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Fashion illustrator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a fashion illustrator. Fashion illustrators usually study graphic design, fine arts, or specialized sales and merchandising. 56% of fashion illustrators hold a bachelor's degree, and 35% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 120 real fashion illustrator resumes to see exactly what fashion illustrator education sections show.
The most common colleges for fashion illustrators are the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Fashion Institute of Technology.
There are also many online fashion illustrator courses to help get the education required to be a fashion illustrator.
What education do you need to become a fashion illustrator?
What degree do you need to be a fashion illustrator?
- Bachelor's, 56%
- Associate, 35%
- Master's, 4%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a fashion illustrator?
- Graphic Design, 66%
- Fine Arts, 18%
- Liberal Arts, 2%
- Other Majors, 10%
Most common colleges for fashion illustrators
| Fashion illustrator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Fashion Institute of Technology | 23.26% |
| Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising-San Francisco | 18.60% |
| Santa Monica College | 4.65% |
| University of North Texas | 4.65% |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | 4.65% |
Best majors for fashion illustrators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graphic Design | 66.3% |
| 2 | Fine Arts | 18.1% |
| 3 | Specialized Sales And Merchandising | 3.6% |
| 4 | Liberal Arts | 2.4% |
| 5 | Apparel And Textiles | 1.2% |
Best colleges for fashion illustrators
The best colleges for fashion illustrators are Harvard University, Northwestern University, and Duke University.
A fashion illustrator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for fashion illustrators. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become fashion illustrators.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
8. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
9. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
10. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
20 best online courses for fashion illustrators
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1. Intro to Fashion Illustration -Beginners- Fashion Design
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5. Graphic Design Mastery- AI, Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign
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8. Adobe Illustrator CC MasterClass
Full course of adobe illustrator by a simple way...
9. Sketching for Fashion Design ~ Beginner Course for Designers
Learn Step-by-Step Professional Fashion Drawing Techniques. Using Croquis, Plumb Lines, Body Movement, Shading, Folds et...
10. Logo Design Mastery In Adobe Illustrator
Learn Logo Design Theory, The Creative Process, How to Work With Clients & Master Adobe Illustrator Tools...
11. Fashion 101 Design & Styling- Textures, Shaping, & More!
Learn the Fundamentals of Fashion Design & Styling Including: Textures, Patterns, Body Types, & More!...
12. Fashion Blogging: Starting a Fashion Blog
Fashion blogging made simple - wordpress, photography, blog name, brand collaborations...
13. How To Create A Fashion Collection and Launch Your Own Brand
Designing a Fashion Line. A step-by-step Comprehensive Guide for Mastering Fashion Designing: from Inspiration to Market...
14. Become a fashion buyer - learn the essentials
Learn the essential tasks of a fashion buyer and skills required to secure your first role!...
15. Adobe Illustrator CC Mastery: Zero to Hero in Illustrator
Illustrator introduction for beginners or illustrators who want to learn more about illustrator. Learn the essentials!...
16. Draping for Fashion Design - Creative Techniques Made Simple
Basic Draping Skills and Techniques to Develop Your Fashion Design Patterns. 1-Dart, 2-Dart Bodice. Skirt. Circle Skirt...
17. Logo Design Masterclass: Learn Logo Design and Illustrator
Learn logo design by applying principles and techniques in Adobe Illustrator CC and Dimension CC. For beginners + more...
18. Adobe Illustrator CC - Advanced Training Course
In this Adobe Illustrator Advanced course we'll learn Advanced techniques for graphic design, logo design & illustration...
19. Adobe Illustrator Advanced Vector Artwork
Learn the secrets of creating every type of vector illustration you can think of from a real expert...
20. Photoshop and Illustrator speed illustration workflow
Combine the power of raster and vector to create any type of digital drawing In fast, beautiful and modular way...
Top 10 most affordable universities for fashion illustrators
The most affordable schools for fashion illustrators are University of Florida, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and fashion institute of technology.
If the best universities for fashion illustrators are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for fashion illustrators.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
3. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Cost of attendance
17,864
4. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
8. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
9. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for fashion illustrators
The hardest universities for fashion illustrators to get into are Harvard University, Northwestern University, and Duke University.
Some great schools for fashion illustrators are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for fashion illustrators based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
6. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
10. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for fashion illustrators
The easiest schools for fashion illustrators to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, mount saint mary's university, and curry college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a fashion illustrator without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for fashion illustrators.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
4. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
5. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
6. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
7. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
8. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
9. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
10. Centenary University
Hackettstown, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
67%
SAT average
987
Average fashion illustrator salary by education level
| Fashion illustrator education level | Fashion illustrator salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $79,311 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $65,100 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $79,443 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $70,221 |
Fashion illustrator education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025