11 Cheapest Online Degrees in Fashion Merchandising

“Clothes mean nothing until someone lives in them.” – Marc Jacobs. Fashion can mean different things to different people. The majority of people across the world are influenced by fashion – the way of dressing in this context. It has the ability to create connections and shape lives.

Fashion Merchandising is a subset of business that seeks to forecast, analyze and offer the latest trends in fashion to consumers.

What is Fashion Merchandising?

Fashion Merchandising involves analyzing fashion market trends, predict upcoming trends considering both style and color, determining suitable price brackets for different types of clothing and estimating required sizes and quantities of commodities.

Where do Fashion Merchandisers work?

A fashion merchandising professional can choose to work across various sectors in the fashion merchandising industry as fashion event coordinators, trend analysts, import/export managers, visual merchandisers, salespersons, merchandise coordinator and more.

Fashion Merchandising versus Fashion Design

FASHION MERCHANDISINGFASHION DESIGN
Is a subset of business that applies some principles from business administration. Involves the process of analyzing fashion trends, developing strategies for marketing, creating awareness of a brand, etc.  Although it may consider fashion trends, it does not necessarily indulge in creating or designing clothing and accessories.Is a field that designs different types of clothing and accessories. Involves the artistic approach of analyzing and creating designs based on trends in fashion or from scratch. Considers and analyzes trends in the fashion market to produce clothing and accessories that people can connect and relate to.

What degree is best for merchandising?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer for this because each level of degree in Fashion Merchandising allows individuals to develop skills and knowledge according to their capacity. However, an associate’s degree can help graduates to pursue entry level careers in this field. Likewise, acquiring a bachelor’s and master’s degree can help progress their careers further.

Have a look at the available types of online degrees:

Type of DegreeCredits (may vary)DurationAdmission Requirements (vary by the college)
Associate’s Degree60 credit hours2 yearsGED/Meet GPA Requirements
Bachelor’s Degree120 credit hours4 yearsOfficial High School Transcripts/Minimum Required GPA
Master’s Degree30-60 credit hours2 yearsBachelor’s Degree in a related field.

4 Online Associates Degree in Fashion Merchandising

1. Southern New Hampshire University

Program: Associate of Science – Fashion Merchandising

Tuition: $320/credit hour

Accreditation: The program is accredited by the ACBSP. The university is regionally accredited by the NECHE.

Ranking: The university is ranked #123 in Best Colleges for Business in America.

Financial Aid: Available, with 86% of students receiving financial aid.

The SNHU’s Fashion Merchandising 2-year flexible online program provides students the opportunity to combine their passion and contemporary trends in fashion to build skills that are in demand for a future career across fashion industries.

2.LIM College

Program: AAS – Fashion Merchandising and Management

Tuition: $613/credit hour

Accreditation: The Fashion Merchandising and Management program is accredited by the ACBSP. The college is regionally accredited by the MSCHE.

Ranking: The college is ranked #21 in Best Colleges for Business in New York.

Financial Aid: Available, with 98% of students receiving financial aid.

This program focuses on preparing students for a long-term career in the Fashion Merchandising industry. Students will get to learn a variety of coursework on the latest fashion trends with basic business courses in retailing, merchandising, marketing and more.

3. Berkeley College

Program: AAS – Fashion Merchandising and Management

Tuition: $890/credit hour

Accreditation: The Fashion Merchandising and Management program is accredited by the IACBE. The college is regionally accredited by the MSCHE.

Financial Aid: Available, with 96% of students receiving financial aid.

The associate’s degree in Fashion Merchandising and Management focuses on the business area of the fashion industry that aims to help train students in aspects of consumer behavior, merchandising, retail, sales and marketing to name a few.

4. Academy of Art University

Program: Associate of Arts – Fashion Merchandising

Tuition: $1,072/unit (resident); $1,156/unit (international student)

Accreditation: The Fashion Merchandising program is accredited by the NASAD. The university is regionally accredited by the WSCUC.

Financial Aid: Available, with 88% of students receiving financial aid.

This program introduces students to the world of fashion business where they will learn dynamic concepts, trends and problem-solving skills required in Fashion Merchandising. This degree will allow individuals to build the basics required for further educational pursuit.

4 Online Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Merchandising

1. Southern New Hampshire University

Program: Bachelor of Science – Fashion Merchandising

Tuition: $320/credit hour

Accreditation: The Fashion Merchandising program is accredited by the ACBSP. The university is regionally accredited by the NECHE.

Ranking: The university is ranked #123 in Best Colleges for Business in America.

Financial Aid: Available, with 86% of students receiving financial aid.

A bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising will prepares individuals for career placements in various fields across the fashion industry as merchandising managers, fashion marketing managers, boutique managers and more.

2. LIM College

Program: Bachelor of Business Administration – Fashion Merchandising

Tuition: $613/credit hour

Accreditation: The Fashion Merchandising program is accredited by the ACBSP. The college is regionally accredited by the MSCHE.

Ranking: The college is ranked #21 in Best Colleges for Business in New York.

Financial Aid: Available, with 98% of students receiving financial aid.

The bachelor’s level of degree in Fashion Merchandising offers students a deeper comprehension on trends in fashion, developing products and also consumer behavior. The coursework is a blend that allows students to learn from both a creative and entrepreneurial stand point.

3. Berkeley College

Program: BBA – Fashion Merchandising and Management

Tuition: $890/credit hour

Accreditation: The Fashion Merchandising and Management program is accredited by the IACBE. The college is regionally accredited by the MSCHE.

Financial Aid: Available, with 96% of students receiving financial aid.

Students taking up the bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising and Management will learn how to analyze trends in business and fashion. They will be taken along various coursework that involves them to be able to integrate marketing and management processes in fashion merchandising.

4. Academy of Art University

Program: Bachelor of Fine Arts – Fashion Merchandising

Tuition: $1,072/unit (resident); $1,156/unit (international student)

Accreditation: The Fashion Merchandising program is accredited by the NASAD. The university is regionally accredited by the WSCUC.

Financial Aid: Available, with 88% of students receiving financial aid.

Acquiring a degree in this program will help students to strengthen their knowledge foundation in fashion management and merchandising. This will allow them to acquire skills that are necessary to excel in the Fashion Merchandising industry.

3 Online Master’s Degree in Fashion Merchandising

1. University of Nebraska

Program: M.S. in Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design

Tuition: $600/credit hour

Accreditation: The program is accredited by the NASAD. The university is regionally accredited by the HLC.

Ranking: The university is ranked #59 in Top Public Universities in America.

Financial Aid: Available, with 97% of students receiving financial aid.

The graduate program offers students with the opportunity to learn and develop useful skills in apparel and textile design, textile history with science and also merchandising as some of its core concentrations.

2. Iowa State University

Program: M.S. in Apparel, Merchandising and Design

Tuition: $689/credit hour

Accreditation: The Apparel, Merchandising and Design program is accredited by the NASAD. The university is regionally accredited by the HLC.

Ranking: The university is ranked #46 in Top Public Universities in America.

Financial Aid: Available, with 93% of students receiving financial aid.

The Apparel, Merchandising and Design online program will help students to extend their knowledge and creativity beyond the basics in the fashion industry. The program offers coursework that encompasses issues in the industry which include – sustainability, consumer behavior and outsourcing.

3. Academy of Art University

Program: MFA – Fashion Merchandising and Management

Tuition: $1,218/unit (resident); $1,276/unit (international)

Accreditation: The Fashion Merchandising and Management program is accredited by the NASAD. The university is regionally accredited by the WSCUC.

Financial Aid: Available, with 88% of students receiving financial aid.

After completing a master’s degree in Fashion Merchandising and Management, students will develop specialized skills that are required in the contemporary fashion merchandising environment.

What is the career path in fashion merchandising?

There are a variety of career paths to choose from with a Fashion Merchandising degree. Have a look at some of the highest paying jobs in fashion merchandising:

ProfessionMedian Annual Salary
Fashion Trend Analyst$68,320
Pattern Maker$60,623
Fashion Buyer$57,225
Salesperson$56,053
Fashion Advertising Copywriter$52,572

Source: indeed.com

US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the growth of Fashion Designer professions from 2021 through 2031. Have a look at the visual representation below:

 Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Is Fashion Merchandising degree worth it?

Fashion is a continuous process that remains dynamic across the globe. An individual with the caliber in analyzing fashion trends with an interest in marketing these trends can acquire a degree in Fashion Merchandising to pursue a highly paid career in the fashion industry.

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