by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 19 U.S. colleges awarded 244 degrees and certificates in Apparel & Textile Manufacture. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 36% of graduates. College Factual ranks 7 schools in its 2027 Best Apparel & Textile Manufacture 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.
A degree in Apparel & Textile Manufacture explores Apparel And Textile Manufacture. A Program That Focuses On The Design, Development, And Production Of Textile Products And Related Processes And Systems. Includes Instruction In Functional And Aesthetic Design, Human Factors Research, Production Planning, Manufacturing Processes, Quality Assessment, And Distribution Systems.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, apparel & textile manufacture is a widely-pursued major, with 244 degrees awarded annually. 19 colleges award apparel & textile manufacture degrees, an average of 13 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 86.
By level, the 244 awards include 38 certificates, 69 associate degrees, 89 bachelor’s degrees and 48 master’s degrees.
Women earned 77% of apparel & textile manufacture degrees and certificates in the latest year (188 of 244). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are Hispanic or Latino (72) and White (64), and international students earned 23.
College Factual ranks 7 schools in its 2027 Best Apparel & Textile Manufacture Schools ranking, including 1 for associate degrees and 2 for bachelor’s degrees. It also ranks apparel & textile manufacture schools within 3 states. In all, 19 colleges offer apparel & textile manufacture programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Apparel & Textile Manufacture Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common apparel & textile manufacture credential is the bachelor’s degree: 89 of the 244 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to apparel & textile manufacture call most for Speaking, Active Listening and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of English Language, Education and Training and Mathematics, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long an apparel & textile manufacture degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 38 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 69 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 89 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 48 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to apparel & textile manufacture, at 32.4%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 32.4% |
| Master’s degree | 24.6% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 14.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 7.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 6.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 5.3% |
| Some college courses | 4.2% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 3.4% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.5% |
| First professional degree | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
3 occupations are related to Apparel & Textile Manufacture, with an average median salary of $63,684; the strongest outlook belongs to Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers, at 3.9% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Home Economics Professor, Cooking Teacher, Chef Instructor and Assistant Professor.
The occupation related to apparel & textile manufacture with the most projected jobs is Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,267,153.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,267,153 | 0.4% |
| Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers | 354,760 | 3.9% |
| Fashion Designers | 259,478 | -2.9% |
Apparel & Textile Manufacture 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 same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to apparel & textile manufacture, with a median salary of $99,604.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $99,604 |
| Fashion Designers | $53,057 |
| Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers | $38,392 |
Apparel & Textile Manufacture has 5 similar majors in the Family, Consumer & Human Sciences field, which together award 2,454 degrees a year; the largest are Apparel and Textiles, General (1,846), Apparel and Textile Marketing Management (532) and Fashion and Fabric Consultant (38). Browse all Family, Consumer & Human Sciences majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Apparel and Textiles, General | 1,846 |
| Apparel and Textile Marketing Management | 532 |
| Fashion and Fabric Consultant | 38 |
| Apparel and Textiles, Other | 34 |
| Textile Science | 4 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
