27 Series · SOC 27-1022
Fashion Designers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $80,960
- Median / year
- $146,870
- Top 10% earn
- +2%
- Growth '23–'33
- 21,450
- US workers
Fashion Designers earn a median of $80,960 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $80,960, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $39,490 (10th percentile) to $146,870 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 21,450 US workers. Massachusetts pays the most ($103,520), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Fashion Designers earn a median of $80,960, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 74% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks #6 of 36 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 2% by 2033.
- $80,960
- Median annual wage
- Top 26%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #6 of 36
- in Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- 3.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Massachusetts at $103,520. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Fashion Designers (SOC 27-1022) pays a national median of $80,960 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $39,490 at the 10th percentile to $146,870 at the 90th, with a mean of $91,230 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 21,450 Americans work in this occupation across 23 reporting states and 25 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 2,300 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.6 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Massachusetts pays the highest state median at $103,520, which is +28% above the national figure. The top metro is Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA at $108,220 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$80,960
per year
Median Hourly
$38.92/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$91,230
average
Employment
21,450
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Fashion Designers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$80,960 Top 26% higher than 74% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 27-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Fashion Designers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 24 27-series occupations with growth data, Fashion Designers sits on the slower-growing side at +2% growth and $80,960 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+2%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
2,300
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.6/100K
Injury Rate
0.5/100
Danger Index
2.3/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Fashion Designers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Sketch rough and detailed drawings of apparel or accessories, and write specifications such as color schemes, construction, material types, and accessory requirements.
- ▸ Examine sample garments on and off models, modifying designs to achieve desired effects.
- ▸ Determine prices for styles.
- ▸ Confer with sales and management executives or with clients to discuss design ideas.
- ▸ Select materials and production techniques to be used for products.
- ▸ Provide sample garments to agents and sales representatives, and arrange for showings of sample garments at sales meetings or fashion shows.
- ▸ Direct and coordinate workers involved in drawing and cutting patterns and constructing samples or finished garments.
- ▸ Develop a group of products or accessories, and market them through venues such as boutiques or mail-order catalogs.
- ▸ Identify target markets for designs, looking at factors such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status.
- ▸ Draw patterns for articles designed, cut patterns, and cut material according to patterns, using measuring instruments and scissors.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$39,490
25th Percentile
$51,940
Median
$80,960
75th Percentile
$106,470
90th Percentile
$146,870
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 23 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $103,520 | +28% above national |
| 2 | New Jersey | $101,610 | +26% above national |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $100,160 | +24% above national |
| 4 | New York | $98,640 | +22% above national |
| 5 | Colorado | $94,140 | +16% above national |
| 6 | Virginia | $94,120 | +16% above national |
| 7 | Ohio | $82,050 | +1% above national |
| 8 | Washington | $82,030 | +1% above national |
| 9 | Connecticut | $81,510 | +1% above national |
| 10 | Vermont | $79,610 | 2% below national |
| 11 | Georgia | $78,340 | 3% below national |
| 12 | North Carolina | $74,990 | 7% below national |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $63,840 | 21% below national |
| 14 | Michigan | $63,430 | 22% below national |
| 15 | Kansas | $59,150 | 27% below national |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $57,030 | 30% below national |
| 17 | Maine | $49,530 | 39% below national |
| 18 | Hawaii | $47,990 | 41% below national |
| 19 | Arizona | $45,720 | 44% below national |
| 20 | Florida | $43,020 | 47% below national |
| 21 | Minnesota | $42,110 | 48% below national |
| 22 | Indiana | $40,740 | 50% below national |
| 23 | Texas | $40,040 | 51% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 25 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $108,220 | +34% above national |
| 2 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $106,630 | +32% above national |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $102,370 | +26% above national |
| 4 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $99,560 | +23% above national |
| 5 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $99,420 | +23% above national |
| 6 | Boulder, CO | $98,680 | +22% above national |
| 7 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $96,760 | +20% above national |
| 8 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $85,220 | +5% above national |
| 9 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $82,130 | +1% above national |
| 10 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $82,040 | +1% above national |
| 11 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $82,010 | +1% above national |
| 12 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $78,890 | 3% below national |
| 13 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $78,280 | 3% below national |
| 14 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $63,210 | 22% below national |
| 15 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $62,400 | 23% below national |
| 16 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $61,810 | 24% below national |
| 17 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $61,360 | 24% below national |
| 18 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $60,010 | 26% below national |
| 19 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $59,150 | 27% below national |
| 20 | Madison, WI | $57,030 | 30% below national |
| 21 | Pittsburgh, PA | $53,950 | 33% below national |
| 22 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $52,840 | 35% below national |
| 23 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $50,310 | 38% below national |
| 24 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $46,150 | 43% below national |
| 25 | Logan, UT-ID | $44,680 | 45% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 27 (arts design entertainment sports and media) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Fashion Designers make? ▼
What state pays Fashion Designers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Fashion Designers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Fashion Designers? ▼
Is Fashion Designers a good career? ▼
How does Fashion Designers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Fashion Designers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Fashion Designers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $106,470/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Massachusetts leads at $103,520/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.