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Fashion designer salary
Average fashion designer salary
$54,265
Understanding Fashion Designer Salaries
The salary of a Fashion Designer varies by location, experience, and specialization. Currently, the average annual salary is $54,265. In high-demand areas, such as New York or California, designers may earn significantly more. For instance, states like California and New York are known for offering some of the highest salaries in this creative field.
Fashion designers working in luxury brands or high-profile firms often command higher salaries due to the specialized nature of their work. Additionally, the rise of digital fashion and e-commerce has created new opportunities for designers to engage with consumers directly, further impacting earnings. Factors such as years of experience and educational background also play a crucial role in salary determination.
For those looking to enter the fashion industry, understanding these variables is essential for making informed career decisions. By exploring salary trends and opportunities in various states, aspiring designers can better navigate their career paths and seek positions that align with their financial goals.
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Where can a Fashion Designer earn more?
Fashion designer salary estimates from across the web
Average fashion designer salary by state
The highest-paying states for fashion designers are Nevada, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The lowest average fashion designer salary states are Tennessee, Arkansas, and Alabama.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for fashion designers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $64,565 | $31.04 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $64,861 | $31.18 |
| 3 | Utah | $61,212 | $29.43 |
| 4 | Nevada | $68,741 | $33.05 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $63,863 | $30.70 |
| 6 | California | $63,227 | $30.40 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $64,845 | $31.18 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $62,789 | $30.19 |
| 9 | Oregon | $57,835 | $27.81 |
| 10 | Maine | $58,647 | $28.20 |
| 11 | Idaho | $63,228 | $30.40 |
| 12 | Delaware | $63,874 | $30.71 |
| 13 | New York | $54,702 | $26.30 |
| 14 | Colorado | $55,637 | $26.75 |
| 15 | Vermont | $56,563 | $27.19 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $52,664 | $25.32 |
| 17 | Missouri | $52,896 | $25.43 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $55,705 | $26.78 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $54,050 | $25.99 |
| 20 | Alaska | $59,860 | $28.78 |
| 21 | Texas | $48,744 | $23.43 |
| 22 | New Jersey | $54,206 | $26.06 |
| 23 | Ohio | $48,069 | $23.11 |
| 24 | Mississippi | $52,269 | $25.13 |
| 25 | Georgia | $45,460 | $21.86 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $45,581 | $21.91 |
| 27 | Maryland | $49,439 | $23.77 |
| 28 | Montana | $50,212 | $24.14 |
| 29 | Michigan | $44,645 | $21.46 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $47,181 | $22.68 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $45,855 | $22.05 |
| 32 | Virginia | $44,093 | $21.20 |
| 33 | West Virginia | $46,694 | $22.45 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $44,284 | $21.29 |
| 35 | Arizona | $44,543 | $21.41 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $43,097 | $20.72 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $44,743 | $21.51 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $45,558 | $21.90 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $44,824 | $21.55 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $50,093 | $24.08 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $44,197 | $21.25 |
| 42 | Indiana | $43,632 | $20.98 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $41,903 | $20.15 |
| 44 | Florida | $43,760 | $21.04 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $44,020 | $21.16 |
| 46 | Illinois | $36,052 | $17.33 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $41,068 | $19.74 |
| 48 | Alabama | $40,285 | $19.37 |
| 49 | Iowa | $35,508 | $17.07 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $40,761 | $19.60 |
| 51 | Kansas | $34,201 | $16.44 |
Highest paying cities for fashion designers
The highest-paying cities for fashion designers are San Francisco, CA, Greenwich, CT, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $68,984 | $33.17 |
| 2 | Greenwich, CT | $64,843 | $31.17 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $64,778 | $31.14 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $54,838 | $26.36 |
| 5 | Fort Lee, NJ | $54,277 | $26.09 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $45,886 | $22.06 |
| 7 | Dalton, GA | $45,648 | $21.95 |
| 8 | Alexandria, VA | $44,744 | $21.51 |
| 9 | Doral, FL | $44,164 | $21.23 |
| 10 | Merrillville, IN | $44,043 | $21.17 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $36,159 | $17.38 |
Fashion designer salary details
A fashion designer's salary ranges from $37,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $78,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a fashion designer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $78,000 | $6,500 | $38 |
| 75th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
| Average | $54,265 | $4,522 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
Highest paying fashion designer jobs
The highest paying types of fashion designers are fashion director, head designer, and fashion design internship.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fashion Stylist | $45,524 | $3,794 | $21.89 | 13,031 |
| Apparel Designer | $65,467 | $5,456 | $31.47 | 46,436 |
| Fashion Internship | $49,534 | $4,128 | $23.81 | 49,151 |
| Designer | $66,347 | $5,529 | $31.90 | 52,433 |
| Head Designer | $116,986 | $9,749 | $56.24 | 53,876 |
| Freelance Designer | $57,260 | $4,772 | $27.53 | 45,914 |
Top companies hiring fashion designers now:
Which companies pay fashion designers the most?
Fashion designer salaries at Ralph Lauren and VF are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average fashion designer salary at companies like Gap Inc. and JCPenney are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ralph Lauren | $104,537 | $50.26 |
| 2 | VF | $97,695 | $46.97 |
| 3 | Gap Inc. | $95,621 | $45.97 |
| 4 | JCPenney | $93,916 | $45.15 |
| 5 | American Eagle Outfitters | $90,191 | $43.36 |
| 6 | Jordan Company | $90,048 | $43.29 |
| 7 | Calvin Klein | $87,719 | $42.17 |
| 8 | Tory Burch | $87,565 | $42.10 |
| 9 | Abercrombie & Fitch Co | $83,252 | $40.02 |
| 10 | Lord & Taylor | $79,255 | $38.10 |
| 11 | Williams Sonoma | $78,808 | $37.89 |
| 12 | Victoria's Secret | $76,337 | $36.70 |
| 13 | G-III Apparel Group | $75,070 | $36.09 |
| 14 | Kraton | $74,347 | $35.74 |
| 15 | Coach | $73,093 | $35.14 |
| 16 | KSM | $67,380 | $32.39 |
| 17 | Jordache Enterprises | $65,118 | $31.31 |
| 18 | Tally | $64,756 | $31.13 |
| 19 | HELMUT LANG | $63,398 | $30.48 |
| 20 | GBS | $63,260 | $30.41 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Fashion designer salary trends
The average fashion designer salary has risen by $7,960 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average fashion designer earned $46,305 annually, but today, they earn $54,265 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for fashion designers over the last decade.
Compare fashion designer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average fashion designer salary over time
Compare fashion designer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Fashion designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $54,300 | $26.09 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $52,800 | $25.39 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $52,100 | $25.03 | +7.3% |
| 2022 | $48,300 | $23.20 | +3.3% |
| 2021 | $46,600 | $22.43 | +2.3% |
Recently added fashion designer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buttercloth | Associate Fashion Designer | Torrance, CA | 05/29/2025 | $60,000 |
| Ariat International | Women's Fashion Designer | San Leandro, CA | 05/27/2025 | $105,000 |
| Emerging Blue, Inc. | Senior Fashion Designer | Los Angeles, CA | 05/16/2025 | $100,000 |
| BCI Brands | Senior Fashion Designer | New York, NY | 04/23/2025 | $125,000 |
| Ariat International | Women's Fashion Designer | San Leandro, CA | 04/17/2025 | $105,000 |
| The New York Times Company | Fashion Designer | New York, NY | 03/29/2025 | $56,014 |
| Rare Editions | Assistant Fashion Designer | New York, NY | 03/26/2025 | $41,740 |
| Sensual, Inc. | Fashion Designer | New York, NY | 03/24/2025 | $65,000 |
| Genuardi Master Tailor | Fashion Designers | Hoboken, NJ | 03/18/2025 | $77,991 |
| Goldmedal Intl | Fashion Accessories Designer | New York, NY | 02/19/2025 | $70,000 |
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