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Textile Science

Types of Degrees Textile Science Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Textile Science may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	5

What Textile Science Majors Need to Know

Studies in Textile Science develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Textile Science graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Textile Science emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Textile Science program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Textile Science careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Textile Science graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Working with Computers	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Thinking Creatively	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Textile Science professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Image scanning software	Optical character reader OCR or scanning software	—
Blackboard Learn	Computer based training software	—
Sakai CLE	Computer based training software	—
Learning management system LMS	Computer based training software	—
Google Docs	Word processing software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Textile Science graduates include:

• College Faculty Member
• Nutrition Instructor
• Sewing Teacher
• University Faculty Member
• Professor
• Food and Nutrition Teacher
• Weaving Professor
• Family Consumer Science Teacher (FCS Teacher)
• Family Resource Management Professor
• Child Development Instructor
• Dietetics Professor
• Textiles and Clothing Teacher
• Home Economics Teacher
• Chef Instructor
• Family and Consumer Sciences Professor (FCS Professor)

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Textile Science graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	35.2%
Master’s degree	27.1%
Bachelor’s degree	20.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	7.3%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	5.8%
Postsecondary certificate	1.4%
Some college courses	1.3%
First professional degree	0.7%
Post-doctoral training	0.6%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.6%
Less than a high school diploma	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Textile Science?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 100% of Textile Science degrees.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Textile Science graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1	20.0%
Asian	1	20.0%
Two or More Races	1	20.0%
Race Unknown	1	20.0%
International Students	1	20.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Textile Science Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Textile Science graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$36,627
4 years	$47,471
5 years	$55,819

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $55,819 — roughly 52% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Textile Science Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Textile Science graduates earn a median of $47,471 four years after completion — roughly 25% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Apparel and Textiles	19.09
Apparel and Textile Manufacture	19.0902
Apparel and Textile Marketing Management	19.0905
Apparel and Textiles, General	19.0901
Apparel and Textiles, Other	19.0999
Fashion and Fabric Consultant	19.0906
Adult Development and Aging	19.0702
Business Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences	19.0201
Child Care and Support Services Management	19.0708
Child Development	19.0706
Consumer Economics	19.0402
Consumer Services and Advocacy	19.0403

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.