Colorado fashion schools at a glance (2026)
- 2 colleges offer fashion programs: Colorado State University (public) and Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (private).
- Colorado State: B.S. in Apparel and Merchandising, with design, merchandising and product development concentrations. Yearly cost after grants: $22,247.
- RMCAD: BFA in Fashion Design, on campus in Lakewood or online. $875 per credit from fall 2026, fees included.
- Design pay: Colorado’s 360 fashion designers earned a median $94,140 in May 2025, above the U.S. median.
Two Colorado colleges report graduates in fashion design or apparel to the U.S. Department of Education. Colorado State University in Fort Collins is the public option, with one degree that covers design, merchandising and product development. Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design in Lakewood is a private art college with a studio fashion design BFA. The table below compares them on tuition, yearly cost after grants, graduation and earnings.
Compare the 2 Fashion Schools in Colorado
| School | City | Type | Tuition/yr | Yearly cost after grants | Admit rate | Grad rate | Median earnings | Program focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado State University-Fort CollinsThe biggest school on this list, with 25,538 students in Fort Collins.federal data | Fort Collins | Public | $13,774 | $22,247 | 89% | 67% | $66,947 | Design + MerchBachelor's, master's |
| Rocky Mountain College of Art and Designfederal data | Lakewood | Private | $20,190 | $32,562 | - | 34% | $45,764 | Design & TextilesBachelor's |
Showing all 2 schools
Colorado’s Fashion Programs
Colorado State University (Fort Collins)
CSU’s B.S. in Apparel and Merchandising has three concentrations, all leading to the same degree:
- Apparel Design and Production: designing and making apparel and textile products, with attention to costing, sourcing and production.
- Merchandising: target markets, marketing and retailing consumer goods.
- Product Development: developing and innovating consumer products.
CSU says the program is accredited by the Textile and Apparel Program Accreditation Commission, and its Department of Design and Merchandising by NASAD. The department also runs an annual student fashion show. Ask the department whether the design concentration has a portfolio step before you enroll.
For 2026-27, a Colorado resident taking 15 credits pays $7,128.70 per semester in tuition and fees, after the state’s College Opportunity Fund stipend. A non-resident pays $18,913.04 (CSU tuition and fees). Federal figures show an 89% admit rate and a 67% graduation rate for the whole university.
Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (Lakewood)
RMCAD offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design. The program includes 51 credits of fashion design courses, and classes run year-round, both on campus and online. On-campus students receive equipment such as industrial sewing machines, and student work is shown at an annual RMCAD fashion show.
Admission: You need a high school diploma or equivalent. The steps are an artist meeting, an application and a portfolio, and the portfolio is also used for scholarship decisions.
From fall 2026, fashion design costs $875 per credit, and RMCAD says this now includes all semester and equipment fees. Books and supplies are extra (RMCAD tuition). Federal figures put its yearly cost after grants at $32,562, including living costs, with a 34% graduation rate.
How Much Does Fashion School Cost in Colorado?
The yearly cost after grants is the average a student on federal aid pays for a full year, including housing and food, after grants.
| School | Published tuition | Yearly cost after grants |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado State University | $13,774 in-state / $36,113 out-of-state | $22,247 |
| Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design | $20,190 | $32,562 |
Colorado residents at public colleges should apply for the College Opportunity Fund stipend, which CSU applies at $116 per credit hour. Students must apply on the COF website. File the FAFSA for federal and college aid.
Fashion Schools Near Colorado: WUE Options
Colorado takes part in the Western Undergraduate Exchange, so some public universities in other western states cap tuition for Colorado residents.
- Utah State University (Logan) offers an Outdoor Product Design and Development BS for outdoor and active apparel. WUE students pay 150% of in-state tuition (USU costs).
- University of Idaho (Moscow) offers an Apparel, Textiles and Design B.S. Its 2026-27 rate for WUE recipients is $13,538, against $29,300 for other non-residents (Idaho costs).
- Oregon State University (Corvallis) offers an Apparel Design B.S. Its WUE scholarships are competitive (Oregon State WUE).
- University of Wyoming (Laramie) offers a B.S. in Design, Merchandising & Textiles with apparel design and merchandising concentrations. Ask the university whether WUE applies to it.
Fashion Careers in Colorado
In Colorado, fashion design pays above the national median. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 360 fashion designers in Colorado in May 2025, with a median wage of $94,140, against $80,960 nationally. Buyers and purchasing agents held 10,080 jobs, with a median of $83,590 (BLS).
Closed Colorado Fashion Schools
- The Art Institute of Colorado is listed among the closed Art Institutes locations (closed-school notice).
Fashion Schools in Colorado: FAQs
What fashion schools are in Colorado?
Two colleges report fashion programs in federal data: Colorado State University in Fort Collins, with a B.S. in Apparel and Merchandising, and Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design in Lakewood, with a BFA in Fashion Design.
Is there a fashion design degree in Colorado?
Yes. RMCAD offers a BFA in Fashion Design on campus and online, and Colorado State's Apparel and Merchandising degree has an Apparel Design and Production concentration.
How much does fashion school cost in Colorado?
At Colorado State, 2026-27 tuition and fees for a resident taking 15 credits are $7,128.70 per semester after the College Opportunity Fund stipend. RMCAD charges $875 per credit for fashion design from fall 2026, fees included. After grants, federal data puts the average yearly cost at $22,247 at CSU and $32,562 at RMCAD.
What is the College Opportunity Fund?
It is a Colorado stipend for resident undergraduates. Colorado State applies it at $116 per credit hour, and students must apply on the COF website to receive it.
How much do fashion designers earn in Colorado?
Colorado's 360 fashion designers earned a median wage of $94,140 in May 2025, above the U.S. median of $80,960, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Buyers and purchasing agents earned a median of $83,590.
How we built this list: schools come from U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions for 2022-23 and 2023-24. We count a school if it reported graduates in fashion/apparel design (CIP 50.0407), apparel and textiles (19.09xx), or fashion merchandising (52.1902, 52.1904). Tuition, cost after grants, admit rate, graduation rate and earnings come from College Scorecard, retrieved November 1, 2026. Program details and 2026-27 rates were checked on each school’s own site the same day. See our methodology. Spot an error? Tell us and we’ll fix it.