Guides for Minnesota: Fashion design schools in Minnesota · Fashion merchandising schools in Minnesota
Minnesota fashion schools at a glance (2026)
- 4 colleges offer fashion design or merchandising programs: 3 public and 1 private.
- 3 teach fashion design and 2 teach merchandising.
- Yearly cost after grants: $17,330 to $19,595 at all four.
- Lowest published tuition: Minneapolis Community and Technical College, $6,396 a year.
- Free tuition: the North Star Promise covers tuition at Minnesota public colleges for families earning under $80,000.
Four Minnesota colleges report graduates in fashion design or fashion merchandising to the U.S. Department of Education. Two are two-year colleges, one is the state’s flagship university and one is a private university in Saint Paul. After grants, all four cost between about $17,000 and $20,000 a year, so the real differences are the degree level, the location and what each program teaches.
Compare the 4 Fashion Schools in Minnesota
| School | City | Type | Tuition/yr | Yearly cost after grants | Admit rate | Grad rate | Median earnings | Program focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis Community and Technical Collegefederal data | Minneapolis | Public | $6,396 | $18,418 | - | 20% | $45,295 | Design & TextilesCertificate, associate |
| Alexandria Technical & Community Collegefederal data | Alexandria | Public | $6,530 | $19,595 | - | 63% | $53,136 | MerchandisingAssociate |
| University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesThe biggest school on this list, with 31,855 students in Minneapolis.federal data | Minneapolis | Public | $18,482 | $17,330 | 80% | 85% | $74,314 | Design & TextilesBachelor's |
| St. Catherine Universityfederal data | Saint Paul | Private | $53,214 | $19,090 | 92% | 64% | $64,729 | Design + MerchBachelor's |
Showing all 4 schools
Minnesota’s Fashion Programs, One by One
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (Minneapolis)
The University of Minnesota is the only public university on this list. Federal data lists it under fashion and apparel design, and it is the largest school here, with 31,855 students. It has the lowest yearly cost after grants of the four, $17,330, and the highest graduation rate, 85% for the whole university.
In-state tuition is $18,482 a year in the federal figures, against $41,368 for out-of-state students. The university’s website could not be checked for this guide, so confirm the current degree names, any portfolio step and 2026-27 tuition directly with its College of Design.
St. Catherine University (Saint Paul)
St. Catherine offers two fashion bachelor’s degrees through its College for Women. The B.S. in Creative and Technical Fashion Design is taught in the university’s fashion lab, where students develop digital and physical garments with 3D tools. The third year is set aside for industry immersion.
The B.S. in Fashion Merchandising & Retail Analytics is built around the work of buying and planning teams, and every student completes a professional internship. The university names Target, Best Buy, Macy’s and Nordstrom among the employers its graduates aim for. Students can also combine design with merchandising as a dual degree.
Published tuition is $53,214 a year, but grants bring the average yearly cost down to $19,090, close to the public options.
Minneapolis Community and Technical College
The college’s Fashion Design Technologies program is in downtown Minneapolis. It offers an A.A.S. degree (60 credits), a diploma (35 credits) and a certificate. The program page lists no portfolio requirement. Graduating students show their final collections at a public fashion show each year.
The college’s 2026-27 rate list shows $225.35 per credit for Fashion Design Technologies courses, and fees add $30.76 per credit (college cost page). It has the lowest published tuition on this list.
Alexandria Technical & Community College (Alexandria)
Alexandria’s Fashion Management program leads to an A.A.S. degree or a certificate, and the certificate can be taken fully online. The degree covers merchandising, retail management, marketing and visual presentation, and it includes an internship. Students can double major with Marketing & Sales Management.
Tuition and fees for 2026-27 are $230.06 per credit on campus and $249.37 per credit online. The college has no separate out-of-state rate (Alexandria tuition).
Fashion Design vs. Merchandising in Minnesota
Design. Three schools teach fashion design: the University of Minnesota, St. Catherine and Minneapolis Community and Technical College. Minneapolis is the two-year, hands-on route. The two universities lead to a bachelor’s degree. Compare all three on our page for fashion design schools in Minnesota.
Merchandising. Two schools teach merchandising: Alexandria, at the associate level, and St. Catherine, with a bachelor’s degree. Compare them on our page for fashion merchandising schools in Minnesota.
How Much Does Fashion School Cost in Minnesota?
The yearly cost after grants is the average a student on federal aid pays for a full year, including housing and food. In Minnesota the four schools are unusually close on this measure.
| School | Published tuition | Yearly cost after grants |
|---|---|---|
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | $18,482 | $17,330 |
| Minneapolis Community and Technical College | $6,396 | $18,418 |
| St. Catherine University | $53,214 | $19,090 |
| Alexandria Technical & Community College | $6,530 | $19,595 |
The two-year colleges have the lowest tuition, but their cost after grants is higher than tuition because it includes living costs. Students who live at home pay far less than these averages.
Paying for Fashion School in Minnesota
- North Star Promise. Minnesota residents with a family income (AGI) below $80,000 can get free tuition and required fees at Minnesota State colleges and universities, all University of Minnesota campuses and Tribal colleges. It pays what is left after other grants, up to 60 credits for a two-year degree and 120 for a four-year degree. It does not cover housing, food, books or supplies. St. Catherine is private, so it does not qualify. (North Star Promise fact sheet)
- Minnesota State Grant. A need-based grant for Minnesota residents at more than 130 eligible colleges in the state. The average full-time award was about $3,406 in 2024. (Office of Higher Education)
- How to apply. File the FAFSA, or the Minnesota Alternative State Financial Aid Application if you can’t file the FAFSA. Both grants use it.
Routes: Two-Year Start, Transfer and Online
The two-year colleges are the cheapest start, and North Star Promise can cover their tuition for eligible families. Both offer career A.A.S. degrees, which do not always transfer in full. If you plan to finish a bachelor’s degree, ask the university which of your courses will count before you enroll. For distance study, Alexandria’s Fashion Management certificate is fully online. Online bachelor’s degrees from other states are compared in our online fashion degrees guide.
Fashion Careers in Minnesota
Minnesota has more retail and buying jobs than design jobs. Figures are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for May 2025:
| Job | Jobs in Minnesota | Median pay in Minnesota | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fashion designers | 420 | $42,110 | $80,960 |
| Buyers and purchasing agents (all industries) | 10,960 | $80,370 | $77,710 |
Buyers in Minnesota earn more than the national median, while design pay is about half of it. Two large retailers have their head offices in the Twin Cities: Target in Minneapolis and Best Buy in Richfield. That makes merchandising, buying and planning the strongest local career paths.
Fashion Schools Near Minnesota
Minnesota has tuition agreements with some neighbouring states that lower tuition for Minnesotans at public universities there.
- North Dakota State University (Fargo) offers Apparel, Retail Merchandising & Design, with tracks in fashion product development, fashion entrepreneurship and retail merchandising, and an affiliation with the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Minnesota residents pay NDSU’s Minnesota reciprocity rate once the state approves their reciprocity application. (NDSU program, NDSU reciprocity)
- University of Wisconsin-Stout (Menomonie) offers a B.S. in Fashion Design & Development and holds the annual Stout Fashion Show. Minnesota residents apply for Wisconsin reciprocity through the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. (UW-Stout program, UW reciprocity)
- Iowa State University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison also report fashion programs. See the Iowa and Wisconsin guides below.
Closed Minnesota Fashion Schools
- Art Institutes International Minnesota stopped enrolling new students in 2016 and has since closed. Every Art Institutes campus had closed by September 30, 2023.
Fashion Schools in Minnesota: FAQs
What is the cheapest fashion school in Minnesota?
By yearly cost after grants, the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities is lowest at about $17,330, per U.S. Department of Education data. By published tuition, Minneapolis Community and Technical College is lowest at $6,396 a year. All four schools cost between about $17,000 and $20,000 a year after grants.
Can I study fashion for free in Minnesota?
Possibly. The North Star Promise covers tuition and required fees at Minnesota public colleges and universities for Minnesota residents with a family income (AGI) below $80,000, after other grants. It does not cover housing, food, books or supplies, and private colleges such as St. Catherine are not included.
Which Minnesota schools teach fashion design?
Three: the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, St. Catherine University (B.S. in Creative and Technical Fashion Design) and Minneapolis Community and Technical College (Fashion Design Technologies A.A.S., diploma and certificate).
Can I study fashion merchandising online in Minnesota?
Alexandria Technical & Community College offers its Fashion Management certificate completely online. Its A.A.S. degree and St. Catherine's merchandising degree are campus programs.
Can Minnesota students get lower tuition in North Dakota or Wisconsin?
Yes, through tuition reciprocity. For example, Minnesota residents at North Dakota State University pay its Minnesota reciprocity rate once the Minnesota Office of Higher Education approves their application. Apply through the state's MNAid portal.
How much do fashion designers earn in Minnesota?
The median wage for fashion designers in Minnesota was $42,110 in May 2025, about half the U.S. median of $80,960, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Buyers and purchasing agents in Minnesota earned a median of $80,370, above the national figure.
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, except the University of Minnesota, whose site could not be reached. See our methodology. Spot an error? Tell us and we’ll fix it.