by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 106 U.S. colleges awarded 2,698 degrees and certificates in Textile & Apparel Studies. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 76% of graduates. College Factual ranks 58 schools in its 2027 Best Textile & Apparel Studies Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $36,627 one year after completing, rising to $58,326 after four years.
Do you love watching Project Runway? Do you clip pages out of fashion magazines, sew your own clothes and help your friends update their wardrobes? A major in Textile and Apparel Studies could provide the education you need to pursue a career in fashion, clothing manufacturing, sales and design.
Majoring in Textile & Apparel will allow you to use your creative juices to design a product that will be appealing to consumers. You will learn about design, product, development, marketing, sales, product quality, consulting, and business ownership. Upon graduation you will be prepared to create products that appeal to local and global markets.
Some classes that you may take could include: art, apparel design, clothing construction, computer design, economics of textile, foreign language studies, history of textiles, merchandise management, product development, promotion, marketing, and sociology of clothing.
Depending on your college, you may also have the choice of concentrating in a specific area. Examples include: Apparel and Textile Manufacturing, Textile Science, Apparel and Textile Marketing Management, and Fashion and Fabric Consultant.
A degree in Textile & Apparel Studies explores Apparel And Textiles.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, textile & apparel studies is a popular field of study, with 2,698 degrees awarded annually. 106 colleges award textile & apparel studies degrees, an average of 25 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 117.
By level, the 2,698 awards include 140 certificates, 255 associate degrees, 2,062 bachelor’s degrees, 231 master’s degrees and 9 doctorates.
Women earned 86% of textile & apparel studies degrees and certificates in the latest year (2,307 of 2,698). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (1,391) and Hispanic or Latino (577), and international students earned 118.
College Factual ranks 58 schools in its 2027 Best Textile & Apparel Studies Schools ranking, including 8 for associate degrees, 46 for bachelor’s degrees and 1 for master’s degrees. It also ranks textile & apparel studies schools within 30 states. In all, 106 colleges offer textile & apparel studies programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Textile & Apparel Studies Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common textile & apparel studies credential is the bachelor’s degree: 2,062 of the 2,698 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to textile & apparel studies call most for Speaking, Active Listening and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of English Language, Education and Training and Customer and Personal Service, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
This major is great for a person who is creative and likes to stay current in fashion. You will learn all about how to forecast the next season's trends and styles. If you are a person who loves to shop, you could get a degree in something that you love. However, there is more to this major than shopping. You will study both marketing and advertising so that you can market materials within the industry.
Creativity, innovation and boldness in pursuing your vision will serve you well in both college classes and your career. You will work with new materials as you sketch and sew your own designs. Combine colors, fabrics, and shapes in new and interesting ways while designing new creations. Students should be comfortable leading, pushing limits and communicating ideas to others.
This is a very hands-on major. You will be required to complete lab work where you will work with different fabrics and dye, wash, sew, and glue them as well other treatments. This is where you will learn about what fabrics work best for various designs.
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How long a textile & apparel studies degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 140 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 255 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 2,062 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 231 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 9 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to textile & apparel studies, at 32.1%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 32.1% |
| Doctoral degree | 23.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 21.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 5.9% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 4.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.6% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.8% |
| Some college courses | 2.5% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 1.5% |
| First professional degree | 0.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
10 occupations are related to Textile & Apparel Studies, with an average median salary of $81,515; the strongest outlook belongs to Farm and Home Management Educators, at 14.0% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Adjunct Instructor, College Professor, Family Consumer Science Teacher (FCS Teacher) and Nutrition Instructor.
Graduates with a degree in Textile and Apparel Studies have a variety of career options. This broad major gives you both practical and theoretical knowledge of business, marketing and human decision making. Jobs can range from becoming a merchandise buyer to running your own business.
Graduates are well qualified for positions in production and development, merchandising, technical design, fashion writing, museum collection management, fashion consulting and theatrical costuming. Depending on your area of interest, some jobs may be highly competitive. Internships, previous work experience and an impressive portfolio will help you stand out from the pack.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to textile & apparel studies, at 1,304,119.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Farm and Home Management Educators | 1,304,119 | 14.0% |
| Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,267,153 | 0.4% |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 671,367 | 10.3% |
| Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products | 465,393 | 2.6% |
| Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers | 354,760 | 3.9% |
| Fashion Designers | 259,478 | -2.9% |
| Marketing Managers | 259,371 | -4.4% |
| Search Marketing Strategists | 199,758 | 8.2% |
Textile & Apparel Studies graduates earn a median $36,627 one year after completing their program, $58,326 after four years and $55,819 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $36,627 |
| 4 years | $58,326 |
| 5 years | $55,819 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to textile & apparel studies is Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists, with a median salary of $124,518.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | $124,518 |
| Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products | $111,183 |
| Materials Scientists | $101,265 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $99,604 |
| Marketing Managers | $90,143 |
| Search Marketing Strategists | $85,177 |
| Farm and Home Management Educators | $55,950 |
| Interior Designers | $55,861 |
Textile & Apparel Studies includes 6 concentrations that together award 2,698 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Apparel and Textiles, General (1,846), Apparel and Textile Marketing Management (532) and Apparel and Textile Manufacture (244). It has 8 similar majors in the Family, Consumer & Human Sciences field, which together award 53,594 degrees a year; the largest are Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services (45,898), Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services (3,673) and Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General (2,010). Browse all Family, Consumer & Human Sciences majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Apparel and Textiles, General | 1,846 |
| Apparel and Textile Marketing Management | 532 |
| Apparel and Textile Manufacture | 244 |
| Fashion and Fabric Consultant | 38 |
| Apparel and Textiles, Other | 34 |
| Textile Science | 4 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
