Pennsylvania has a large number of fashion merchandising and marketing programs, from Philadelphia’s community college to state universities and private colleges, and it is home to the headquarters of two major apparel retailers. Fashion marketing is taught within these merchandising programs. This page compares every Pennsylvania option on cost after grants.
Fashion Marketing programs in Pennsylvania
| School | City | Type | Tuition (in-state) | Average net price | Program focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County Community College | Blue Bell | Public | $6,690 | $11,124 | Merchandising |
| Community College of Philadelphia | Philadelphia | Public | $4,632 | $11,911 | Merchandising |
| Cheyney University of Pennsylvania | Cheyney | Public | $10,904 | $14,265 | Merchandising |
| Harrisburg Area Community College | Harrisburg | Public | $6,975 | $14,471 | Merchandising |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania | Indiana | Public | $11,380 | $16,804 | Merchandising |
| Lancaster County Career and Technology Center | Willow Street | Public | Not reported | $17,505 | Merchandising |
| Mercyhurst University | Erie | Private | $45,770 | $19,444 | Merchandising |
| Immaculata University | Immaculata | Private | $29,330 | $24,258 | Merchandising |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | Williamsport | Public | $18,240 | $25,110 | Merchandising |
| Temple University | Philadelphia | Public | $23,011 | $28,198 | Merchandising |
| Thomas Jefferson University | Philadelphia | Private | $47,505 | $28,928 | Design and merchandising |
| Arcadia University | Glenside | Private | $49,610 | $29,466 | Merchandising |
| Saint Joseph’s University – Philadelphia | Philadelphia | Private | $53,260 | $29,689 | Merchandising |
What it costs
13 colleges in Pennsylvania report a program covering fashion marketing. Net price, what students actually pay after grants, ranges from $11,124 at Montgomery County Community College to $29,689 at Saint Joseph’s University – Philadelphia, with a median of $19,444 a year. Net price includes living costs, so students who live at home usually pay less. Published tuition and the full list of Pennsylvania schools are on the Pennsylvania fashion schools guide, and the national fashion marketing directory lets you compare these programs with options in neighbouring states, which can be cheaper even at out-of-state rates.
Programs to look at first
For the lowest cost, Community College of Philadelphia has the cheapest published tuition in the state and Montgomery County Community College the region’s lowest net price. Temple University is Philadelphia’s large public option, and Thomas Jefferson University brings a long fashion and textiles history. Elsewhere in the state, Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Mercyhurst University in Erie serve western Pennsylvania.
Public, private or community college?
The 8 public colleges on this list average $17,423 a year in net price, against $26,357 for the 5 private ones. The lowest-priced private option, Mercyhurst University, still averages $19,444, so private study in fashion marketing usually costs more even after aid. The cheapest route to a bachelor’s is usually to start at a two-year college such as Montgomery County Community College ($11,124 average net) and transfer to a public university such as Cheyney University of Pennsylvania ($14,265). Ask both schools in advance which fashion courses transfer.
Fashion marketing careers in Pennsylvania
URBN, the company behind Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie and Free People, is headquartered at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, and its brands are known for distinctive in-house creative, marketing and e-commerce teams. American Eagle Outfitters, headquartered in Pittsburgh, runs one of the largest marketing operations in teen and young adult apparel. Philadelphia is also about 90 minutes from New York by train, which puts the country’s largest fashion media and PR market within reach for internships.
Studying fashion marketing online
Fashion marketing coursework is taught almost entirely through projects, cases and digital work, so it is well suited to online study. Online merchandising and marketing degrees from accredited public universities are compared in the online fashion degrees guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest fashion marketing program in Pennsylvania?
Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell has the lowest net price on this list, $11,124 a year.
How many Pennsylvania colleges offer fashion marketing?
13 colleges on our list offer a program covering fashion marketing, 8 of them public.
Can I major in fashion marketing?
Few colleges offer fashion marketing as a separate major; it is usually a concentration or a set of courses within a merchandising degree. The fashion marketing programs page explains the difference.