When it comes to obtaining an advanced degree
in fashion, there are those that feel it is ‘totally’ unnecessary, while others
argue that you simply cannot get ahead quickly these days without one. The
latter may be true if you consider a recent report by the U.S. Department of
Labor. Modified in April of this year, the Earnings and Unemployment
Rates by Educational Attainment report shows that the unemployment
rate for people age 25 or older with a bachelor’s degree is 3.5 percent. The
rate begins to decrease as the education level increases from here. For people
holding a master’s degree, the unemployment rate is 2.8 percent. The rate for
those with a doctoral degree is 2.1 percent, and for those with a professional
degree the unemployment rate is just 1.9 percent.
Of course, people with a bachelor’s degree
fare better than those without. At 4.5 percent, the unemployment rate is much
higher for those holding an associate’s degree, and it jumps to six percent for
people with some college, but no degree and those with
a high school diploma. The unemployment rate for people with less than a high
school diploma is nine percent.
Earnings follow the trend. The median weekly
pay for persons holding a professional degree is $1,639, a doctoral degree is
$1,591, a master’s degree is $1,326, and a bachelor’s degree is $1,101.
Earnings drop to $792 a week for those holding an associate’s degree, $741 for
individual’s with some college, but no degree, $688 for people with a high
school diploma, and $488 for people with less than a high school diploma.
That said, there are several other factors
that can affect whether employment and earnings rise or fall. Age appears to be
one. The unemployment rate for people ages 20 to 24 holding a bachelor’s degree
is 6.7 percent, while the rate for those ages 25 to 64 is just 3.4 percent. The
unemployment rate for people in the 20 to 24 age group is double that of those
in the 25 to 64 age group as the education level decreases to ‘some college, no
bachelor’s degree’, ‘high school completion’, and ‘less than high school
completion’. Rates for the 20 to 24 age group are 12.2 percent for some
college, no bachelor’s degree, 18.9 percent for high school completion, and
25.3 for less than high school completion. For the 25 to 64 age group, rates
are 6.1 percent, 7.4 percent, and 10.6 percent, respectively.
The Department or Labor also mentions that the
education categories used reflect only the highest level of education attained.
They do not take into account completion of training programs in the form of
apprenticeships and other on-the-job training, which may also influence earnings
and unemployment rates.
Good examples: designers such as Thomas Burberry and Giorgio Armani never earned a degree in fashion, but they learned about
fashion and sewing either on the job, or in Thomas Burberry’s case, as an
apprentice at a local draper's shop. And still, there are others who earned a
BFA and went on to become famous designers. Anna Sui, Mark Badgley and James
Mischka, and Donna Karan are just a few. These are exceptional cases, however,
and most employers today require at least a bachelor’s degree for most
entry-level positions and a master’s degree plus experience for higher-level
positions. Many of the world’s top fashion houses also look favorably upon
designers with an advanced degree. Further, if you are interested in educating
the next generation of fashion designers, “most commonly, postsecondary
teachers must have a Ph.D. However, a master's degree may be enough for some
postsecondary teachers at community colleges,” according the Department.
Another indication that earning an advanced
degree is becoming more common in the fashion industry is the number of top
fashion schools and major universities that now offer master of art (MA),
master of fine art (MFA) and master of design (MDes) degrees in fashion.
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), the School of the Art Institute of
Chicago (SAIC), Parsons the New School, University of California-Davis Arts,
and California State University-Los Angeles are just a few. And these schools
offer much more than a degree.
While curriculums may vary based on the title
of the program—Parsons The New School offers an MFA in Fashion Design and
Society, while SAIC offers a Master of Design in Fashion, Body and Garment—most
top programs offer the opportunity to work and network with major players in
the fashion industry and to have their work critiqued by respected
professionals in the field. Students also have the opportunity to present a
collection or multiple collections at the graduate fashion show and other major
events, and they often work and study abroad in major fashion capitals such as
Paris, London, Rome, and New York.
Many MFA graduates mention that the time
commitment for the program is minimal when you consider the long-term benefits
such as higher earnings, advancement opportunities, and better employment
options. MFA programs take around two years to complete and costs vary greatly
by the type of school, reputation, resident status, and other factors. For
example, graduate tuition for the private Parsons The New School is $44,680 for
the 2015-2016 school year, while residents at California State University-Los
Angeles (a public school) will pay $7,608 for the 2015-2016 school year. The
cost for nonresidents is $15,272.