Best Fashion Schools Near Portage, MI (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Portage, Michigan has 3 accredited schools offering fashion programs. Portage has a population of about 49,015. Median household income is $79,529 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 48.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area, the top-earning fashion-related role is Marketing Managers at a median $131,500 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Fashion Schools to Portage

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer fashion programs near Portage, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Portage city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Portage. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI 5.8 miles from Portage
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,562
Avg net price $15,273/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 188

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI 67.7 miles from Portage
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,253
Avg net price $19,680/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 230

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Adrian College

Adrian, MI 81.2 miles from Portage
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
42.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,504
Avg net price $25,368/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, MI 100.5 miles from Portage
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
50.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,793
Avg net price $15,407/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 156

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI 102.9 miles from Portage
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,735
Avg net price $8,624/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 126

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI 104.6 miles from Portage
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
60.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,874
Avg net price $17,597/yr
Tuition
In‑state$14,760
Out‑of‑state$14,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 183

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Northwood University

Midland, MI 119.0 miles from Portage
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
62.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,075
Avg net price $27,232/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

College for Creative Studies

Detroit, MI 129.7 miles from Portage
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
34.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 92%
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,860
Avg net price $34,617/yr
Tuition
In‑state$53,350
Out‑of‑state$53,350
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 16

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Michigan schools on the Michigan fashion page.

Fashion Wages Near Portage

Portage is part of the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area (BLS area code 28020). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Fashion Designers $63,430 MI statewide $66,909
Marketing Managers $131,500 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $138,713
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $70,700 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $74,578
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers $37,000 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $39,030
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $61,820 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $65,211
Graphic Designers $57,820 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $60,992
Commercial and Industrial Designers $80,150 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $84,546

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Portage at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 49,015 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $79,529 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 48.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 94.8 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Portage-Area Cities With Fashion Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited fashion schools are near Portage, MI?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering fashion programs near Portage. The closest is Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI (5.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Adrian College (81.2 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying fashion roles near Portage?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying fashion-related roles near Portage are: Marketing Managers ($131,500), Commercial and Industrial Designers ($80,150), Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products ($70,700). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Kalamazoo instead of Portage?

Kalamazoo, MI is 5.2 miles from Portage and has its own set of local fashion programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Portage an affordable place to study fashion?

Portage’s median household income of $79,529 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Portage while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Fashion Programs

Other Programs Available in Portage

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Portage:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Fashion Schools in Michigan: Online Programs (2026)