Best Fashion Schools Near Apex, NC (2026)

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

Apex, North Carolina has 3 accredited schools offering fashion programs, with tuition ranging from $45,312 to $65,548 per year for indexed programs. Apex has a population of about 67,765. Median household income is $138,442 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 66.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area, the top-earning fashion-related role is Marketing Managers at a median $167,640 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Fashion Schools to Apex

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

Meredith College

Raleigh, NC 11.1 miles from Apex
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,539
Avg net price $22,488/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

North Carolina Central University

Durham, NC 17.3 miles from Apex
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,968
Avg net price $15,359/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

High Point University

High Point, NC 65.5 miles from Apex
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
62.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 75%
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,389
Avg net price $38,707/yr
Tuition
In‑state$45,312
Out‑of‑state$45,312
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 69

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte

Charlotte, NC 116.7 miles from Apex
  • 4 year
52.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,418
Avg net price $27,426/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 18

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Mars Hill University

Mars Hill, NC 206.7 miles from Apex
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
34.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 68%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,781
Avg net price $19,910/yr
Tuition
In‑state$37,736
Out‑of‑state$37,736
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Fashion Wages Near Apex

Apex is part of the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area (BLS area code 39580). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Fashion Designers $74,990 NC statewide $76,365
Marketing Managers $167,640 Raleigh-Cary, NC $170,713
Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products $72,220 Raleigh-Cary, NC $73,544
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers $37,150 Raleigh-Cary, NC $37,831
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $78,980 Raleigh-Cary, NC $80,428
Graphic Designers $61,700 Raleigh-Cary, NC $62,831
Commercial and Industrial Designers $87,620 Raleigh-Cary, NC $89,226

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.

Apex at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 67,765 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $138,442 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 66.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 98.2 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Apex-Area Cities With Fashion Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited fashion schools are near Apex, NC?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering fashion programs near Apex. The closest is Meredith College in Raleigh, NC (11.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is High Point University (65.5 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying fashion roles near Apex?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying fashion-related roles near Apex are: Marketing Managers ($167,640), Commercial and Industrial Designers ($87,620), Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists ($78,980). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with North Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Cary instead of Apex?

Cary, NC is 4.8 miles from Apex 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 Apex an affordable place to study fashion?

Apex’s median household income of $138,442 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Apex while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 Apex

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

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 North Carolina: Online Programs (2026)