Also in Massachusetts: All fashion schools in Massachusetts · Fashion merchandising schools in Massachusetts
Four Massachusetts colleges report a fashion design program to the U.S. Department of Education. Three are public: Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) in Boston, Framingham State University and UMass Dartmouth. The fourth is Lasell University, a private university in Newton. All four teach design at the bachelor’s level. This page compares them on cost, portfolio rules and what each program is like.
Fashion design in Massachusetts at a glance (2026)
- 4 colleges teach fashion design: 3 public, 1 private.
- Lowest yearly cost after grants: Framingham State University, $15,951.
- Portfolio at admission: MassArt (12 to 15 pieces) and UMass Dartmouth (8 to 10 works).
- Free-tuition programs: Framingham State, UMass Dartmouth and Lasell each have one for students with lower incomes.
- Fashion designers in Massachusetts: 540 jobs, median pay $103,520 (BLS, May 2025).
Fashion Design programs in Massachusetts
| School | City | Type | Tuition (in-state) | Average net price | Program focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Framingham State Universityfederal data | Framingham | Public | $12,220 | $15,951 | Design |
| University of Massachusetts-Dartmouthfederal data | North Dartmouth | Public | $16,233 | $20,319 | Design |
| Lasell Universityfederal data | Newton | Private | $28,392 | $26,341 | Design and merchandising |
| Massachusetts College of Art and Designfederal data | Boston | Public | $15,860 | $26,397 | Design |
Source: tuition and average net price (yearly cost after grants, for students receiving federal aid) from College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, retrieved November 1, 2026. Program lists: IPEDS completions, 2022-23 and 2023-24. Each “federal data” link opens that school’s record.
What it costs
4 colleges in Massachusetts report a program covering fashion design. Net price, what students actually pay after grants, ranges from $15,951 at Framingham State University to $26,397 at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, with a median of $23,330 a year. Net price includes living costs, so students who live at home usually pay less. Published tuition and the full list of schools, including merchandising programs, are on our guide to fashion schools in Massachusetts, and the national fashion design directory lets you compare these programs with options in other states.
The Four Programs
Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt), Boston
MassArt is a public art and design college. Its Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design is a four-year degree, and the department has taught fashion design since 1907. Students learn drawing, pattern drafting, garment construction, tailoring and digital textile production, along with the business, manufacturing and sustainability side of fashion. Seniors show their collections at the annual MassArt Fashion Show. The department lists collaborations with companies including Levi Strauss, Eileen Fisher and Primark.
Portfolio: Applicants upload 12 to 15 recent pieces of art through the MassArt applicant portal. Early Action closes December 1 and the priority deadline is February 15 (MassArt how to apply).
2026-27 tuition and fees: $16,260 a year for Massachusetts residents, $36,640 at the “New England and New York” rate, and $45,820 for other out-of-state students (MassArt costs). From fall 2026, new students from New York also get the New England rate.
Framingham State University, Framingham
Framingham State’s fashion design major is taught in its Department of Fashion Design and Retailing. The university says the program is accredited by NASAD. Students work in the fashion lab, can take an internship, and join faculty-led trips that include factory visits and trade shows. The student Fashion Club runs an annual spring fashion show and travels to New York Fashion Week each year. The program page lists no portfolio requirement for admission.
2026-27 tuition and fees: $12,590 a year for Massachusetts residents, $13,075 for new students from other New England states at the regional rate, and $18,670 for other out-of-state students. These are commuter figures before aid (Framingham State tuition).
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, North Dartmouth
UMass Dartmouth offers a BFA in Art + Design: Fashion Design in its College of Visual and Performing Arts. The degree is 120 credits, 78 of them in the major. Courses cover apparel construction, pattern drafting, couture draping, computer-aided drafting, fashion illustration and the business of fashion. Students show their work at the annual CVPA fashion show.
Portfolio: First-year applicants submit 8 to 10 original works through the applicant portal after they apply. Hard copies are not accepted (UMass Dartmouth portfolio).
2026-27 tuition and fees: $16,773 a year for Massachusetts residents, $22,711 at the regional/proximity rate and $34,936 for out-of-state students. Art and design majors also pay a college fee of $563 to $1,200 a year (UMass Dartmouth tuition).
Lasell University, Newton
Lasell’s Fashion Design and Production major leads to a bachelor’s degree. Seniors create a capstone collection for Runway, Lasell’s annual public fashion event. The major includes an internship of at least 150 hours of supervised work, and past internship sites include New Balance, Primark, Marc Jacobs and Kohl’s headquarters. The university’s Lasell Fashion Collection holds more than 3,000 objects covering 200 years of fashion history. The program page lists no portfolio requirement for admission.
2026-27 tuition: $30,280 a year, plus a $675 student services fee and a $200-per-semester fee for fashion design majors (Lasell tuition).
Public, private or community college?
The 3 public colleges on this list average $20,889 a year in net price, against $26,341 for the one private college. The lowest-priced private option, Lasell University, still averages $26,341, so private study in fashion design usually costs more even after aid. None of these programs is at a two-year college, so students who want to save money can take general education courses at a local community college first and transfer into one of the universities above.
Free Tuition and Regional Discounts
- Framingham State Tuition Promise: Massachusetts students from families earning $85,000 or less pay no tuition or mandatory fees. You must file the FAFSA, start full time and not already have a bachelor’s degree.
- UMass Dartmouth Deal: free tuition and mandatory fees for high-need, in-state undergraduates.
- Lasell Tuition Commitment: covers tuition after grants for first-time, full-time students starting in the fall whose household income is under $100,000. Students must also be Pell-eligible and have a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher. Room, board and fees are not covered (Lasell Tuition Commitment).
- NEBHE Tuition Break: residents of the six New England states can pay a reduced rate for approved programs at public colleges in another New England state. NEBHE says the average saving is $8,600 a year (NEBHE Tuition Break). Framingham State’s regional rate is one example.
Fashion Design Jobs in Massachusetts
| Job | Jobs in Massachusetts | Median pay in Massachusetts | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fashion designers | 540 | $103,520 | $80,960 |
| Buyers and purchasing agents (all industries) | 12,820 | $85,970 | $77,710 |
Figures are from the BLS for May 2025 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics). Design jobs in Massachusetts are few, but they pay well above the national median. Two large employers are based here: The TJX Companies has its head office in Framingham, and New Balance has its world headquarters in Boston.
Fashion Design Schools Near Massachusetts
- Rhode Island School of Design (Providence) charges $66,460 in tuition for 2026-27, plus about $1,200 in fees (RISD costs).
- University of Rhode Island offers a regional rate for its Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design major, but only to residents of Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Massachusetts residents pay the full out-of-state rate (URI regional majors).
- Fashion Institute of Technology (New York) charges out-of-state students $10,846 per semester for its bachelor’s programs in 2026-27. See our guide to fashion schools in New York.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest fashion design program in Massachusetts?
Framingham State University in Framingham has the lowest net price on this list, $15,951 a year.
How many Massachusetts colleges offer fashion design?
4 colleges on our list offer a program covering fashion design, 3 of them public.
Do I need a portfolio for a fashion design program?
Most bachelor’s design programs ask for a portfolio or review one during the first year, while community college programs usually admit without one. Check each school’s requirements.
Which Massachusetts fashion design programs need a portfolio?
MassArt asks for 12 to 15 pieces and UMass Dartmouth asks for 8 to 10 works when you apply. Framingham State and Lasell list no portfolio requirement for admission.
How much do fashion designers earn in Massachusetts?
The median wage for fashion designers in Massachusetts was $103,520 in May 2025, above the U.S. median of $80,960, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state had about 540 fashion design jobs.
How we built this list: schools come from U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions for 2022-23 and 2023-24 in fashion/apparel design (CIP 50.0407) and apparel and textiles (19.09xx). The table’s tuition and average net price come from College Scorecard. Program details and 2026-27 tuition rates were checked on each school’s own site on October 31, 2026. See our methodology. Spot an error? Tell us and we’ll fix it.