Also in Missouri: All fashion schools in Missouri
Five Missouri colleges report a fashion design program to the U.S. Department of Education. Three are private: Washington University in St. Louis, Stephens College and Lindenwood University. Two are public: the University of Missouri and Missouri State University. This page compares their costs and explains what each program teaches, what it asks of applicants and how it differs from the others.
Missouri fashion design at a glance
- 5 colleges offer a program covering fashion design, all at the bachelor’s level.
- Studio design BFAs: Washington University in St. Louis, Stephens College and Lindenwood University.
- Lowest yearly cost after grants: Washington University in St. Louis, $13,360, thanks to large aid awards. It is also the most selective, admitting about 12% of applicants.
- Fashion design jobs in Missouri: about 200 (BLS, May 2025).
Fashion Design programs in Missouri
| School | City | Type | Tuition (in-state) | Average net price | Program focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington University in St. Louisfederal data | St. Louis | Private | $69,594 | $13,360 | Design |
| Missouri State University-Springfieldfederal data | Springfield | Public | $10,128 | $17,270 | Design and merchandising |
| Stephens Collegefederal data | Columbia | Private | $29,450 | $19,741 | Design and merchandising |
| University of Missouri-Columbiafederal data | Columbia | Public | $15,548 | $21,142 | Design and merchandising |
| Lindenwood Universityfederal data | Saint Charles | Private | $22,794 | $21,443 | Design and merchandising |
Source: tuition and average net price (yearly cost after grants, for students receiving federal aid) from College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, retrieved November 1, 2026. Program lists: IPEDS completions, 2022-23 and 2023-24. Each “federal data” link opens that school’s record.
What it costs
5 colleges in Missouri report a program covering fashion design. Net price, what students actually pay after grants, ranges from $13,360 at Washington University in St. Louis to $21,443 at Lindenwood University, with a median of $19,741 a year. Net price includes living costs, so students who live at home usually pay less. The full list of Missouri schools, including the merchandising programs at the University of Central Missouri and Southeast Missouri State, is on our guide to fashion schools in Missouri. The national fashion design directory compares these programs with other states.
The programs, school by school
Washington University in St. Louis
WashU’s Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts offers a BFA in Fashion Design of 121 credits. After a foundation year, students take studios in fashion drawing, textiles and surface design, pattern drafting, draping and product development, then two capstone courses. In the senior year each BFA student designs a capsule collection, which is reviewed by outside fashion professionals and shown at the annual WashU Fashion Design Show, held for the 97th time in April 2026.
Portfolio: required. Sam Fox asks College of Art applicants for 10 to 20 works, reviewed alongside the university’s admission decision (Sam Fox portfolio FAQ).
Cost: 2026-27 tuition is $71,310. The WashU Pledge covers tuition, housing, food and fees for students from Missouri and southern Illinois whose families earn $75,000 or less. Federal data shows an average cost after grants of $13,360, the lowest of the five.
Stephens College (Columbia)
Stephens, a private college, offers a BFA in Fashion Design & Product Development. Its student designer show was established in 1944, and its Costume Museum and Research Library holds the Matilda Magnus Price Fashion Collection of more than 13,000 pieces dating back to 1730. The sample schedule includes a New York study tour and a trip to Kansas City Fashion Week. Stephens also offers a BBA concentration in Fashion Marketing and Management.
Cost: Stephens lists 2026-27 base tuition of $28,634, plus technology, activities and health fees. The Stephens Promise can cover up to four years of tuition for full-time students whose adjusted family income is $75,000 or less.
Lindenwood University (St. Charles)
Lindenwood’s BFA in Fashion Design and Technology is a 60-hour fashion program that starts with design foundations and moves into fashion illustration, costume design and accessories. It is offered in a blended format. Lindenwood also has a Fashion Business and Entrepreneurship degree for students who lean toward the business side. Federal data shows an average cost after grants of $21,443, the highest of the five.
University of Missouri (Columbia)
Mizzou’s Textile and Apparel Management B.S. has two emphases. Apparel Product Development covers the apparel design and development process from concept to consumer, and the other emphasis covers retailing and digital merchandising. Students build experience through field study, internships and student organizations. Mizzou estimates 2026-27 tuition and fees for Missouri residents at about $16,162 to $20,290 a year, depending on major.
Missouri State University (Springfield)
Missouri State offers an undergraduate major in fashion design, merchandising and branding, plus certificates in digital fashion design and fashion merchandising, in its School of Construction, Design and Project Management. The undergraduate program is not offered online. It has the lowest published tuition on this list, $10,128 a year for Missouri residents in federal data.
Public, private or community college?
The 2 public colleges on this list average $19,206 a year in net price, against $18,181 for the 3 private ones. The exception worth noticing is Washington University in St. Louis, where aid brings the net price down to $13,360, below the public average. None of these programs is at a two-year college, so students who want to save money can take general education courses at a local community college first and transfer into one of the universities above.
Studio design or product development?
If you want to sketch, drape, sew and build collections, the three BFA programs at WashU, Stephens and Lindenwood are the closest fit. Mizzou’s Apparel Product Development emphasis and Missouri State’s major mix design with merchandising and branding, which suits students aiming for jobs with brands and retailers. Both public options cost less in published tuition, but the private colleges often give enough aid to close the gap.
Portfolios: what Missouri programs ask for
WashU is the only program here that clearly requires a portfolio to apply, 10 to 20 works. The other four do not list one on the pages we checked, but ask each school, especially if you want scholarship consideration. A good portfolio for WashU shows drawing from observation, work in more than one medium and a short series that shows how you develop an idea.
Paying for it
Missouri residents with financial need can get an Access Missouri grant by filing the FAFSA by February 1. Students must enroll full time, and award amounts change each year with state funding. WashU and Stephens both run income-based programs, the WashU Pledge and the Stephens Promise, for families earning $75,000 or less. Missouri belongs to the Midwest Student Exchange Program, but none of these five design programs is listed among its participating Missouri schools.
Fashion design jobs in Missouri
| Job | Jobs in Missouri | Median pay in Missouri | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fashion designers | 200 | Not published | $80,960 |
| Buyers and purchasing agents (all industries) | 8,070 | $65,650 | $77,710 |
Figures are from the BLS for May 2025 (Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics). The BLS counts about 200 fashion designer jobs in Missouri but does not publish a state median for them.
Closed programs
Fontbonne University in the St. Louis area, which reported fashion graduates in recent federal data, closed after its summer 2025 term (Fontbonne closure FAQ). The Art Institute of St. Louis has also closed. Neither is included above.
Nearby states
Compare Missouri’s programs with fashion design schools in Illinois, and with our guides to fashion schools in Kansas and Iowa, where Kansas State and Iowa State both offer design options.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest fashion design program in Missouri?
Washington University in St. Louis in St. Louis has the lowest net price on this list, $13,360 a year.
How many Missouri colleges offer fashion design?
5 colleges on our list offer a program covering fashion design, 2 of them public.
Do I need a portfolio for a fashion design program?
Most bachelor’s design programs ask for a portfolio or review one during the first year, while community college programs usually admit without one. Check each school’s requirements.
Which Missouri fashion design program needs a portfolio?
Washington University in St. Louis asks College of Art applicants for 10 to 20 works. The other programs on this list do not list a portfolio requirement, so confirm with each school.
Is there a two-year fashion design program in Missouri?
Not on our list. All five Missouri programs are bachelor’s degrees, so students who want to save money often take general courses at a community college first and then transfer.
What happened to Fontbonne University’s fashion program?
Fontbonne closed after its summer 2025 term, so it no longer enrolls students.
Schools identified via U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions (fashion/apparel design CIP 50.0407, apparel and textiles 19.09). Tuition and average net price are from College Scorecard, retrieved November 1, 2026, the same figures as our Missouri guide. Program names, portfolio rules and 2026-27 rates were checked on each school’s site on November 1 and 2, 2026. See our methodology. Spot an error? Tell us.