by our College Data Analytics Team
[Fashion Merchandising](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/specialized-sales-merchandising-marketing/fashion-merchandising/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong fashion merchandising education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for fashion merchandising students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in fashion merchandising, balancing cost against outcomes.
Our analysis ranked Nassau Community College the best value for a degree in fashion merchandising in New York. Set in the suburb of Garden City, Nassau Community College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,330, with out-of-state students paying around $12,130. Fashion Merchandising graduates carry a median of $11,850 in student loans. Early-career fashion merchandising graduates make about $38,734. Set against $11,850 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Cuny New York City College Of Technology earned it the #2 place for fashion merchandising. Located in the city of Brooklyn, Cuny New York City College Of Technology is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,332, with out-of-state students paying around $15,282. Typical student debt for fashion merchandising graduates is $11,492. Fashion Merchandising graduates of Cuny New York City College Of Technology earn a median of $27,276 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
Genesee Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fashion merchandising, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the town of Batavia, Genesee Community College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,900, with out-of-state students paying around $6,500. Fashion Merchandising graduates carry a median of $15,991 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fashion merchandising degree recipients from Genesee Community College generally make around $40,106. That is a strong return on a $15,991 median debt.
Fashion Institute Of Technology is a great value for students pursuing a degree in fashion merchandising, landing the #4 spot this year. Fashion Institute Of Technology is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of New York. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,174, compared with $22,696 for out-of-state students. Fashion Merchandising graduates carry a median of $16,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, fashion merchandising degree recipients from Fashion Institute Of Technology generally make around $33,248. That is a strong return on a $16,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 60%.
A rank of #5 makes Berkeley College New York one of the best values for fashion merchandising. Berkeley College New York is a mid-sized private for-profit school located in the city of New York. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $28,529. Typical student debt for fashion merchandising graduates is $29,604. Fashion Merchandising graduates of Berkeley College New York earn a median of $26,682 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $29,604 median debt.
Lim College came in at #6 for value in fashion merchandising this year. Lim College is a small private for-profit school located in the city of New York. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $33,504. Typical student debt for fashion merchandising graduates is $27,000. Early-career fashion merchandising graduates make about $35,708. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Lim College admits about 96% of applicants.
Marist College ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value fashion merchandising schools. Marist College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Poughkeepsie. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $47,620. Fashion Merchandising graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career fashion merchandising graduates make about $47,137. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 56%.
The New School landed the #8 spot for fashion merchandising value this year. Located in the city of New York, The New School is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $58,730 in tuition and fees. Fashion Merchandising graduates carry a median of $24,460 in student loans. Fashion Merchandising graduates of The New School earn a median of $41,562 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,460 median debt. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.