Discover Fashion Design Schools in Colorado

Colorado hosts approximately 2 percent of all fashion professionals working in the US. Fashion school tuition in Colorado varies, but the average in state tuition in 2013 was $16,722. Many students receive financial aid assistance, including grants, scholarships and loans, so we encourage you to look at all options while comparing schools.

You can earn a Fashion Design certificates, Associate’s degrees, Bachelors degrees or even a Master of Fine Arts. Most upper level positions require a bachelor’s degree and experience working in the fashion business. Fashion schools in Colorado are competitive, with an average acceptance rate of 69 percent.

Classes You May Take

Fashion design and marketing programs in Colorado can be found at the Art Institute of Denver, Colorado State University, Emily Griffith Technical College, Johnson & Wales University, Westwood College, and the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. Degrees offered include a B.A. in Fashion Retail Management, B.S. in Fashion Merchandising, A.A. in Fashion Merchandising, and a B.F.A. in Fashion Design. You might also choose from diploma and certificate programs in Fashion Retailing, Professional Sewing and Apparel Alterations, Pattern Drafting, or Fashion Design.

Colorado State University features student work in their own Gustafson Gallery, and the university houses over 13,000 fashion-related items in the Avenir Museum. The Avenir focuses on 19th and 20th century garments and textiles along with special collections from Japan, China, India and Central Asia. Internships in the state, across the country and even overseas are possibilities if you attend a fashion design program in Colorado.

Working In Fashion Design in Colorado

Fashion Denver is a networking community dedicated to bringing fashion professionals together. They host the Fashion and Creative Enterprises Business Symposium, which offers students in the Colorado fashion programs a chance to meet and learn from leaders in the fashion careers. They also sponsor fashion shows and fashion weeks the region. The Rising Star Awards Gala honors outstanding new fashion designers in the industry.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the annual average salary for fashion designers in Colorado is approximately $58,000. In Denver, the annual average salary tops $68,700.

The fashion industry in Colorado grew by 150% between 2006 and 2012. Fashion design graduates work designing outdoor or active wear with prominent Colorado companies, or they work as pattern designers, garment creators and more.