Choosing to follow your dream of becoming a fashion designer is a hard jump to make, but can you be guaranteed some stability when it comes to your salary? What can you expect when you’re joining the fashion industry when it comes to how much money you’re making?
The average salary of an established fashion designer is about $70,000. The highest reported average salary is about $150,000, while the lowest reported average salary is about $37,000. Salary depends on experience, education, location, and what niche within the fashion market one may belong to.
We all know that salaries vary, but what are people reporting as their average? Does it shift, or does it stay similar from year to year? What can you expect if you become a fashion designer? What sort of education will you need? Is the position stable? Read on to find out more about the industry and the job itself.
Crunching the Numbers
Because it’s a popular job with a lot of variation when it comes to pay, there’s a lot of data to consider, and many sites are reporting different information.
- Career Explorer sees the average salary at around $77,500, while their bottom salary is much lower at $37,500 and their highest is increased to $130,900.
- Chron keeps the average salary around $73,790, with $37,260 on the low end and $149,000 on the high end.
- Glassdoor has their fashion designer salaries landing around $47,886 per year.
- Indeed explains that fashion designers usually have an hourly wage of about $16 per hour, with about $75,000 per year. Their range goes from $32,320 to about $131,000.
- Payscale reports the average base salary at $67,000 per year, with $45,000 being the lowest percentile and $103,000 being the highest percentile.
- Salary.com keeps their average as a range between $50,000 and $75,000.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics keeps the median pay at $77,450 per year.
- U.S. News reports an average base of about $76,000, with $54,500 being the lowest and $101,700 being the highest.
- Zippia states their average at around $57,000 annually, with entry level at $37,000 and the highest at $88,000.
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What factors into your salary?
There are many things that go into deciding your salary—and some of them are beyond your control. Whether it’s where you’re stationed or what your education level is, it does matter in the long run.
- Experience. According to Payscale, in your first year you can expect about $54,000 as your salary. While not the lowest of their estimations, it does increase steadily until you hit 10 to 19 years in the industry at around $84,000.
- Education. While it’s not required to have your degree, it can affect your salary. Those with degrees in design or fashion design can earn more money in their first year than those who do not. If you’re looking to advance your career, consider a degree in fashion design or graphic design. Artistic degrees are best if you’re looking to continue this career path, but business degrees such as marketing, communications, or entrepreneurship are also suggested.
- Location. According to U.S. News, if you want to become one of the highest paid fashion designers in the United States, you should go to Los Angeles, CA; Portsmouth, NH; New York City, Dallas, TX; or Riverside, CA. When it comes to the average salary depending on the state, it’s similar—California, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts all tout the highest average. Similarly, Career Explorer’s data states that New Hampshire, New Jersey, Washington, Massachusetts, Oregon, New York, Arizona, California, Georgia, Utah, and Colorado are the top ten states for fashion designers. Zippia keeps Washington and Oregon at the top of their list.
- Fashion Industry niche. It can also depend on what kind of clothing you’re working on. According to Indeed, apparel and piece goods fashion designers fall into the $73,000 range, while performing arts designers land around $53,000. The video industry fashion designers have the highest average at about $93,000 per year.
Stability Of A Fashion Design Job (Is Fashion Design A Stable Job?)
A Typical Day as A Fashion Designer
While it depends on the sort of niche you’re working in, a typical day for a fashion designer can change on a dime. Some of the common duties of a fashion designer include:
- Studying trends to plan potential future ones
- Creating a collection on a theme
- Creating patterns for clothing items
- Working with manufacturers to create clothing items
- Choosing fabrics and accessories for a clothing item
- Working with a team to create the collection
- Marketing their designs to other companies
- Overseeing the entire fashion design department
Depending on what kind of industry you’re working in, that could include designing accessories or even costumes. While any day could be different, it’s important to note that you may be working under another fashion designer creating your own designs, or you could be in charge of a department of designers. Regardless of your position, you need to have the experience and knowledge of the fashion design industry and the trends that may affect what you’re creating. Don’t forget to search out those trends—that can be one of the most important aspects of your job. If you’re staying on top of trends, you can stay on top of the popularity heap.
Is fashion design stable as a career?
While it varies from person to person what “stable” actually means, it can come down to how much money you’re making as a fashion designer. Because fashion design is within a very competitive field, it can create some instability for your job outlook.
Still, the The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the growth of about 2,500 new fashion designer jobs annually. Because of this, you can expect there to at least be some demand for new people in this position.
Additionally, there are some factors to consider about the industry itself. What can make it more stable? Considering that all people need fashion, there will always be a need for the fashion industry. Because people are all different in their own personal style, you will always have different niches to style for—and those niches are forever changing. As the industry grows, so do fashion houses, and you can expect a very creative and shifting position as you work with trends and try to anticipate the next ones.
There is a trend that is taking the salary of a fashion designer even higher. According to U.S. News, the salary outlook of the fashion design job has increased from $75,000 to $87,500 in five years. This can also help with the fear of stability—the more money you make, the more stable you are.
We all know that the salary can be a very important part of a position, and the fashion design industry is no exception to that rule. It’s also important to note that while the salary is expected to land around $75,000 per year, that could change depending on so many factors—your location, your experience, your education, or your niche. It’s also worth considering the possibility of bonuses or commission rates. One important thing to remember is most of these numbers are considered an established fashion designer. When it comes to freelancing, your salary depends on you. It could shift drastically from week to week, and you may find yourself outside of that salary range—on either end of the spectrum. Focus on what drove you to become a fashion designer in the first place and never lose that excitement and drive, and you too can find yourself at the higher end of the salary spectrum.
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Related Questions
Do I need a fashion design degree to start working as a fashion designer?
No, it is not required to have an advanced degree to work as a fashion designer, but it can help you get a leg up in the industry. As long as you have the drive to work hard and the experience, you can become a fashion designer. Make sure you understand the fashion industry, learn the basics of drawing and design, and learn to sew. You can create your fashion portfolio to show off to fashion houses once you gain that experience.
I’m just starting out as a fashion designer. How can I improve my drawing skills?
If you’re looking to improve on your own, consider studying human anatomy and starting with templates. You can also seek out assistance, like taking a drawing course or using a photo editing software. The more you draw, the better you will get, so make sure you continually practice your art.
How can I brand myself as a fashion designer?
If you’re just starting out, the easiest way to do so is by working with a fashion house. If you’re starting as a freelancer, you have your work cut out for you, but it is far from impossible. Start by creating a plan for your future and outline your vision, your mission, and your personal values. From there, start creating your story that you can use to market yourself. Find out what niche you would most like to be a part of, and start showcasing your brand through a portfolio and on social media. Make sure to keep a consistent message and positive networking through potential customers.
To learn more about how to start your own fashion clothing line check out my startup documents here
Please note: This blog post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult a legal expert to address your specific needs.
Meet Shawn Chun: Entrepreneur and Fashion Business Fan.
I’m a happy individual who happens to be an entrepreneur. I have owned several types of businesses in my life from a coffee shop to an import and export business to an online review business plus a few more and now I create online resources for those interested in starting new ventures. It’s demanding work but I love it. I do it for those passionate about their business and their goals. That’s why when I meet a designer or boutique owner at a craft fair, farmers market, retail location or anywhere else I see myself. I know how hard the struggle is to retain clients, find good employees and keep the business growing all while trying to stay competitive.
That’s why I created Fashion Business Boss: I want to help fashion business owners like you build a thriving business that brings you endless joy and supports your ideal lifestyle.