FIT has been designated an Opportunity College by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, a title that reflects how the college provides greater access to students from lower socioeconomic and historically underrepresented backgrounds and higher earnings than its competitors in the area.
The Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education released their updated Carnegie Classifications, the leading framework for recognizing and describing institutional diversity in U.S. higher education, in late April. Among the updates was the new Student Access and Earnings Classification, which measures whether institutions are enrolling students reflective of the communities they serve and how the earnings of those students compare to peers in their geographical area.
This year, only 479 institutions nationwide were identified as Opportunity Colleges and Universities—about 16% of all U.S. colleges and universities that are in the Student Access and Earnings Classification. The methodology for the new Student Access and Earnings Classification uses multidimensional groupings of the 2025 Institutional Classification to evaluate student access and earnings between similar colleges and universities.
“Since its founding, FIT has delivered high-quality, industry-relevant education, one that is both affordable and career-focused,” said Yasemin Jones, PhD, FIT’s interim vice president for Academic Affairs. “This recognition from the Carnegie Foundation affirms that our graduates are not only earning their degrees but entering the workforce with earnings that exceed regional averages.”
FIT prepares graduates for success in the workplace after graduation. One key is the college’s internship program. For the class of 2024, 12% of associate’s graduates and 50% of bachelor’s graduates completed an internship prior to graduation.
“As the premier global institution for fashion, the creative arts, and the business of fashion,” said Tardis Johnson, EdD, the college’s acting vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Success, “FIT provides students—from precollege to undergraduate, graduate, and adult learners, as well as alumni—with the fantastic opportunity to realize their full potential and achieve upward mobility. We are proud that FIT, a part of the State University of New York, continues to be at the forefront of providing access and the opportunity for growth through an enriching higher education experience.”
Of SUNY’s 64 campuses, FIT is one of just eight SUNY institutions selected to be an Opportunity College or University, and one of only two SUNY community colleges that were chosen.