by our College Data Analytics TeamDo 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.
In 2020-2021, textile and apparel studies was the 161st most popular major nationwide with 3,313 degrees awarded. This 123 less than the prior year, a decrease of 3.7%.
This year's Best Textile & Apparel Studies Schools ranking compares 61 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of textile studies programs later in this article.
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.
textile and apparel studies degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. In addition to these basic textile and apparel studies program qualifications, to serve in some textile studies careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
Textile Studies degree levels vary. You can spend many years getting as high as a in textile and apparel studies to something that takes less time like a . The type of textile studies degree you choose will determine how long it takes to get your diploma.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to textile studies, with approximately 41.8% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for textile studies workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 42.4% |
| Master’s Degree | 16.5% |
| High School Diploma | 10.5% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 9.4% |
| Some College Courses | 8.4% |
About 62.7% of workers in careers related to textile studies obtain at least bachelor's degrees. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in textile and apparel studies have received.
This of course varies depending on which textile studies career you choose.
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.
Want a job when you graduate with your textile studies degree? Textile & Apparel Studies careers are expected to grow 5.0% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to textile and apparel studies.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing Managers | 240,400 | 10.1% |
| Wholesale and Retail Buyers | 120,300 | -2.4% |
| Interior Designers | 69,500 | 4.5% |
| Fashion Designers | 24,400 | 2.5% |
| Farm and Home Management Advisors | 11,200 | 7.7% |
Recently graduated textile and apparel studies students earned an average of $34,996 in 2019-2020. Earnings can range from as low as $22,239 to as high as $55,049. As you might expect, salaries for textile studies graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for textile and apparel studies graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers textile studies grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Marketing Managers | $147,240 |
| Fashion Designers | $87,610 |
| Interior Designers | $59,120 |
| Farm and Home Management Advisors | $52,700 |
| Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers | $49,180 |
With over 288 different textile studies degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased textile studies school rankings to help you with this.
One of 7 majors within the Family, Consumer & Human Sciences area of study, Textile & Apparel Studies has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Apparel & Textiles | 2,102 |
| Apparel & Textile Marketing Management | 834 |
| Apparel & Textile Manufacture | 289 |
| Fashion & Fabric Consultant | 47 |
| Other Apparel & Textiles | 35 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Human Development & Family Studies | 42,112 |
| Food, Nutrition & Related Services | 4,858 |
| General Family & Consumer Sciences | 2,906 |
| Family & Consumer Economics | 1,454 |
| Human Sciences Business Services | 704 |
Image Credit: By Elisa.rolle under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
