FIT Ranks High in Degree Conferral and in Graduates' Pay Scales

News provided by

Dec 11, 2014, 02:18 ET

NEW YORK, Dec. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In its annual Top 100 listings of community college degree conferrals, Community College Week has ranked the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) number one on the list of top 50 associate degrees awarded in communication, journalism, and related programs for the 2012–13 academic year. The ranking is for FIT's program in Advertising and Marketing Communications (fitnyc.edu/amc) in the college's Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology. FIT also was ranked among the Top 100 in the Associate Degree Producers: All Disciplines category, as well as among the top 50 in several other categories, surpassing larger institutions such as the University of Phoenix and Miami Dade College. All charts were derived from a Community College Week analysis of U.S. Department of Education data.

In related news, PayScale.com, the Seattle-based online salary, benefits, and compensation information company, released data in its 2014–15 College Salary Report that bodes well for both current FIT students and alumni. The report highlights that FIT "had alumni who reported the highest median mid-career salaries [$71,000]." PayScale's annual College Salary Report ranks more than 1,000 colleges on median early career and mid-career salaries. For the first time, PayScale.com included schools that grant two-year degrees, comparing early career and mid-career salaries of alumni from 349 public community colleges and private career colleges. For the full report, visit http://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report.

PayScale.com's data is particularly relevant given Community College Week's findings. The publication reports that "overall associate degree production in 2013–14 declined slightly from a year before…. Many prominent community colleges have seen their degree production decline as the economy has recovered." Despite this, FIT ranks number 73 in the All Disciplines–Grand Total category. In addition to ranking number one in the Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs area, the college was ranked number 11 in the Top 50 degree producers in the Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services category, and number 26 in the Top 50 associate degree producers in the Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences area. For the full report, visit http://ccweek.com/article-4107-associate-degree-and-certificate-producers-2014.html.

About the Fashion Institute of Technology
The Fashion Institute of Technology, a part of the State University of New York, has been a leader in career education in art, design, business, and technology for 70 years. With a curriculum that provides a singular blend of hands-on, practical experience, classroom study, and a firm grounding in the liberal arts, FIT offers a wide range of outstanding programs that are affordable and relevant to today's rapidly changing industries. Internationally renowned, FIT draws on its New York City location to provide a vibrant, creative community in which to learn. The college grants AAS, BFA, BS, MA, MFA, and MPS degrees, and offers nearly 50 majors in fields ranging from marketing and textiles to toy design and entrepreneurship, preparing students for professional success and leadership in the global marketplace.

FIT's special brand of education reflects the college's close ties to industry. Top executives serve as curriculum advisors, faculty, and mentors to students; industry members and leading companies provide scholarships, internships, and support for critical FIT initiatives. Relationships with industry enable the college to offer students experiences that mirror the marketplace and give them a competitive edge.

FIT alumni have attained top positions in industry. Among notable alumni in fashion are Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Reem Acra, Francisco Costa, Norma Kamali, Nanette Lepore, and Ralph Rucci. Other prominent graduates include Leslie Blodgett, executive chairman of Bare Escentuals; international restaurant designer Tony Chi; Edward Menicheschi, chief marketing officer and president of the Condé Nast Media Group; Nina Garcia, creative director, Marie Claire; and Joe Zee, editor in chief and executive creative officer, Yahoo Style.