Parsons School of Design
Parsons School of Design is a private nonprofit college within The New School, ranked #3 art and design school worldwide, offering undergraduate and graduate programs in fashion, design, and technology across its New York City and Paris campuses to a global student body.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1919
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Parsons School of Design does
Parsons School of Design is a private, nonprofit college within The New School university system, headquartered in Greenwich Village, New York City, with an additional campus in Paris. Founded in 1896 as the Chase School of Art and operating continuously since, Parsons is ranked #3 among art and design schools worldwide and is the flagship design institution of The New School. The school delivers undergraduate, graduate, pre-college, and online degree programs across Fashion Design, Strategic Design and Management, Art Media and Technology, and Fashion Studies, alongside continuing education. Core curriculum integrates creative-industry tools including Adobe's creative suite and 3D garment visualization platforms, with practical exposure through partnerships such as Bakermat Antwerp (textiles) and ICFF (materials innovation).
Parsons serves primary customer segments of undergraduate and graduate design students across its New York and Paris campuses, as well as pre-college and continuing education learners. The school also operates the Healthy Materials Lab, a research initiative focused on sustainable and biogenic materials, and runs programs such as the Disabled Fashion Student Program. Parsons Paris counts 275 students across 55+ nationalities, with a faculty of 18+ nationalities, and the broader New School employs 900+ staff members and 2,000+ full-time and part-time faculty.
Revenue mechanics for Parsons are characteristic of a nonprofit private university: tuition from undergraduate and graduate degree programs forms the core recurring revenue base, supplemented by grants and philanthropic donations from foundations and corporate partners. Recent grants include a $10 million award from the NorthLight Foundation to the Tishman Environment and Design Center and a $1.225 million award for the preservation of the Orozco Murals. Pricing details are not publicly disclosed, though the institution offers a financial aid guarantee and institutional scholarships. Distribution is multi-channel: undergraduate admissions through Common App, graduate and adult learner applications through the New School Online Application, with additional reach through online programs and partner platforms. The school's go-to-market relies on event-driven and community-led motions, including public programs, exhibitions, fashion events, alumni engagement, and industry conferences, supported by an earned-media presence through The New School Pressroom and an active social media footprint across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.
Parsons School of Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Parsons School of Design
- Legal name
- The New School
- Website
- https://newschool.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1919
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Parsons School of Design is a private nonprofit college within The New School, ranked #3 art and design school worldwide, offering undergraduate and graduate programs in fashion, design, and technology across its New York City and Paris campuses to a global student body.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Parsons School of Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education - Design and Fashion
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Fine Arts Schools (61161)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Design Colleges (Graphic, Industrial, UX/UI, Interior) (EDAHAJAB)
Keywords
Where Parsons School of Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Parsons School of Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Tuition and Academic Programs: Parsons generates revenue through tuition fees for undergraduate and graduate degree programs, continuing education, and pre-college programs. The New School offers financial aid guarantees and institutional scholarships.
- Grants and Donations: The school receives grants from foundations (e.g., NorthLight Foundation $10M grant, Capri Holdings Foundation gift to disabled fashion student program) and individual donations to support programs, scholarships, and research.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Parsons School of Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Parsons School of Design is a private, nonprofit college within The New School that delivers undergraduate, graduate, continuing education, and pre-college academic programs in fashion design, strategic design and management, art media and technology, and fashion studies. Programs are delivered on the New York City campus and at Parsons Paris, with select online options, and are supported by industry partnerships, research labs (e.g., Healthy Materials Lab), and recruitment via Common App and the New School Online Application.
Product overview
Parsons School of Design is a college within The New School university system, not a product company. It offers academic degree programs across design disciplines including Fashion Design, Art Media and Technology, and Strategic Design and Management. The institution conducts research, hosts public programs, and engages in industry collaborations but does not offer commercial products or services as a technology company would.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Undergraduate Degree Programs (BFA/BBA)
- Graduate Degree Programs (MFA, MA, MS)
- Pre-College and Youth Programs
- Parsons Disabled Fashion Student Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Parsons ranked #3 art and design school worldwide
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Parsons School of Design
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Parsons School of Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Parsons School of Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.
- ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair)minorParsons Healthy Materials Lab partnered with ICFF 2026 to launch a new Materials section at NYCxDESIGN titled 'Material Innovations with Ancient Roots,' which explores regenerative, biogenic, and climate-positive material futures through exhibition, workshops, and public conversations.
- Tilting the LenscoreParsons School of Design and Tilting the Lens, a strategic accessibility consultancy, announced funding from The Capri Holdings Corporate Foundation to support the third cohort of the Parsons Disabled Fashion Student Program. This program provides accessibility-focused design education for students with disabilities.
- AdobeflagshipParsons School of Design and Adobe announced 'Not Generated,' a collaborative initiative that explores the evolving relationship between creativity, technology, and AI. The initiative examines the role of human creativity in an AI-driven world and is part of Parsons' ongoing engagement with digital tools in design education.
- Bakermat AntwerpcoreParsons Paris partners with Bakermat Antwerp, a textile shop and digital platform that strengthens the relationship between creators and the textile industry. Through this partnership, students in BFA and MFA fashion programs at Parsons Paris gain access to an enormous range of fabrics from various mills for use in their fashion collections. Bakermat provides high-quality fabrics, innovative 3D tools, and full transparency for sustainable and future-proof textile projects.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Parsons School of Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pratt Institute: Pratt is a NYC-based private design school with strong programs in fashion, industrial design, and architecture, competing head-to-head with Parsons in the NYC design-education market.
- Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): RISD is the most direct US peer to Parsons — a top-ranked private college of art and design offering undergraduate and graduate programs across fine arts, architecture, graphic design, and industrial design, competing for the same students and faculty.
- Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT): FIT is a SUNY-affiliated college in NYC focused on fashion, business, and design — directly overlapping Parsons' core fashion-design curriculum and student demographics.
- Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD): SCAD is a major private nonprofit art and design university with fashion, graphic design, and UX programs, competing for the same pool of design students seeking a four-year degree credential.
- Central Saint Martins (University of the Arts London): Central Saint Martins is Parsons' closest global peer — a London-based fashion and fine arts college that produces comparable LVMH/Prize-caliber talent and competes for international design students.
- Royal College of Art: The Royal College of Art is a leading UK postgraduate design institution with strong fashion, design, and humanities programs, comparable to Parsons' graduate and executive offerings.
- ArtCenter College of Design: ArtCenter is a Pasadena-based private nonprofit focused on industrial design, transportation design, and visual design — competing with Parsons for top design students in product and visual design.
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC): SAIC is a leading private nonprofit art and design school in Chicago with broad fine arts and design programs that compete with Parsons for design talent across the US Midwest and internationally.
- London College of Fashion: LCF is a UK specialist fashion college within UAL, directly comparable to Parsons' fashion-design program and competing for international fashion students and faculty.
- Istituto Marangoni: Istituto Marangoni is a private Italian fashion and design school with campuses in Milan, Paris, London, and Florence — a European peer overlapping Parsons Paris on fashion-design curriculum and global student recruitment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Parsons School of Design social profiles
Digital presenceParsons School of Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Parsons School of Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Parsons School of Design subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Parsons School of Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Parsons School of Design M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Parsons School of Design
What does Parsons School of Design do?
Parsons School of Design is a private, nonprofit college within The New School that delivers undergraduate, graduate, continuing education, and pre-college academic programs in fashion design, strategic design and management, art media and technology, and fashion studies. Programs are delivered on the New York City campus and at Parsons Paris, with select online options, and are supported by industry partnerships, research labs (e.g., Healthy Materials Lab), and recruitment via Common App and the New School Online Application.
Is Parsons School of Design a public or private company?
Parsons School of Design is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Parsons School of Design founded?
Parsons School of Design was founded in 1919.
Where is Parsons School of Design based?
Parsons School of Design is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Parsons School of Design make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Academic Programs are the primary driver. The others are grants and Donations.
Who are Parsons School of Design's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pratt Institute, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Central Saint Martins (University of the Arts London), Royal College of Art, ArtCenter College of Design, School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), London College of Fashion and Istituto Marangoni.
Does Parsons School of Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for Parsons School of Design.
What industry is Parsons School of Design in?
Parsons School of Design's product category is Higher Education - Design and Fashion. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAJAB, Design Colleges (Graphic, Industrial, UX/UI, Interior). Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.