Average Salary for Fashion Designers
SOC 27-1022 · Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Fashion Designers in the United States is $80,690 ($38.79/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $35,970 at the 10th percentile to $169,620 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 20,910 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 26% since 2014.
Median Annual
$80,690
Mean Annual
$122,430
10th Pct
$35,970
75th Pct
$107,990
Employment
20,910
Salary Distribution
$36k
10th
$54k
25th
$81k
Median
$108k
75th
$170k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $100,230 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $100,170 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $96,620 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $95,730 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $85,680 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $81,770 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $79,750 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $78,950 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $78,560 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $77,020 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $76,100 |
| Rochester, NY | $75,120 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $75,000 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $73,630 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $61,510 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Tennessee | $142,500 |
| Oregon | $125,310 |
| Massachusetts | $99,340 |
| New York | $96,420 |
| New Hampshire | $88,230 |
| Virginia | $85,870 |
| Colorado | $85,680 |
| New Jersey | $84,020 |
| Missouri | $81,700 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,950 |
| Washington | $77,990 |
| Connecticut | $77,020 |
| North Carolina | $74,830 |
| Georgia | $73,070 |
| Ohio | $58,790 |
| Utah | $58,490 |
| Kansas | $54,400 |
| Indiana | $52,430 |
| Kentucky | $48,000 |
| Florida | $43,920 |
| Arizona | $43,200 |
| Minnesota | $40,040 |
| Wisconsin | $37,790 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Fashion Designers broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Shoe Retailers | $126,980 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $100,670 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $100,670 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $100,670 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $98,180 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $98,180 |
| Information | $93,990 |
| Motion Picture and Video Industries | $93,990 |
| Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries | $93,990 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | $89,590 |
| Employment Services | $85,550 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $85,550 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $85,550 |
| Temporary Help Services | $85,540 |
| Other Miscellaneous Retailers | $83,010 |
| Wholesale Trade | $81,030 |
| Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers | $80,810 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $80,810 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $80,740 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers | $77,340 |
| Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing | $77,090 |
| Apparel Manufacturing | $76,810 |
| Manufacturing | $76,080 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $75,340 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $75,340 |
| Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing | $70,700 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Retailers | $69,960 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $69,080 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | $64,990 |
| Amusement Parks and Arcades | $62,880 |
| Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | $62,880 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $54,350 |
| Apparel Knitting Mills | $54,010 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $53,730 |
| Educational Services | $52,320 |
| Footwear Manufacturing | $52,100 |
| Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | $52,070 |
| Performing Arts Companies | $49,230 |
| Educational Services | $49,200 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters | $48,530 |
| Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $48,510 |
| Retail Trade | $40,040 |
| Other Schools and Instruction | $36,790 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $80,690 |
| 2023 | $79,290 |
| 2022 | $76,700 |
| 2021 | $77,450 |
| 2020 | $75,810 |
| 2019 | $73,790 |
| 2018 | $72,720 |
| 2017 | $67,420 |
| 2016 | $65,170 |
| 2015 | $63,670 |
| 2014 | $64,030 |