Finding a fashion school that’s right for you can feel like a daunting task. After all, the amount of available options are wide, varied, and vast—much like the fashion industry itself. The good news: Lots of options means you can be highly selective in choosing a program that’s tailored to your dream career. Have aspirations of seeing your own collection on the runway? There’s definitely a fashion design program for you. Love texture, color, and prints? A fabric design or textile-focused curriculum is the way to go. Savvy with numbers and building strategies? Buying, merchandising, and marketing tracks are out there, too.

Regardless of your ultimate goals, it’s important to take a holistic approach to selecting a fashion school that works for you. Look for a program that balances exploration, expertise, creativity, and discipline. This is college after all—it’s meant to be a time of discovery! The most important thing is that your experience aligns with your unique set of ambitions, interests, and values.

To make the search a little easier, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of the top fashion schools in the country, all of which receive top marks across key categories: specialized programs, diverse curriculums, study-abroad courses, extracurriculars, and internship opportunities. Of course, we also looked at each school’s facilities, location, alumni networks, and faculty. Take a peek below, and try not to stress: your place in the fashionable future your dreams is in reach.

New York, NY

When it comes to the elements that make up a strong fashion program, FIT scores high marks across the board. With over 48 undergraduate degree programs, students are sure to partake in a track that sets them up for success—no matter which career path they are hoping to pursue. Plus, being in the heart of New York City with easy access to internship and networking opportunities (and a place on the NYFW calendar) doesn’t hurt either. Many of the faculty are industry veterans or still working at high-level roles within the fashion industry—guaranteeing that students receive tangible experiences and an of-the-moment curriculum.

Undergraduate Programs: Fashion Design, Fashion Business Management, Advertising and Marketing Communications, Textile Development and Marketing, Technical Design, etc.
Number of Students: 8,100 Students
Prominent Alumni: Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Nina Garcia, Carolina Herrera, Norma Kamali

It would be an understatement to say that Parsons is the quintessential American school for fashion design—after all, it ignited the careers of hallmark designers like Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, and Anna Sui. The school has also partnered with industry mainstays like Kering, Tory Burch, and Swarovski in addition organizations such as the United Nations and Special Olympics to construct diverse and meaningful plans of study. To that end, their fashion design curriculum takes a holistic approach to design, tapping into the art of concept theory and employing concrete application of cutting-edge technology which culminates in an always well-attended final fashion show in the middle of the country’s fashion capital of NYC.