Apparel and Textiles: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Apparel and Textiles graduates earn a median $57,640 four years after finishing — $9,280/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,902/yr net price ($67,608 over four years), that pays back in about 7.3 years. Federal data pools 86 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 2,447 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Apparel and Textiles ranks #120 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 41% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cornell University | NY | $94,967 |
| 2 | Indiana University-Bloomington | IN | $77,520 |
| 3 | University of Delaware | DE | $76,595 |
| 4 | Utah State University | UT | $74,686 |
| 5 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | $71,922 |
| 6 | Fashion Institute of Technology | NY | $71,139 |
| 7 | Northern Illinois University | IL | $68,636 |
| 8 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | OH | $66,256 |
| 9 | University of Kentucky | KY | $66,255 |
| 10 | Central Washington University | WA | $65,815 |
| 11 | Florida State University | FL | $64,807 |
| 12 | University of Rhode Island | RI | $64,328 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.
How fast does Apparel and Textiles pay grow after graduation?
From $37,111 one year out to $57,640 four years out — a $20,529 climb, or 55% over three years. Both are federal medians of the same graduating cohorts, so the gap reflects real wage progression rather than a change in who is measured.
How many students graduate in Apparel and Textiles each year?
About 2,447 bachelor's graduates a year across 86 programs in the federal file. Cohort size matters when reading the median: a field this size averages across a wide range of employers, regions and job titles.