41 Series · SOC 41-9012
Models Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $48,470
- Median / year
- -46.1%
- 2024→2025
- $131,470
- Top 10% earn
- -0.5%
- Growth '24–'34
- 3,780
- Estimated US jobs
Models earn a median of $48,470 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $48,470, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $34,190 (10th percentile) to $131,470 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 3,780 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Arizona ($109,910).
The pay verdict
Models earn a median of $48,470, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 29% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Sales and Related, it ranks #13 of 22 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 0.5% by 2034.
- $48,470
- Median annual wage
- Top 71%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #13 of 22
- in Sales and Related
- 3.8×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Arizona at $109,910. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Models moved from $28,350 in May 2019 to $48,470 in May 2025 (+71.0%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Models sits +46.5 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Models (SOC 41-9012) has a national median of $48,470 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $34,190 to $131,470, and the published mean is $72,800. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 3,780 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 16 state or territory areas and 12 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $89,990 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $48,470 in May 2025, a fall of $41,520 (-46.1%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -0.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as declining relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 1,200 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns No formal educational credential as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Sales and Related Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Arizona pays the highest state median at $109,910, which is +127% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Rochester, NY at $208,000. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$48,470
per year
Median Hourly
$23.30/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$72,800
average
Employment
3,780
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Models pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$48,470 Bottom 29% higher than 29% 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.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 (this entry) | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$48,470 · 29th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 41-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Models; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Retail Salespersons: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.5%, Median annual wage $35410
- Cashiers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -9.9%, Median annual wage $32880
- Sales Representative…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.1%, Median annual wage $69990
- Sales Representative…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.3%, Median annual wage $72080
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5%, Median annual wage $48520
- Securities, Commodit…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.3%, Median annual wage $78660
- Insurance Sales Agents: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $62280
- Counter and Rental C…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.2%, Median annual wage $41300
- Sales Representative…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.9%, Median annual wage $104920
- Parts Salespersons: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.1%, Median annual wage $38630
- Real Estate Sales Ag…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.1%, Median annual wage $52830
- Sales and Related Wo…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $48280
- Advertising Sales Ag…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.4%, Median annual wage $64820
- Demonstrators and Pr…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.1%, Median annual wage $39320
- Telemarketers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -22.1%, Median annual wage $35450
- Travel Agents: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.2%, Median annual wage $50160
- Sales Engineers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.5%, Median annual wage $124900
- Real Estate Brokers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.3%, Median annual wage $73220
- Gambling Change Pers…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.4%, Median annual wage $36220
- Models: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.5%, Median annual wage $48470
- Door-to-Door Sales W…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10%, Median annual wage $41380
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-0.5%
Declining
Annual Openings
1,200
per year (projected)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Sales and Related Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
1.8/100K
Injury Rate
1.5/100
Danger Index
6.9/100
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 Models roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Record rates of pay and durations of jobs on vouchers.
- ▸ Pose for artists and photographers.
- ▸ Gather information from agents concerning the pay, dates, times, provisions, and lengths of jobs.
- ▸ Report job completions to agencies and obtain information about future appointments.
- ▸ Assemble and maintain portfolios, print composite cards, and travel to go-sees to obtain jobs.
- ▸ Pose as directed, or strike suitable interpretive poses for promoting and selling merchandise or fashions during appearances, filming, or photo sessions.
- ▸ Follow strict routines of diet, sleep, and exercise to maintain appearance.
- ▸ Apply makeup to face and style hair to enhance appearance, considering such factors as color, camera techniques, and facial features.
- ▸ Work closely with photographers, fashion coordinators, directors, producers, stylists, make-up artists, other models, and clients to produce the desired looks, and to finish photo shoots on schedule.
- ▸ Dress in sample or completed garments, and select accessories.
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
Models pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 10 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $27,530 |
| 2016 | $21,870 |
| 2017 | $22,900 |
| 2018 | $23,770 |
| 2019 | $28,350 |
| 2020 | $31,910 |
| 2022 | $43,130 |
| 2023 | $47,430 |
| 2024 | $89,990 |
| 2025 | $48,470 |
2015 median
$27,530
2025 median
$48,470
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$20,120 (+71%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+9.4%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $27,530 | First banked release | 4,460 |
| May 2016 | $21,870 | -20.6% | 4,390 |
| May 2017 | $22,900 | +4.7% | 3,710 |
| May 2018 | $23,770 | +3.8% | 3,310 |
| May 2019 | $28,350 | Classification break | 2,320 |
| May 2020 | $31,910 | +12.6% | 2,350 |
| May 2022 | $43,130 | +35.2% | 2,070 |
| May 2023 | $47,430 | +10.0% | 3,090 |
| May 2024 | $89,990 | +89.7% | 5,350 |
| May 2025 | $48,470 | -46.1% | 3,780 |
Across the 10 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $27,530 in May 2015 to $48,470 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +9.4% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 2,320 in May 2019 to 3,780 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 16 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $109,910 | +127% above national |
| 2 | New York | $107,280 | +121% above national |
| 3 | New Jersey | $60,520 | +25% above national |
| 4 | California | $57,400 | +18% above national |
| 5 | Illinois | $53,280 | +10% above national |
| 6 | Maryland | $47,170 | 3% below national |
| 7 | Texas | $46,840 | 3% below national |
| 8 | Florida | $45,900 | 5% below national |
| 9 | Virginia | $45,720 | 6% below national |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $45,060 | 7% below national |
| 11 | Oregon | $42,880 | 12% below national |
| 12 | Ohio | $42,550 | 12% below national |
| 13 | Nebraska | $41,600 | 14% below national |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $39,890 | 18% below national |
| 15 | Missouri | $34,610 | 29% below national |
| 16 | Georgia | $15,080 | 69% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 12 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rochester, NY | $208,000 | +329% above national |
| 2 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $109,820 | +127% above national |
| 3 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $107,280 | +121% above national |
| 4 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $99,320 | +105% above national |
| 5 | Anchorage, AK | $81,520 | +68% above national |
| 6 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $53,700 | +11% above national |
| 7 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $51,150 | +6% above national |
| 8 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $48,570 | same as national |
| 9 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $47,170 | 3% below national |
| 10 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $45,060 | 7% below national |
| 11 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $34,610 | 29% below national |
| 12 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $34,330 | 29% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 41 (Sales and Related Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Advertising Sales Agents
SOC 41-3011
Cashiers
SOC 41-2011
Counter and Rental Clerks
SOC 41-2021
Demonstrators and Product Promoters
SOC 41-9011
Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers
SOC 41-9091
Showing 5 of 21 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Sales and Related Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($48,470 here) and reported employment (3,780 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Models make? ▼
Where does Models pay rank nationally? ▼
What state pays Models the most? ▼
What education do Models need? ▼
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Models? ▼
Is Models a good career? ▼
How does Models pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Models? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Models pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $99,320/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Arizona leads at $109,910/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.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
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.