Is a “Top” fashion school any different from a “Best” fashion school?” Well, yes and no. A “Best” school may earn this title based on graduation and retention rates, peer assessment, faculty resources (student-teacher ratio), financial resources, student selectivity, and number of program offerings. Further, the average “Best” list has been carefully created by organizations such as Princeton Review, Forbes, and U.S. News & World Report—to name a few. The creators of most “Top” lists take a different approach.
Student organizations, alums, education bloggers, and other similar groups say factors such as cost, convenience, student clubs and organizations, cultural, and even Greek life can help determine if a school is really a “Top” school. Fortunately, many of the nation’s top schools can be found on both lists.
Continue reading to find out which New Jersey fashion schools are top-tier all around and what they have to offer. Please note that the listings begin with the largest school by student population.
Top Fashion School Programs New Jersey
Montclair State University
Student Population: 19,000+
Backdrop: Township, 275-acre campus, easy access to Newark, Jersey City, New York, Philadelphia
Degrees Offered: B.A. Fashion Studies, Fashion Design Minor, Fashion Merchandising Minor
Lincroft
Brookdale Community College
Student Population: 15,783
Backdrop: Small town, 220-acre main campus, easy access to New York, Jersey City, Newark, Philadelphia
Degrees Offered: A.A.S. Fashion Merchandising A.A.S. Interior Design
Mount Laurel
Burlington County College
Student Population: 10,278
Backdrop: Township, 200+ acre campus, easy access to Jersey City, Newark, Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore
Degrees Offered: A.A.S. Fashion Design, A.S. Fashion Product Merchandising, A.A. Fashion Studies, Specification Technology for Fashion Design Certificate, Technical Fashion Design Certificate
Woodland Park
Berkeley College
Student Population: 7,700+
Backdrop: Borough, 100+ acres/all campuses, easy access to Newark, Jersey City, New York, Philadelphia
Degrees Offered: A.A.S. Fashion Marketing and Management, B.B.A. Fashion Marketing and Management, B.B.A./B.S. Fashion Marketing and Management with Minor in International Business, B.S. Fashion Marketing and Management, B.F.A. Interior Design, A.A.S. Interior Design, B.S. Interior Design Management
Hackettstown
Centenary College
Student Population: 2,576
Backdrop: Small town, easy access to Newark, Jersey City, New York, Philadelphia
Degrees Offered: B.F.A. Fashion Design, B.F.A. Design and Merchandising
Top Fashion School Programs New Jersey/New York
New York City is less than 15 miles from New Jersey. Each day, thousands of commuters make the trip to New York to work, shop, play, and more. If you’re interested in attending fashion school in New York, without the hefty price tag for housing, you’re in luck. The schools listed below are an easy commute from NJ.
New York
Fashion Institute of Technology
Student Population: 10,000
Backdrop: Urban, 5-acre campus in New York’s Chelsea area
Degrees Offered: A.A.S. Fashion Design; B.F.A. Fashion Design with concentrations in Children's Wear, Intimate Apparel, Knitwear, Special Occasion, Sportswear; International B.F.A. Fashion Design with study in New York and Milan; A.A.S and B.S. Fashion Merchandising Management; B.S. International Trade and Marketing for Fashion Industries, B.F.A. Fabric Styling; A.A.S. Jewelry Design; A.A.S. and B.S. Textile Development and Marketing; A.A.S. Menswear; A.A.S. and B.F.A. Textile/Surface Design, A.A.S. and B.S. Production Management: Fashion and Related Industries; B.S. Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing; A.A.S and B.F.A. Interior Design
New York
Berkeley College
Student Population: 7,700+
Backdrop: Urban, 25-acre campus in Midtown Manhattan
Degrees Offered: A.A.S. Fashion Marketing and Management, B.B.A. Fashion Marketing and Management, B.B.A., Fashion Marketing and Management with Minor in International Business, B.S. Fashion Marketing and Management, B.S., Fashion Marketing and Management with Minor in International Business
New York
Parsons The New School for Design
Student Population: 4,254
Backdrop: Urban, Greenwich Village campus
Degrees Offered: A.A.S. and B.F.A. Fashion Design, M.F.A. Fashion Design and Society, A.A.S Fashion Marketing, M.A. Fashion Studies, A.A.S., B.F.A. and M.F.A. Interior Design, Design Business Certificate, B.A./B.F.A. Dual Degree with options ranging from Entrepreneurship and Fashion History to Sustainable Design
Brooklyn
Pratt Institute
Student Population: 3,008
Backdrop: Urban, 26-acre campus, easy access to all of New York
Degrees Offered: B.F.A. Fashion Design, B.F.A. Jewelry Design
New York
Lim College
Student Population: 1,477
Backdrop: Urban, Campus consists of 5 buildings in Manhattan
Degrees Offered: A.A.S, A.O.S., B.B.A. and B.P.S. Fashion Merchandising with tracks in Apparel & Accessories or Home Fashions; B.B.A. Fashion Marketing, B.B.A. Visual Merchandising, M.P.S. Fashion Marketing, M.P.S. Fashion Merchandising and Retail Management (Beginning in Fall 2013); MBA with tracks in Fashion Management and Entrepreneurship.
Concentration options for all undergraduate majors include Cosmetics, Fashion Communications, Fashion Merchandising, Fashion Publishing, International Marketing, Retail and Merchandise Management, Styling, Visual Merchandising, Responsible Business Practices, Digital Business Strategy, Entrepreneurship, and Event Planning.
New York
The Art Institute of New York City
Student Population: 1,270
Backdrop: Urban, 2-acre campus
Degrees Offered: A.A.S. Fashion Design
New York
Wood Tobe-Coburn School
Student Population: 483
Backdrop: Urban, Small Campus
Degrees Offered: A.A.S Fashion Design, A.A.S. Fashion Merchandising, Marketing, and Management; Fashion Design Diploma, Fashion Merchandising, Marketing, and Management Diploma
More Programs to Consider:
Selected Campus Locations:
- San Francisco and Online
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Sources
Peterson’s
Princeton Review
U.S. News & World Report College Rankings
