Guides for Maryland: Fashion design schools in Maryland
Maryland fashion schools at a glance (2026)
- 2 colleges report fashion graduates: Stevenson University, a private university, and Baltimore City Community College.
- Bachelor’s degrees: Stevenson offers a B.S. in Fashion Design and a B.S. in Fashion Merchandising.
- Two-year route: BCCC offers a Fashion Design AAS, a Fashion Retailing concentration and a certificate.
- Lowest published tuition: BCCC, $3,314 a year in-state.
- State aid: Maryland’s Educational Assistance Grant pays $400 to $3,000 a year to eligible students.
Two Maryland colleges report graduates in fashion design or fashion merchandising to the U.S. Department of Education. Stevenson University in Owings Mills offers four-year degrees in both. Baltimore City Community College offers a two-year fashion design degree that many students use as a step toward a bachelor’s. The table below compares them on tuition, yearly cost after grants, graduation and earnings.
Compare the 2 Fashion Schools in Maryland
| School | City | Type | Tuition/yr | Yearly cost after grants | Admit rate | Grad rate | Median earnings | Program focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore City Community Collegefederal data | Baltimore | Public | $3,314 | $14,635 | - | 13% | $39,370 | Design & TextilesAssociate |
| Stevenson Universityfederal data | Owings Mills | Private | $41,278 | $24,904 | 79% | 68% | $69,703 | Design + MerchBachelor's |
Showing all 2 schools
Studying in the Washington, DC area? Our guide to fashion schools in Washington, DC compares UDC, Howard and Marymount, with Stevenson and VCU farther out, plus DC rent, Metro fares, DCTAG and Virginia grants.
For a list of design programs only, see fashion design schools in Maryland.
Maryland’s Fashion Programs, One by One
Stevenson University (Owings Mills)
Stevenson offers two separate bachelor’s degrees.
- Fashion Design (B.S.): 70 credits of major courses, studio work in apparel construction and materials, and a 3-credit internship. Past internship sites include Holland and Sherry and Tom James. Seniors show a seven-look collection at the spring fashion show.
- Fashion Merchandising (B.S.): taught in the Brown School of Business and Leadership, with specialized accreditation from the IACBE. Stevenson calls it Maryland’s first undergraduate fashion merchandising program. Courses include internship preparation and an internship.
A portfolio is optional for fashion design applicants, but it can help you qualify for talent-based scholarships. Both majors offer 4+1 options that lead to a master’s degree in about five years.
Cost: For 2026-27, full-time tuition is $38,970, plus $2,856 in fees (Stevenson tuition and fees). Federal figures put the yearly cost after grants at $24,904, with a 68% graduation rate for the whole university.
Baltimore City Community College (Baltimore)
BCCC’s fashion design program has three options:
- a Fashion Design AAS
- a Fashion Retailing concentration within the AAS, for retail management careers
- a Fashion Design Certificate of 43 to 46 credits, for people starting a business or building skills
Degree students learn to illustrate original designs, make patterns and construct clothing. BCCC says most graduates transfer to a bachelor’s program or find a job. It has the lowest published tuition in the state, $3,314 a year in-state. Its graduation rate is low, though: 13% across the whole college, so ask about support services and transfer planning when you apply.
How Much Does Fashion School Cost in Maryland?
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore City Community College | $3,314 in-state | $14,635 |
| Stevenson University | $41,278 | $24,904 |
Stevenson’s sticker price is more than 12 times BCCC’s, but the gap after grants is about $10,000 a year. Private colleges often give large grants of their own, so compare offers before you decide.
Paying for Fashion School in Maryland
- Educational Assistance Grant: $400 to $3,000 a year for full-time students with financial need at eligible two-year and four-year Maryland colleges. For 2026-27 the FAFSA or MHEC One-App was due by March 1 (MHEC).
- Guaranteed Access Grant: a separate MHEC grant for the lowest-income students. You cannot receive it and the Educational Assistance Grant at the same time.
Check MHEC each year, since amounts depend on the state budget.
Fashion Schools Near Maryland
With only two programs in the state, many Maryland students also look at nearby options:
- Virginia: Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond offers a B.F.A. in Fashion Design and a B.A. in Fashion Merchandising. Marymount University in Arlington is also on our Virginia page.
- Delaware: the University of Delaware offers fashion design and fashion merchandising majors. For 2026-27, non-resident tuition and fees are $45,020 (UD costs).
- Washington, D.C.: the University of the District of Columbia Community College offers an AAS in Fashion Merchandising. See our D.C. page.
- Pennsylvania: Drexel University and Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia both offer fashion design degrees.
Academic Common Market: Maryland takes part in this Southern Regional Education Board program. It can give in-state tuition at a public university in another member state for a degree that Maryland’s public colleges do not offer. No Maryland public university reports a fashion bachelor’s in federal data, so ask MHEC’s ACM coordinator whether a program you want is approved for Maryland residents (SREB).
More Maryland guides: Fashion Design Schools in Maryland
Fashion Careers in Maryland
The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts 120 fashion designers in Maryland but does not publish a Maryland median wage for them. Nationally, the median was $80,960 in May 2025. Buyers and purchasing agents, a common path for merchandising graduates, held 8,900 jobs in Maryland, with a median wage of $90,900 against $77,710 nationally (BLS).
Closed Fashion Schools Near Maryland
- The Art Institute of Washington, The Art Institute of Washington-Dulles and The Art Institute of York-Pennsylvania are listed among the closed Art Institutes locations. Their parent company went into federal receivership in January 2019 (closed-school notice).
Fashion Schools in Maryland: FAQs
What colleges offer fashion design in Maryland?
Two Maryland colleges report fashion graduates to the U.S. Department of Education. Stevenson University in Owings Mills offers a B.S. in Fashion Design and a B.S. in Fashion Merchandising. Baltimore City Community College offers a Fashion Design AAS, a Fashion Retailing concentration and a Fashion Design Certificate.
What is the cheapest fashion school in Maryland?
Baltimore City Community College has the lowest published tuition, $3,314 a year in-state, and the lowest yearly cost after grants, about $14,635, per U.S. Department of Education data. Stevenson University's cost after grants is about $24,904.
Do I need a portfolio to study fashion design at Stevenson University?
No. Stevenson says a portfolio is optional for fashion design applicants. Submitting one can strengthen your application and help you qualify for talent-based scholarships.
How much does Stevenson University cost in 2026-27?
Stevenson lists full-time tuition of $38,970 for 2026-27, plus $2,856 in fees, before housing and food. Federal figures show the average student on aid pays about $24,904 a year after grants.
Can Maryland students get in-state tuition for fashion programs in other states?
Possibly. Maryland is part of the Academic Common Market, which can give in-state tuition at public universities in member states for degrees Maryland's public colleges do not offer. Ask MHEC's ACM coordinator whether the program you want is approved.
How much do buyers and fashion designers earn in Maryland?
Buyers and purchasing agents in Maryland earned a median of $90,900 in May 2025, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. BLS counts 120 fashion designers in the state but does not publish a Maryland median; the national median was $80,960.
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.