Fashion Designers Salary
The median fashion designers salary in the United States is $80,960 per year ($38.92/hour). Salaries range from $39,490 at the entry level to $146,870+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 21,450 fashion designers jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 2% through 2034.
Last updated: June 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Median Salary
$80,960
per year
Hourly Rate
$38.92
per hour
Employment
21,450
jobs in the U.S.
Salary Distribution
10th percentile
$39,490
25th percentile
$51,940
Median
$80,960
75th percentile
$106,470
90th percentile
$146,870
Job Growth (2024-2034)
+2%
As fast as average
Annual Openings
2,300
jobs/year (growth + replacements)
Education Required
Bachelor's degree
Fashion Designers Salary by State
Best Cities (cost-adjusted) →Salary Map — Click a state for details
$40K$104K■ No data
Top Paying States
Massachusetts
$104K
+28%
New Jersey
$102K
+26%
New Hampshire
$100K
+24%
New York
$99K
+22%
Colorado
$94K
+16%
Virginia
$94K
+16%
Ohio
$82K
+1%
Washington
$82K
+1%
Connecticut
$82K
+1%
Vermont
$80K
-2%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
| State | Median | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $103,520 | +27.9% |
| New Jersey | $101,610 | +25.5% |
| New Hampshire | $100,160 | +23.7% |
| New York | $98,640 | +21.8% |
| Colorado | $94,140 | +16.3% |
| Virginia | $94,120 | +16.3% |
| Ohio | $82,050 | +1.3% |
| Washington | $82,030 | +1.3% |
| Connecticut | $81,510 | +0.7% |
| Vermont | $79,610 | -1.7% |
Showing 1–10 of 23
Fashion Designers Salary by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Median | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $108,220 | +33.7% |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $106,630 | +31.7% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $102,370 | +26.4% |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $99,560 | +23.0% |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $99,420 | +22.8% |
| Boulder, CO | $98,680 | +21.9% |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $96,760 | +19.5% |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $85,220 | +5.3% |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $82,130 | +1.4% |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $82,040 | +1.3% |
Showing 1–10 of 25
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A fashion designers earning $80,960/year would need 736 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 791 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
See all sports & celebrity salaries →📈 See how fashion designers salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Fashion Designers salary trend (2011–2024) →