Fourteen Pennsylvania colleges offer fashion or merchandising programs, based on U.S. Department of Education data — and most of them cluster around Philadelphia, the city whose textile schools once clothed half the country. Published in-state tuition runs from $4,632 at Community College of Philadelphia to $66,246 at Carnegie Mellon. The comparison below covers the best fashion schools in Pennsylvania on cost, size, and focus. Data updated July 2026.
Compare All 14 Fashion Schools in Pennsylvania
| School | City | Type | Tuition/yr | Net price/yr | Enrollment | Program focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster County Career and Technology CenterCareer and technology center with certificate training; no standard published tuition. | Willow Street | Public | - | $17,505 | 279 | Merchandising |
| Community College of PhiladelphiaCheapest sticker in the state: $4,632 in-state, in the middle of Philadelphia. | Philadelphia | Public | $4,632 | $11,911 | 11,948 | Merchandising |
| Montgomery County Community CollegeBlue Bell campus with the region's lowest net price: $11,124. | Blue Bell | Public | $6,690 | $11,124 | 7,301 | Merchandising |
| Harrisburg Area Community CollegeHarrisburg's community college at $6,975 in-state. | Harrisburg | Public | $6,975 | $14,471 | 9,533 | Merchandising |
| Cheyney University of PennsylvaniaThe country's oldest HBCU, west of Philadelphia, with 617 students. | Cheyney | Public | $10,904 | $14,265 | 617 | Merchandising |
| Indiana University of PennsylvaniaWestern Pennsylvania public. Net ($16,804) runs above the in-state sticker once housing counts. | Indiana | Public | $11,380 | $16,804 | 6,764 | Merchandising |
| Pennsylvania College of TechnologyPenn State-affiliated technical college in Williamsport. | Williamsport | Public | $18,240 | $25,110 | 4,464 | Merchandising |
| Temple UniversityPhiladelphia's big public option: 20,970 students, $23,011 in-state. | Philadelphia | Public | $23,011 | $28,198 | 20,970 | Merchandising |
| Immaculata UniversityChester County Catholic university with a fashion merchandising track. | Immaculata | Private | $29,330 | $24,258 | 1,320 | Merchandising |
| Mercyhurst UniversityErie private where aid drops $45,770 to $19,444 net. | Erie | Private | $45,770 | $19,444 | 2,191 | Merchandising |
| Thomas Jefferson UniversityThe former Philadelphia University, whose textile and fashion program dates to 1884, in East Falls. | Philadelphia | Private | $47,505 | $28,928 | 3,755 | Design + Merch |
| Arcadia UniversityGlenside private just north of Philadelphia. | Glenside | Private | $49,610 | $29,466 | 1,948 | Merchandising |
| Saint Joseph's University - PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia Jesuit university at a $29,689 average net. | Philadelphia | Private | $53,260 | $29,689 | 4,948 | Merchandising |
| Carnegie Mellon UniversityReports an apparel and textiles program under the federal design code. Confirm the current program before applying. | Pittsburgh | Private | $66,246 | $31,944 | 7,304 | Design & Textiles |
Showing 14 of 14 schools
Best Fashion Schools in Pennsylvania: Three Standouts
Thomas Jefferson University
The deepest fashion heritage in the state: Jefferson’s East Falls campus is the former Philadelphia University, whose textile and fashion program descends from the Philadelphia Textile School founded in 1884. It reports both design and merchandising tracks today. Sticker is $47,505; average net after aid is $28,928.
Temple University
Philadelphia’s big public option: 20,970 students in North Philadelphia with merchandising coursework at $23,011 in-state tuition — less than half Jefferson’s sticker — and a $28,198 average net.
Community College of Philadelphia
The budget door into the same city: $4,632 in-state tuition, the lowest in Pennsylvania, with fashion coursework downtown and a transfer path to Jefferson or Temple for the bachelor’s years.
Fashion Design Schools vs. Fashion Merchandising Schools in Pennsylvania
Most of the list leans fashion merchandising — Temple, Immaculata, Mercyhurst, Arcadia, Saint Joseph’s, and the community colleges. For fashion design, Jefferson is the main CIP-listed option, with one caveat worth knowing: Drexel’s well-known design program reports under general art codes, so it doesn’t appear in this table — if you’re comparing Philadelphia design degrees, put Drexel and Jefferson side by side directly. Carnegie Mellon also reports an apparel entry under the textiles code; confirm the current program with the university before applying.
How Much Does Fashion School Cost in Pennsylvania?
Community colleges run $11,124–$14,471 net. The public universities land at $16,804–$28,198. Among privates, Mercyhurst is the aid surprise — $45,770 sticker down to $19,444 net — while Jefferson, Arcadia, and Saint Joseph’s cluster at $28,900–$29,700. Cheyney, the country’s oldest HBCU, offers the smallest classes on the list at 617 students and a $14,265 net.
Fashion Schools in Pennsylvania: FAQs
What is the cheapest fashion school in Pennsylvania?
Community College of Philadelphia has the lowest published tuition at $4,632 in-state, and Montgomery County Community College has the lowest average net price at $11,124 a year, per U.S. Department of Education data.
Which Pennsylvania school is best for fashion?
Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia carries the deepest heritage - its fashion and textile program descends from the 1884-founded Philadelphia Textile School - and reports both design and merchandising tracks. Temple is the big public alternative at less than half Jefferson's sticker for in-state students.
How much does fashion school cost per year in Pennsylvania?
Published in-state tuition runs from $4,632 (Community College of Philadelphia) to $66,246 (Carnegie Mellon). Most privates net out at $19,000-$32,000 after aid; the community colleges stay under $15,000.
Does Drexel have a fashion program?
Yes - Drexel's well-known fashion design program reports under general art and design codes rather than the apparel codes this list is built from, so it doesn't appear in the table. If you're comparing Philadelphia design programs, put Drexel and Jefferson side by side directly.
Fashion Schools in Nearby States
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. 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.