Best Fashion Schools Near Buffalo, NY (2026)

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

Buffalo, New York has 2 accredited schools offering fashion programs. Buffalo has a population of about 276,397. Median household income is $48,050 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 30.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area, the top-earning fashion-related role is Marketing Managers at a median $144,390 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Fashion Schools to Buffalo

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer fashion programs near Buffalo, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Buffalo 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 Buffalo. 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

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY 124.2 miles from Buffalo
  • 4 year
73.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 96%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $104,043
Avg net price $28,690/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 132

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY 137.6 miles from Buffalo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $79,164
Avg net price $38,793/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 186

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

SUNY Oneonta

Oneonta, NY 194.5 miles from Buffalo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
69.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 70%
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,386
Avg net price $19,158/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,831
Out‑of‑state$19,781
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 60

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Marist University

Poughkeepsie, NY 263.9 miles from Buffalo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
72.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 57%
Graduation rate 80%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $77,819
Avg net price $41,544/yr
Tuition
In‑state$47,750
Out‑of‑state$47,750
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY 290.8 miles from Buffalo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
81.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,696
Avg net price $19,095/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

The New School

New York, NY 291.2 miles from Buffalo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,901
Avg net price $58,741/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

LIM College

New York, NY 291.2 miles from Buffalo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
46.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 96%
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,956
Avg net price $38,667/yr
Tuition
In‑state$33,504
Out‑of‑state$33,504
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 12

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Berkeley College-New York

New York, NY 291.2 miles from Buffalo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
23.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,884
Avg net price $34,124/yr
Tuition
In‑state$29,800
Out‑of‑state$29,800
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 52%
  • Programs offered: 12

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Fashion Wages Near Buffalo

Buffalo is part of the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area (BLS area code 15380). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New York statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Fashion Designers $98,640 NY statewide $102,965
Marketing Managers $144,390 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $150,720
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $75,030 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $78,319
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers $42,560 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $44,426
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $75,990 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $79,322
Graphic Designers $60,000 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $62,630
Commercial and Industrial Designers $78,360 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $81,795

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.

Buffalo at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 276,397 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $48,050 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 30.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 95.8 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Buffalo-Area Cities With Fashion Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited fashion schools are near Buffalo, NY?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering fashion programs near Buffalo. The closest is Genesee Community College in Batavia, NY (36.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Mercyhurst University (82.4 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying fashion roles near Buffalo?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying fashion-related roles near Buffalo are: Marketing Managers ($144,390), Fashion Designers ($98,640), Commercial and Industrial Designers ($78,360). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New York statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in North Tonawanda instead of Buffalo?

North Tonawanda, NY is 10.0 miles from Buffalo 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 Buffalo an affordable place to study fashion?

Buffalo’s median household income of $48,050 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Buffalo while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New York 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 Buffalo

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

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 New York: Online Programs (2026)