Chicago is the largest fashion market in the Midwest, with retail head offices, brand showrooms, a strong design school culture and a lower cost of living than either coast. Its fashion education looks unusual in federal data: the best-known city programs report under general art and design codes, so the colleges that report apparel programs to the U.S. Department of Education are mostly in the suburbs. This guide covers both, what they cost, the industry around them and whether Chicago is a good place to study fashion.
Fashion programs in the city
Two Chicago institutions are known for fashion. Columbia College Chicago in the South Loop offers fashion studies and fashion design programs within a large arts and media college. The School of the Art Institute of Chicago has a long-running fashion design department within a fine arts school. Both report their programs under broader art and design classifications, so they are not part of the apparel-code dataset behind our tables and we do not list cost figures for them here. If you are considering either, look up their full cost and outcomes in the Department of Education’s College Scorecard and compare them with the public options below.
Fashion schools in the Chicago area
These colleges report apparel or merchandising programs in federal data. Costs are published annual tuition and the average net price after grants, as listed in our Illinois fashion schools guide.
| School | Location | Type | Tuition (in-district or in-state) | Average net price | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Rainey Harper College | Palatine, northwest suburbs | Public (community college) | $3,894 | $11,607 | Design and merchandising |
| College of DuPage | Glen Ellyn, western suburbs | Public (community college) | $4,560 | $7,401 | Design and merchandising |
| Triton College | River Grove, near the West Side | Public (community college) | $5,070 | $4,138 | Merchandising |
| South Suburban College | South Holland | Public (community college) | $5,093 | $3,242 | Merchandising |
| Dominican University | River Forest, western suburbs | Private | $38,978 | $11,745 | Merchandising |
Two points stand out. Chicago’s suburban community colleges are some of the cheapest places in the country to start a fashion education, and several teach both design and merchandising. And Dominican University shows how misleading published tuition can be: aid brings its $38,978 sticker down to a net price of $11,745, cheaper than many public universities. For a bachelor’s degree at a public university, the main Illinois options are downstate: apparel design programs at Illinois State University in Normal, Northern Illinois University in DeKalb and Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, and merchandising degrees at Eastern Illinois University and Western Illinois University.
The industry around the schools
Chicago’s fashion economy is strongest on the retail and corporate side. The metro area is home to the head offices of several national retailers and consumer brands, and to buying, planning and e-commerce teams that hire merchandising graduates. The Merchandise Mart, the huge wholesale building on the Chicago River, hosts showrooms and trade events, mainly for home and design industries but with fashion and accessories activity as well. Chicago also has an active independent designer community, boutique retail on streets such as those in Wicker Park, and a commercial photography and advertising industry that hires stylists.
For students, that means Chicago is a practical place to build a merchandising or retail career and a reasonable base for styling and independent design, but a smaller market than New York or Los Angeles for traditional design house jobs. The fashion merchandising degree guide explains the business roles in detail.
What it costs to live here
Chicago is significantly cheaper to live in than New York or Los Angeles, and its public transit makes it possible to live without a car near the L lines. Students at suburban community colleges can often live at home, which is the main reason their net prices are so low. The best-value plan for many Chicago-area students is to start at Harper, DuPage or Triton, then transfer to a four-year program.
Transfer routes from Chicago community colleges
Illinois community colleges have transfer agreements with the state’s public universities, and fashion students commonly complete general education and introductory fashion courses at a suburban college before moving to a four-year apparel or merchandising program such as Illinois State, Northern Illinois or Southern Illinois. Before you enroll, ask your community college’s transfer office which of its fashion courses count toward the bachelor’s program you want, because studio courses do not always transfer one for one.
Is studying fashion in Chicago worth it?
For Illinois residents, especially those interested in merchandising, retail or styling, Chicago offers an unusually cheap starting point and a solid job market. For students set on high-fashion design careers, the city’s art school programs are well regarded, but they cost far more than the community college route, and most design house jobs are still in New York; see the New York City guide. If you need to study around a job, the business side of fashion can be studied online, as the online fashion degrees guide explains.
Frequently asked questions
Are there fashion schools in Chicago?
Yes. Columbia College Chicago and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago have fashion programs in the city, and several suburban community colleges and Dominican University report fashion programs in federal data.
What is the cheapest way to study fashion in Chicago?
A suburban community college such as South Suburban College, Triton College or College of DuPage, which have some of the lowest net prices in the state.
Is Chicago good for fashion jobs?
It is strongest for retail, merchandising, e-commerce and commercial styling work, and a smaller market for design house jobs.