
How we built this list: schools identified via U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS program data (CIP 19.09 apparel & textiles, CIP 52.19 fashion merchandising), retrieved July 11, 2026. Tuition is the published annual rate; net price is the average paid after grants by federal aid recipients. Spot an error? Tell us and we’ll fix it.