Guides for Tennessee: Fashion design schools in Tennessee
Tennessee fashion schools at a glance (2026)
- 4 colleges report fashion design or merchandising graduates: Middle Tennessee State University (public), and Belmont, Lipscomb and Carson-Newman (private).
- Lowest yearly cost after grants: Middle Tennessee State University, $12,562.
- MTSU 2026-27 tuition and fees: $5,784 a semester for Tennessee residents at 15 credit hours.
- HOPE Scholarship: up to $2,250 a semester for freshmen and sophomores at four-year colleges, public or private.
Four Tennessee colleges report graduates in fashion design or fashion merchandising to the U.S. Department of Education. Two are in Nashville: Belmont University and Lipscomb University. Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in Murfreesboro is the only public option, and Carson-Newman University is in Jefferson City, in East Tennessee. The table below compares them on tuition, yearly cost after grants, admission, graduation and earnings.
Compare the 4 Fashion Schools in Tennessee
| School | City | Type | Tuition/yr | Yearly cost after grants | Admit rate | Grad rate | Median earnings | Program focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Tennessee State UniversityLowest published tuition in the state: $10,932 in-state.federal data | Murfreesboro | Public | $10,932 | $12,562 | 69% | 54% | $52,702 | Design + MerchBachelor's |
| Carson-Newman UniversityAid cuts the $38,700 sticker to a $18,130 average yearly cost after grants.federal data | Jefferson City | Private | $38,700 | $18,130 | 90% | 53% | $51,756 | Design + MerchBachelor's |
| Lipscomb UniversityAid cuts the $42,596 sticker to a $23,178 average yearly cost after grants.federal data | Nashville | Private | $42,596 | $23,178 | 68% | 72% | $62,332 | Design + MerchBachelor's |
| Belmont UniversityNashville campus with a $32,648 average yearly cost after grants.federal data | Nashville | Private | $43,750 | $32,648 | 95% | 71% | $62,789 | Design + MerchBachelor's |
Showing all 4 schools
Tennessee’s Fashion Schools, One by One
Middle Tennessee State University (Murfreesboro)
MTSU offers a B.S. in Textiles, Merchandising, and Design with two concentrations: Apparel Design and Fashion Merchandising. The degree is 120 credit hours. Students show their work at an annual runway show, and the program keeps a historical costume collection.
For 2026-27, Tennessee residents pay $5,784 a semester in tuition and program fees at 15 credit hours. Out-of-state students pay $17,706 a semester (MTSU fee sheet). MTSU has the lowest yearly cost after grants on this list, at $12,562.
Belmont University (Nashville)
Belmont’s fashion programs are in its O’More College of Architecture & Design. O’More was a separate design college until it joined Belmont in 2018. Belmont offers a B.F.A. in Fashion Design and a B.F.A. in Fashion Business and Design Leadership, which is its merchandising program.
No portfolio is needed: if Belmont admits you, you are in the fashion program. Belmont reports that 100% of its fashion students do an internship, and it offers study abroad in London and Italy. Students help run O’More’s annual fashion show. The merchandising degree is accredited by NASAD. Tuition and fees are $45,200 for 2026-27 (Belmont costs).
Lipscomb University (Nashville)
Lipscomb’s Department of Fashion and Design offers majors in fashion design and fashion merchandising. Design students study construction, textile chemistry and pattern design. Merchandising students practice buying, inventory and visual merchandising by running a small retail operation. The department has a historic archive with pieces by the designer Halston, and its students often work at Nashville Fashion Week. Tuition and fees are $44,486 for 2026-27 (Lipscomb tuition).
Carson-Newman University (Jefferson City)
Carson-Newman’s Fashion Merchandising and Design program covers both sides of the field: textiles, computer-aided design, illustration, patternmaking, draping, advertising and visual presentation. The university calls it the only fashion degree in East Tennessee that includes both design and merchandising. Students have interned at Altar’d State, Dolly’s Closet at Dollywood and Nordstrom. The program is small: federal data shows two graduates in 2022-23. Tuition is $42,500 for 2026-27 (Carson-Newman aid).
Fashion Design vs. Merchandising in Tennessee
Design. All four schools teach design. Belmont has a studio B.F.A. MTSU and Lipscomb have design majors or concentrations, and Carson-Newman blends design into one combined degree. Compare all four on our page for fashion design schools in Tennessee.
Merchandising. All four also teach the business side. Belmont’s version is called Fashion Business and Design Leadership. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville teaches retail and merchandising management too, but it reports that degree under a retail code, so it is not in our table.
How Much Does Fashion School Cost in Tennessee?
The yearly cost after grants is the average a student on federal aid pays for a full year, including housing and food.
| School | Yearly cost after grants |
|---|---|
| Middle Tennessee State University (public) | $12,562 |
| Carson-Newman University (private) | $18,130 |
| Lipscomb University (private) | $23,178 |
| Belmont University (private) | $32,648 |
The three private schools charge $42,500 to $45,200 in tuition for 2026-27, but grants cut that sharply. At Carson-Newman, the average yearly cost after grants, including housing, is less than half the tuition sticker. Always compare each school’s actual aid offer.
Paying for Fashion School in Tennessee
- FAFSA. File it every year. In Tennessee it is also your HOPE Scholarship application.
- Tennessee HOPE Scholarship. Up to $2,250 per full-time semester as a freshman or sophomore at a four-year college, and $2,850 as a junior or senior. It works at eligible public and private Tennessee colleges. Entering freshmen need a 21 ACT (1060 SAT) or a 3.0 high school GPA. The fall deadline is September 1 (CollegeforTN).
- Academic Common Market. Tennessee takes part, but the program only covers degrees not offered at a public university in your home state. MTSU teaches fashion design and merchandising, so Tennesseans are unlikely to qualify for fashion programs elsewhere (SREB).
Coming From a Nearby State?
MTSU has a Regional Scholars rate for students from the eight states that border Tennessee, or who live within about 250 miles. You need a 25 ACT (1200 SAT) and must study full time. For 2026-27 it costs $9,240 a semester at 15 credit hours, about half the regular out-of-state price (Regional Scholars rates).
Fashion Careers in Tennessee
| Job | Jobs in Tennessee | Median pay in Tennessee | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fashion designers | Not published | Not published | $80,960 |
| Buyers and purchasing agents (all industries) | 11,420 | $65,430 | $77,710 |
Figures are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for May 2025 (BLS OEWS). The BLS does not publish a Tennessee count for fashion designers, which usually means the number is too small to report reliably. Buying and merchandising jobs are far more common.
Fashion Schools Near Tennessee
Students near the Georgia line can look at the Georgia guide, which covers SCAD and the University of Georgia. Compare more schools in Kentucky, Alabama and North Carolina below.
Closed Fashion Schools in Tennessee
- The Art Institute of Tennessee–Nashville is permanently closed. It was one of the Art Institutes campuses owned by Dream Center Education Holdings, which went into federal receivership in January 2019 (closed-school list).
Fashion Schools in Tennessee: FAQs
What is the cheapest fashion school in Tennessee?
Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro has the lowest average yearly cost after grants, about $12,562, per U.S. Department of Education data. For 2026-27, MTSU charges Tennessee residents $5,784 a semester in tuition and fees at 15 credit hours.
Which Tennessee colleges offer fashion design?
Belmont University (B.F.A. in Fashion Design), Lipscomb University (fashion design major), Middle Tennessee State University (Apparel Design concentration) and Carson-Newman University (Fashion Merchandising and Design). Belmont and Lipscomb are in Nashville.
Do I need a portfolio to study fashion at Belmont?
No. Belmont says there is no portfolio requirement for admission to its O'More College of Architecture and Design programs. If Belmont admits you, you are admitted to the fashion program.
Can I use the HOPE Scholarship for fashion school in Tennessee?
Yes, at eligible Tennessee public and private colleges. At four-year schools it pays up to $2,250 per full-time semester as a freshman or sophomore and $2,850 as a junior or senior. You apply by filing the FAFSA.
Can students from nearby states get a lower rate at MTSU?
Possibly. MTSU's Regional Scholars rate is for students from the eight bordering states or within about 250 miles who have a 25 ACT or 1200 SAT and study full time. In 2026-27 it is $9,240 a semester at 15 credit hours.
Are there fashion schools in Memphis or Knoxville?
None of the four colleges in our data is in Memphis or Knoxville. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville teaches retail and merchandising management, but it reports that degree under a retail code, so it is not in our table.
How we built this list: schools come from U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions for 2022-23 and 2023-24. We count a school if it reported graduates in fashion/apparel design (CIP 50.0407), apparel and textiles (19.09xx), or fashion merchandising (52.1902, 52.1904). Tuition, cost after grants, admit rate, graduation rate and earnings come from College Scorecard, retrieved November 1, 2026. The table shows the latest federal tuition. The 2026-27 rates in the text were checked on each school’s own site. See our methodology. Spot an error? Tell us and we’ll fix it.