Outside the Museum at FIT. Photo: Ben Gabbe/Getty Images for Eco-Age
Location: New York, New York, United States
Programs:
Undergraduate: Accessories Design; Fabric Styling; Fashion Design; Fashion Business Management; Jewelry Design; Production Management: Fashion & Related Industries; Textile Development & Marketing; Menswear
Graduate: Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice; Fashion Design (MFA); Global Fashion Management (MPS); Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing and Management (MPS)
Annual Tuition:
Undergraduate: $7,070 for New York State residents; $21,392 for out-of-state residents
Graduate: $11,542 for New York State residents; $23,586 for out-of-state residents
Famous Alumni: Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, Michelle Smith, Nanette Lepore, Bibhu Mohapatra, Ralph Rucci, Dennis Basso, Nina Garcia, Joe Zee, Norma Kamali
Companies That Recruit From this School, According to the School: Macy's, Ross, Haddad Brands, New York & Company, PVH Corp, Ralph Lauren, Spin Master, Avon
New Programs and Partnerships of Note:
- FIT is breaking ground on a 10-story, 110,000-square-foot academic building that is scheduled to open by 2021.
- New programs at the SUNY Korea campus
Enrollment: 5,824
Graduation Rate: 79%
Class Size: 20 students
Student/Teacher Ratio: 16:1
Classes are taught in: English
Percentage of International Students: 12%
Job placement rate: 88%
What the Students Say:
"The faculty rocks, class sizes are small, there are great internship connections and access to labs almost 24/7."
"I think this school is known for the name and the opportunities that you get while here, because I have learned nothing. I believe that the design programs at this school are good, but not the business programs."
"I'm only a sophomore, already I've volunteered for nine [fashion week] shows and from one of those shows I was actually able to get a job for a luxury brand in SoHo. The opportunities FIT gives are unparalleled."
"You need to be very independent and determined to go to this school. It's not like most colleges where it can be all about partying and social aspects; expect to work very hard, get a lot of assignments (depending on major) and to be pushed to your limit."
"FIT is focused on the technical aspects of building and designing a collection. For students interested in fashion, this is particularly helpful because without the means and understanding of how to go through the whole process of design to product, pursuing a career and obtaining a job would be much harder. I've personally felt extremely prepared and through my internship experiences have felt that FIT has really provided me a top-notch education."
FOF Critic Award winner Kaitlin Barton walks the runway with a model during the 2018 Future of Fashion Runway Show. Photo: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for FIT
The Bottom Line: In addition to fashion design, FIT offers fashion marketing, business, textiles, visual arts and countless other fashion-related degrees. The lecture series and FIT museum are exceptional. Valerie Steele, as chief curator of the Museum at FIT, gives this school a brainy credibility. This is a great choice for those who are as career-driven as they are creatively driven, as the school is focused on preparing students for the professional world: FIT offers a lot of technical skills, a lot of different avenues, professors who have had valuable industry experience and industry connections. It's also deepened its focus on sustainability, for those who are interested in that, not only from an educational standpoint but also internally: The school has reduced its carbon imprint by 55% since 2007, more than any other institution of higher education in NYC.
More Info:
www.fitnyc.edu
Facebook: FashionInstituteofTechology
Twitter: @FIT
Instagram: @FITNYC
The 25 Best Fashion Schools in the World in 2019: See the full list.
Last updated December 2019.