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What is a fashion illustrator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a fashion illustrator. For example, did you know that they make an average of $34.9 an hour? That's $72,583 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 2,900 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreFashion IllustratorUS Average
Salary
5.7

Avg. Salary $72,583

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
3.5

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.83%

Asian 7.56%

Black or African American 4.30%

Hispanic or Latino 14.04%

Unknown 5.88%

White 67.39%

Gender

female 76.60%

male 23.40%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39
Stress level
3.5

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.1

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.7

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Fashion illustrator career paths

Key steps to become a fashion illustrator

  1. Explore fashion illustrator education requirements

    Most common fashion illustrator degrees

    Bachelor's

    56.0 %

    Associate

    34.7 %

    Master's

    4.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific fashion illustrator skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Sketch46.35%
    Adobe Photoshop27.75%
    Trend Research7.15%
    Cost Sheets6.72%
    CAD6.07%
  3. Research fashion illustrator duties and responsibilities

    • Design and manage company website and powerpoint presentation relate material that promote the company.
    • Design and manage company website and powerpoint presentation relate material that promote the company.
    • Select and upload runway and backstage photos to Pinterest.com/thecut.
  4. Prepare your fashion illustrator resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your fashion illustrator resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a fashion illustrator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable fashion illustrator resume templates

    Build a professional fashion illustrator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your fashion illustrator resume.
    Fashion Illustrator Resume
    Fashion Illustrator Resume
    Fashion Illustrator Resume
    Fashion Illustrator Resume
    Fashion Illustrator Resume
    Fashion Illustrator Resume
    Fashion Illustrator Resume
    Fashion Illustrator Resume
    Fashion Illustrator Resume
  5. Apply for fashion illustrator jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a fashion illustrator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first fashion illustrator job

Zippi

Are you a fashion illustrator?

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Average fashion illustrator salary

The average fashion illustrator salary in the United States is $72,583 per year or $35 per hour. Fashion illustrator salaries range between $51,000 and $102,000 per year.

Average fashion illustrator salary
$72,583 Yearly
$34.90 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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