North Dakota fashion schools at a glance (2026)
- 1 college reports fashion graduates: North Dakota State University in Fargo.
- Program: Apparel, Retail Merchandising & Design, covering both design and merchandising.
- 2026-27 tuition: $5,230 a semester for North Dakota residents, plus fees.
- Yearly cost after grants: $15,636 on average.
- Nearby discounts: North Dakotans can pay South Dakota State’s resident rate under the South Dakota Advantage.
North Dakota has one college that reports fashion graduates to the U.S. Department of Education: North Dakota State University (NDSU). Its program combines product development, entrepreneurship and retail merchandising, and it has an affiliation with the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. This guide covers NDSU in detail and the lower-cost options for North Dakotans in neighbouring states.
Fashion School in North Dakota: The Data
| School | City | Type | Tuition/yr | Yearly cost after grants | Admit rate | Grad rate | Median earnings | Program focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota State Universityfederal data | Fargo | Public | $11,738 | $15,636 | 95% | 65% | $65,925 | Design + MerchCertificate, bachelor's, master's |
Showing the 1 school
North Dakota State University (Fargo)
NDSU’s Apparel, Retail Merchandising & Design program offers three options:
- Fashion product development: the design and making side of the industry.
- Fashion entrepreneurship: for students who want to start or run a fashion business.
- Retail merchandising: buying, planning and selling.
The program’s affiliation with the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City lets students earn credits there. Students can also take study tours to national and international destinations for credit. A minor and an undergraduate certificate are available for students in other majors, and federal data also lists a master’s-level award.
NDSU is a public university with 9,471 students. Its admit rate is 95%, its graduation rate is 65% for the whole university, and the median earnings of its former students are $65,925, per College Scorecard.
How Much Does NDSU Cost?
NDSU sets different rates for students from different places. These are its full-time base rates for 2026-27 (13 or more credits):
| Where you live | Tuition per semester | Tuition per year |
|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $5,230.00 | $10,460 |
| Minnesota (approved for reciprocity) | $5,857.50 | $11,715 |
| Montana, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Manitoba, Saskatchewan | $6,276.50 | $12,553 |
| Other U.S. states (including WUE and MSEP students) | $7,845.00 | $15,690 |
Mandatory student fees are $71.70 a credit, up to $860.40 a semester, and apparel, retail merchandising and design courses can carry their own course fees (NDSU 2026-27 rates). A North Dakota resident pays about $12,181 a year in tuition and fees before housing.
The federal yearly cost after grants, which includes housing and food, averages $15,636 for students on federal aid. Students who live at home in Fargo pay less.
Paying for Fashion School in North Dakota
- File the FAFSA. It is the application for federal Pell Grants, and NDSU uses it to build your aid package.
- Use your residency. North Dakota residents pay NDSU’s lowest rate. Out of state, they qualify for discounts at South Dakota State and UW-Stout, below.
Lower-Cost Options in Nearby States
- South Dakota State University (Brookings) offers Fashion Studies and Retail Merchandising. North Dakota is on the South Dakota Advantage list, so new freshmen and transfers pay $273 a credit in 2026-27, the same as South Dakota residents, plus a $53-per-credit activity fee (SDSU tuition).
- University of Wisconsin-Stout (Menomonie) offers a B.S. in Fashion Design & Development with retail courses. North Dakota residents pay its Midwest Tuition & MSEP estimate of $15,898 a year in tuition and fees, against $20,939 for other non-residents (UW-Stout tuition).
- Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE). North Dakota is a WUE state, so participating western public universities charge eligible North Dakotans no more than 150% of their resident tuition (WICHE). The University of Idaho’s Apparel, Textiles and Design program charges WUE students $13,538 a year in 2026-27, against $29,300 for other non-residents (University of Idaho costs).
- Minnesota has four fashion colleges, including the University of Minnesota. See the Minnesota guide below.
Fashion Careers in North Dakota
The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish a fashion designer count or wage for North Dakota. Buyers and purchasing agents are a larger group: 880 jobs in May 2025, with a median wage of $76,400, close to the U.S. median of $77,710. That makes NDSU’s retail merchandising option the most practical in-state career path. Design graduates may need to look to larger markets, and NDSU’s FIT affiliation is one way to make contacts in New York.
Fashion Schools in North Dakota: FAQs
Is there a fashion school in North Dakota?
Yes. North Dakota State University in Fargo is the only North Dakota college that reports fashion graduates to the U.S. Department of Education. Its Apparel, Retail Merchandising & Design program has options in fashion product development, fashion entrepreneurship and retail merchandising.
How much does NDSU's fashion program cost?
For 2026-27, NDSU's full-time base tuition is $5,230 a semester for North Dakota residents, plus mandatory fees of up to $860.40 a semester. Apparel courses can carry their own course fees. The federal average yearly cost after grants, including housing and food, is $15,636.
Does NDSU have a connection to FIT in New York?
Yes. NDSU says its apparel program has an affiliation with the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City that lets students earn credits there. Students can also take study tours for credit.
Can North Dakota students pay less at fashion programs in other states?
Yes. South Dakota State University charges new freshmen and transfers from North Dakota its resident rate, $273 a credit in 2026-27, under the South Dakota Advantage. UW-Stout charges North Dakotans its Midwest rate of $15,898 a year, and western schools in the WUE program cap tuition at 150% of their resident rate.
How much do fashion jobs pay in North Dakota?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish a fashion designer wage for North Dakota. Buyers and purchasing agents in the state earned a median of $76,400 in May 2025, close to the U.S. median of $77,710.
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.