Apparel and Textile Manufacture

Types of Degrees Apparel and Textile Manufacture Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many apparel & textile manufacture graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	158
Associate Degree	66
Undergraduate Certificate	57
Basic Certificate	21
Master’s Degree	1

What Apparel and Textile Manufacture Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, apparel and textile manufacture majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Apparel and Textile Manufacture Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in apparel and textile manufacture should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Skills for Apparel and Textile Manufacture Majors

apparel and textile manufacture majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Time Management - Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

Abilities for Apparel and Textile Manufacture Majors

As you progress with your apparel and textile manufacture degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

What Can You Do With a Apparel and Textile Manufacture Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with apparel and textile manufacture:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Fashion Designers	2.5%	$72,720

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Apparel and Textile Manufacture?

The major attracts more women than men. About 66% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of apparel and textile manufacture majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	19
Black or African American	22
Hispanic or Latino	28
White	61
International Students	15
Other Races/Ethnicities	13

Geographic Diversity

Apparel and Textile Manufacture appeals to people across the globe. About 9.5% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Apparel and Textile Manufacture

Some careers associated with apparel and textile manufacture require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to apparel and textile manufacture have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	2.0%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	21.3%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	6.1%
Some College Courses	22.3%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	19.0%
Bachelor’s Degree	25.3%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	4.7%

Online Apparel and Textile Manufacture Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	14	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	14	1
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	1	1
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Apparel and Textile Manufacture

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to apparel and textile manufacture.

Major	Number of Grads
General Apparel & Textiles	1,873
Apparel & Textile Marketing Management	707
Fashion & Fabric Consultant	39
Other Apparel & Textiles	35
Textile Science	4

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Elisa.rolle under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.