Apparel and Textiles: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 19.09. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 232 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 51 | 300 | $22,886 | $25,340 | Data unavailable |
| Associate's degree | 47 | 270 | $29,795 | $45,422 | $14,167 1 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 97 | 2,052 | $44,102 | $57,640 | $22,832 44 programs |
| Master's degree | 26 | 74 | $51,756 | $64,913 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 5 | 15 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 6 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| FIDM-Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising · Private, for-profit · 26 graduates measured | $28,556 | $49,263 | $14,167 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornell University NY · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $60,834 | $94,967 | Data unavailable |
| The University of Texas at Austin TX · Public · 45 graduates measured | $59,432 | $71,922 | $20,500 |
| Utah State University UT · Public · 34 graduates measured | $56,150 | $74,686 | $10,890 |
| The University of Alabama AL · Public · 52 graduates measured | $54,061 | $54,254 | $23,250 |
| Indiana University-Bloomington IN · Public · 65 graduates measured | $53,936 | $77,520 | $19,500 |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities MN · Public · 16 graduates measured | $53,058 | $59,879 | Data unavailable |
| University of Delaware DE · Public · 104 graduates measured | $53,050 | $76,595 | $27,000 |
| University of Arkansas AR · Public · 85 graduates measured | $49,759 | $63,394 | $21,500 |
| Auburn University AL · Public · 65 graduates measured | $49,401 | $62,807 | $23,544 |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus OH · Public · 125 graduates measured | $49,266 | $66,256 | $20,375 |
| University of Rhode Island RI · Public · 109 graduates measured | $49,009 | $64,328 | $19,500 |
| Framingham State University MA · Public · 48 graduates measured | $48,872 | $57,124 | $27,000 |
| Fashion Institute of Technology NY · Public · 78 graduates measured | $48,197 | $71,139 | $24,486 |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins CO · Public · 83 graduates measured | $47,847 | $57,184 | $21,500 |
| Illinois State University IL · Public · 27 graduates measured | $47,298 | $62,339 | $19,000 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro NC · Public · 18 graduates measured | $47,075 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Apparel and Textiles
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing managers | $166,790 | +6.9% | Bachelor's degree |
| Market research analysts and marketing specialists | $78,760 | +7.0% | Bachelor's degree |
| Materials scientists | $117,790 | +8.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Family and consumer sciences teachers, postsecondary | $75,870 | +2.4% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Farm and home management educators | $60,220 | -3.2% | Master's degree |
| Fashion designers | $80,960 | +0.1% | Bachelor's degree |
| Interior designers | $67,190 | +2.7% | Bachelor's degree |
| Fabric and apparel patternmakers | $62,750 | -15.0% | High school diploma or equivalent |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (6)
- 19.0901 Apparel and Textiles, General
- 19.0902 Apparel and Textile Manufacture
- 19.0904 Textile Science
- 19.0905 Apparel and Textile Marketing Management
- 19.0906 Fashion and Fabric Consultant
- 19.0999 Apparel and Textiles, Other