With one of the most active fashion communities in the Midwest, Kansas is home to three fashion schools. The average cost of tuition is $9,565, with costs ranging from $2,970 to $17,568.
Johnson County Community College offers fashion students special study opportunities. Merchandising and design students can take a study trip to New York in addition to participating in the Kansas City Regional Fashion Group International Collection.
Kansas State University is also excellent for fashion students. They host regular study tours to a variety of fashion-forward locations. In the past, students have visited New York, India, and London.
There are many different ways you can use your fashion degree once you have graduated. You may find job openings with retailers, fashion designers, and marketing companies. Some of the largest fashion employers in Kansas are Textron, J. Crew Group, GAP Inc., and Express Fashion. This is a good time to start a career in Kansas, since the economy is slowly improving. The unemployment rate has dropped from 5.9% to 4.9% since July 2013 (BLS, 2013).
There are a range of salaries you may earn as a fashion professional. As you gain experience and seniority, you may be able to earn more and more money. Fashion designers earn an average salary of $63,250 per year, while merchandise displayers earn an average salary of $27,570 per year (BLS, 2012).