Also in Oklahoma: All fashion schools in Oklahoma
Oklahoma has two colleges that report fashion design programs: Oklahoma State University, a public university that teaches design together with merchandising, and Clary Sage College, a private college in Tulsa that offers a certificate. Oklahoma does not have a large design industry, but Oklahoma State’s program gives students a broad base in design, product development and merchandising that transfers to apparel companies across the region. This page compares the two programs on cost after grants.
Fashion Design programs in Oklahoma
| School | City | Type | Tuition (in-state) | Average net price | Program focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma State Universityfederal data | Stillwater | Public | $10,444 | $17,058 | Design and merchandising |
| Clary Sage Collegefederal data | Tulsa | Private | Not reported | $25,830 | 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
2 colleges in Oklahoma report a program covering fashion design. Net price, what students actually pay after grants, ranges from $17,058 at Oklahoma State University to $25,830 at Clary Sage College, with a median of $21,444 a year. Net price includes living costs, so students who live at home usually pay less. Published tuition and the full list of Oklahoma schools are on the Oklahoma fashion schools guide, and the national fashion design directory lets you compare these programs with options in neighbouring states, which can be cheaper even at out-of-state rates.
The two programs
Oklahoma State University in Stillwater has the lowest net price in the state, with design and merchandising taught in its Department of Design, Housing and Merchandising. Clary Sage College in Tulsa is a private college offering a shorter certificate, at a $25,830 average net price. Students who want merchandising rather than design can also look at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, near Oklahoma City, which has the lowest published tuition in the state. Students interested in Texas employers should also compare Texas programs.
Public, private or community college?
The one public college on this list averages $17,058 a year in net price, against $25,830 for the one private college. The lowest-priced private option, Clary Sage College, still averages $25,830, so private study in fashion design usually costs more even after aid. Neither program is at a community college, so students who want a lower-cost bachelor’s can take general education courses at a local community college first and transfer into Oklahoma State.
Before you apply in Oklahoma
Oklahoma State offers a bachelor’s degree that combines design with merchandising, while Clary Sage College offers a shorter certificate, so the choice depends on how much time and money you want to spend. Oklahoma State is a residential university in Stillwater; Clary Sage is in Tulsa. Oklahoma residents should check eligibility for Oklahoma’s Promise, the state’s tuition scholarship for students from qualifying family incomes, which can cover a large share of tuition at Oklahoma State.
Where Oklahoma design graduates work
Oklahoma’s fashion economy is mainly retail, and design graduates often find product development, technical design and merchandising roles with retailers and brands in the region, especially in the Dallas-Fort Worth area a few hours south, where several national retailers develop their own apparel lines. Combining design training with merchandising coursework, as Oklahoma State’s program does, widens those options.
Studying fashion design online
Design is the hardest part of fashion to study online, because construction, draping and fittings need a studio. If none of the programs above is within reach, a common route is to take general education and fashion business courses online and construction classes in person at the nearest community college. The online fashion degrees guide explains which parts of a design education travel and which do not.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest fashion design program in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma State University in Stillwater has the lowest net price on this list, $17,058 a year.
How many Oklahoma colleges offer fashion design?
2 colleges on our list offer a program covering fashion design, 1 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.