Join the thriving, dynamic fashion industry by attending a fashion merchandising, marketing, or design program in Mississippi. There are five fashion schools in Mississippi; all five schools have undergraduate degrees and one school has a graduate program.
Mississippi is a very affordable state for students, with an average tuition cost of $3,096. On top of this, there are a variety of scholarships you can apply for. The University of Southern Mississippi has an average scholarship award of $6,751, which is the highest in the state. They have the Anderson Retail Endowed Student Scholarship, which is offered to creative junior and senior students.
How do you want to use your fashion degree? There are many job titles you can take on, but most open positions are with fashion design companies, marketing firms, and fashion retailers. In Mississippi, some of the most important employers are Saks Fifth Avenue, JC Penney, and Express Fashion. This can be a great time to start a career in Mississippi, since the economy is improving. The unemployment rate has dropped from 8.6% to 8% (BLS, 2013).
The salary you earn depends mostly on your experience level, so it’s important to get into your first job and work hard. Mississippi merchandise displayers earn an average salary of $29,100 (BLS, 2012). The average salary for a marketing specialist is $52,280 (BLS, 2012).