Eight Florida colleges currently offer fashion design or merchandising programs, based on U.S. Department of Education data. Published tuition runs from $2,838 a year at Miami Dade College to $44,480 at Lynn University — and for most public options, the average price after grants lands under $10,000. The comparison below covers the best fashion schools in Florida on cost, size, and program focus. Data updated July 2026.
Compare All 8 Fashion Schools in Florida
| School | City | Type | Tuition/yr | Net price/yr | Enrollment | Program focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manatee Technical CollegeCertificate-level training in Bradenton at the lowest net cost on this list, about $1,808. | Bradenton | Public | - | $1,808 | 1,486 | Merchandising |
| Miami Dade CollegeRuns the Miami Fashion Institute: an A.S. in fashion design plus a pattern making certificate, in downtown Miami. | Miami | Public | $2,838 | $5,463 | 46,182 | Design + Merch |
| Florida State College at JacksonvilleLowest net price among Florida's degree-granting options here, about $4,128 a year. | Jacksonville | Public | $2,878 | $4,128 | 19,648 | Merchandising |
| Palm Beach State College$3,050 in-state tuition in Lake Worth, close to Palm Beach's retail corridor. | Lake Worth | Public | $3,050 | $9,182 | 21,956 | Merchandising |
| Florida State UniversityThe FMPD major (fashion, merchandising and product development) lives in FSU's entrepreneurship college, which signed a UNIQLO partnership in 2025. | Tallahassee | Public | $5,656 | $11,297 | 32,212 | Merchandising |
| Keiser University-Ft LauderdaleCareer-focused private with 17,678 students across its campuses. | Fort Lauderdale | Private | $25,056 | $30,498 | 17,678 | Merchandising |
| St. Thomas UniversitySmall private university in Miami Gardens with about 2,200 students. | Miami Gardens | Private | $34,770 | $26,312 | 2,214 | Merchandising |
| Lynn UniversityA business B.S. in fashion and retail in Boca Raton. Aid barely moves the sticker: $44,089 average net. | Boca Raton | Private | $44,480 | $44,089 | 2,859 | Merchandising |
Showing 8 of 8 schools
Best Fashion Schools in Florida: Three Standouts
Miami Dade College — Miami Fashion Institute
The state’s main dedicated fashion design credential: an A.S. in fashion design plus a college credit certificate in pattern making and construction, taught at MDC’s downtown Miami campus. At $2,838 in-state tuition and a $5,463 average net price, it’s also one of the cheapest ways to study fashion anywhere in the Southeast.
Florida State University
FSU’s Fashion, Merchandising and Product Development major (recently renamed from Retail Entrepreneurship) runs through the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, which signed a partnership with UNIQLO in October 2025. In-state tuition is $5,656 with an $11,297 average net price — flagship-university resources at the second-lowest sticker on this list.
Lynn University
Lynn’s Fashion and Retail B.S. in Boca Raton is a business degree with styling, buying, and forecasting coursework; students produce a campus fashion show and travel to trade shows. It’s the most expensive option in the state — $44,089 average net — so it makes sense mainly if the small-class business-school format is what you’re after.
Fashion Design Schools vs. Fashion Merchandising Schools in Florida
Florida is merchandising country. Seven of the eight schools focus on fashion merchandising or retail, and the Miami Fashion Institute at MDC holds the state’s main dedicated fashion design degree. It wasn’t always this thin: the Art Institutes system, which ran design programs in several Florida cities, shut down in 2023. Students set on a four-year design B.F.A. now mostly look to Georgia (SCAD) or out of the region entirely.
How Much Does Fashion School Cost in Florida?
The spread is wide. Manatee Technical College nets out around $1,808 a year for certificate training, the big community colleges (MDC, FSCJ, Palm Beach State) run $4,000–$9,200 net, FSU sits at $11,297, and the private options jump to $26,000–$44,000. Keiser is worth a close look before committing: its $25,056 sticker carries a $30,498 average net once living costs are counted.
Fashion Schools in Florida: FAQs
What is the cheapest fashion school in Florida?
Manatee Technical College has the lowest average net cost at about $1,808 a year, though it offers certificates rather than degrees. Among degree-granting colleges, Florida State College at Jacksonville (about $4,128 net) and Miami Dade College (about $5,463 net) are the least expensive, per U.S. Department of Education data.
Can you study fashion design in Florida?
Miami Dade College's Miami Fashion Institute offers the state's main dedicated fashion design degree, an A.S. with a pattern making certificate. Options thinned after the Art Institutes system closed in 2023. FSU's program covers merchandising and product development rather than design.
How much does fashion school cost per year in Florida?
Published tuition ranges from $2,838 (Miami Dade College, in-state) to $44,480 (Lynn University). Most public options net under $10,000 a year after grants.
Is Miami a good place to study fashion?
Miami has the strongest concentration: the Miami Fashion Institute at MDC sits downtown, St. Thomas University is in Miami Gardens, and the city's retail and apparel trade gives students internship options the rest of the state lacks.
Fashion Schools in Nearby States
More Florida guides: Fashion Merchandising Schools in Florida · Fashion Design Schools in Florida
How we built this list: schools identified via U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS program data (CIP 19.09 apparel & textiles, CIP 52.19 fashion merchandising), retrieved July 11, 2026. Program details verified against school websites. Tuition is the published annual rate; net price is the average paid after grants by federal aid recipients. Spot an error? Tell us and we’ll fix it.