Merchandising is the business engine of the fashion industry — buying, planning, brand management, retail strategy — and it’s taught at 159 US colleges in our data. These ten stand out, based on U.S. Department of Education data and the program research behind our state guides. They’re grouped by what makes each one worth the application, not force-ranked. Every school links to its state guide for the full local comparison. Figures updated November 2026.
The Scale Leaders
University of North Texas — Denton, TX. The largest fashion merchandising program in the country, per the university, plus the only Digital Retailing B.S. $11,309 in-state.
Washington State University — Pullman, WA. A four-year apparel program with a dedicated merchandising major. $13,888 in-state.
Kent State University — Kent, OH. One of the Midwest’s biggest fashion programs; $13,628 in-state, $20,294 average net.
The Specialists
LIM College — Manhattan. Has taught only the business of fashion since 1939; internships threaded through the degree. $41,549 average net.
Thomas Jefferson University — Philadelphia. Fashion merchandising heritage running back to the 1884 Philadelphia Textile School. $25,555 average net.
Florida State University — Tallahassee. The Fashion, Merchandising and Product Development major in FSU’s entrepreneurship college, which signed a UNIQLO partnership in 2025. $5,656 in-state.
The Accredited and the Flagships
Cal Poly Pomona — Pomona, CA. Its apparel program is accredited by TAPAC, the textile and apparel accreditor. $8,147 in-state.
University of Georgia — Athens, GA. Merchandising inside a 32,000-student flagship at the lowest university net price in its state: $13,636.
The Value Plays
CUNY New York City College of Technology — Brooklyn. A four-year fashion business degree in New York City at a $2,818 average net.
Dallas College — Dallas. Merchandising and design at the El Centro campus near the Dallas Market Center; about $5,940 total tuition for the full associate degree.
How to choose between them
Merchandising degrees are more alike than design degrees, so the decision usually comes down to cost and market access. If you want the biggest alumni network in buying and planning, UNT’s scale is hard to beat. If you want Manhattan showroom internships, LIM and City Tech put you there at very different prices. And if budget rules, the value plays get you the same core coursework for a fraction of the cost — the full national list of 159 programs sorts every option by state, and each state guide shows real net prices side by side.
Figures from U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard reporting, retrieved October 31 and November 1, 2026. Program details verified against school websites. Reviewed by Anki P · Methodology.
Sources
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, retrieved October 31 and November 1, 2026: University of North Texas, Washington State University, Kent State University at Kent, LIM College, Thomas Jefferson University, Florida State University, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, University of Georgia, CUNY New York City College of Technology, Dallas College.
- Dallas College tuition ($99 per credit hour for Dallas County residents) and El Centro fashion programs, retrieved November 2, 2026
- FSU News, Jim Moran College partnership with UNIQLO (October 2025), retrieved October 31, 2026