Also in Washington: All fashion schools in Washington
Four Washington colleges report a fashion design or apparel program to the U.S. Department of Education. They range from a sewing certificate in Kirkland to a two-year apparel design degree in Seattle and bachelor’s degrees at Washington State University and Seattle Pacific University. This page compares them on cost and explains what each program teaches, how you get in, and which nearby out-of-state programs offer reduced tuition to Washington residents.
Fashion design in Washington at a glance (2026)
- 4 colleges report a design or apparel program: 3 public and 1 private.
- Bachelor’s degrees: Washington State University (Apparel Design major) and Seattle Pacific University (Apparel Design BA).
- Two-year degree: Seattle Central College’s Apparel Design & Development AAS.
- Lowest yearly cost after grants: Washington State University, $13,462.
- Median fashion designer pay in Washington: $82,030 (BLS, May 2025).
Fashion Design programs in Washington
| School | City | Type | Tuition (in-state) | Average net price | Program focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington State Universityfederal data | Pullman | Public | $13,888 | $13,462 | Design and merchandising |
| Seattle Central Collegefederal data | Seattle | Public | $4,935 | $21,132 | Design |
| Seattle Pacific Universityfederal data | Seattle | Private | $44,367 | $25,419 | Design and merchandising |
| Lake Washington Institute of Technologyfederal data | Kirkland | Public | $10,701 | $25,594 | 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 Washington report a program covering fashion design. Net price, what students actually pay after grants, ranges from $13,462 at Washington State University to $25,594 at Lake Washington Institute of Technology, with a median of $23,275 a year. Net price includes living costs, so students who live at home usually pay less. Published tuition and the full list of Washington schools are on our guide to fashion schools in Washington, and the national fashion design directory lets you compare these programs with options in neighbouring states.
The Four Programs
Washington State University (Pullman)
WSU’s Department of Apparel, Merchandising, Design and Textiles offers a Bachelor of Arts with two majors: Apparel Design or Merchandising. Design students work in apparel design studios, an apparel tech and digital lab, and a textile lab. They show their collections at the annual AMDT Fashion Show during WSU’s spring family weekend. The department also offers a master’s degree.
For 2026-27, Pullman undergraduates pay $12,699 a year in tuition and the S&A fee if they are Washington residents, and $30,370 if they are not. Other mandatory fees are extra (WSU 2026-27 tuition rates). The department’s page does not list a portfolio requirement, so ask the department how students enter the design major.
Seattle Central College (Seattle)
Seattle Central’s Apparel Design & Development AAS is a 95-credit, two-year degree. It covers construction, patternmaking and design. It includes a work-experience internship and ends with a final line that students show at an annual fashion portfolio show, open to the public and to industry.
Admission: No portfolio is required. Students with little sewing experience first take short sewing skills courses, including a 6-credit intensive option. One of these courses is required before entering the program.
From fall 2026, Washington residents pay $136.14 per credit, or $1,697.30 for a 15-credit quarter (Seattle Central tuition).
Seattle Pacific University (Seattle)
SPU offers an Apparel Design BA and an Apparel Merchandising BA in its College of Business and Technology. Apparel Design is an open major. New students can declare it in their first quarter, with no portfolio or GPA cutoff.
A notable option is a one-year liaison program with the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Apparel students spend a year at FIT, stay enrolled full time at SPU, and can finish with both an FIT associate degree and an SPU bachelor’s degree. SPU is private, and its federal yearly cost after grants is $25,419. Check its current tuition with the university.
Lake Washington Institute of Technology (Kirkland)
LWTech’s fashion-related program is a Sewing certificate in its School of Design, not a design degree. It teaches machine and tool handling, textile types and garment construction. It prepares students for work such as tailoring, dressmaking or costume work. Students can start in any quarter. LWTech points graduates who want a bachelor’s degree toward WSU’s apparel program.
Public, private or community college?
The 3 public colleges on this list average $20,062 a year in net price, against $25,419 for the one private college. The lowest-priced private option, Seattle Pacific University, still averages $25,419, so private study in fashion design usually costs more even after aid. Two of the public options, Seattle Central College and Lake Washington Institute of Technology, are two-year colleges. Seattle Central’s tuition is far lower than a university’s, but the net price above includes Seattle-area housing and food.
Fashion Design Programs Near Washington
With only two bachelor’s options in the state, many Washington students look next door. Both universities below take part in the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE), which lowers out-of-state tuition for students from western states.
- University of Idaho (Moscow) is about 8 miles from Pullman. Its Apparel, Textiles and Design BS has an apparel technology lab with 3D printers and laser cutters, and a senior apparel design showcase each May. For 2026-27, WUE students pay $13,538 in tuition and fees, against $29,300 for other non-residents. Idaho notes that final rates are set each spring (U of I costs).
- Oregon State University (Corvallis) has an Apparel Design BS in its College of Business, aimed at jobs in the athletic and outdoor industry. Students apply to the major with a portfolio after pre-professional courses, at junior standing. Its WUE scholarship caps base tuition at 150% of the resident rate. It is competitive: about 30% of eligible students receive it, and the deadline is February 3.
Design Work in Washington
Fashion designers in Washington earned a median of $82,030 in May 2025, slightly above the U.S. median of $80,960. The BLS does not publish the number of designer jobs in the state. Buying jobs are more common: Washington had 15,400 buyers and purchasing agents across all industries, with a median of $85,130 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics). Nordstrom’s corporate offices are in Seattle.
Closed Schools
The Art Institute of Seattle closed on March 8, 2019, two weeks before the end of its winter quarter (Washington Student Achievement Council).
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest fashion design program in Washington?
Washington State University in Pullman has the lowest net price on this list, $13,462 a year.
How many Washington 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.
How we built this list: schools come from U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions for 2022-23 and 2023-24 in fashion and apparel design (CIP 50.0407) and apparel and textiles (19.09xx). Net price and in-state tuition in the table come from College Scorecard. Program details and 2026-27 tuition 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.