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Apparel designer salary
Average apparel designer salary
$65,467
Average Apparel Designer Salary
The average salary for an apparel designer is approximately $65,467 per year or about $31 per hour. Salaries can fluctuate based on factors such as location, experience, and specific job titles within the fashion industry. For instance, apparel designers in states like California and New York often earn significantly more due to the higher cost of living and concentration of fashion brands.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level designers typically earn less, while those with several years of experience can command higher salaries. Understanding these dynamics will help you gauge your earning potential and identify opportunities that match your skill set.
Job Opportunities in Apparel Design
Apparel designers can find roles in various sectors, from large fashion houses to independent boutiques. By exploring job postings and salary estimates on platforms like Zippia, you can make informed decisions about your career path and seek positions that offer competitive compensation.
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Where can an Apparel Designer earn more?
Apparel designer salary estimates from across the web
Average apparel designer salary by state
The highest-paying states for apparel designers are Nevada, Oregon, and Utah. The lowest average apparel designer salary states are North Carolina, Florida, and Alabama.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for apparel designers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $84,141 | $40.45 |
| 2 | Washington | $79,173 | $38.06 |
| 3 | Utah | $79,452 | $38.20 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $74,206 | $35.68 |
| 5 | California | $74,770 | $35.95 |
| 6 | Nevada | $90,249 | $43.39 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $74,709 | $35.92 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $72,461 | $34.84 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $70,583 | $33.93 |
| 10 | Idaho | $78,905 | $37.94 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $65,719 | $31.60 |
| 12 | New York | $64,695 | $31.10 |
| 13 | Delaware | $73,740 | $35.45 |
| 14 | Maine | $60,608 | $29.14 |
| 15 | Missouri | $61,705 | $29.67 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $62,400 | $30.00 |
| 17 | Vermont | $60,101 | $28.89 |
| 18 | Texas | $55,521 | $26.69 |
| 19 | Ohio | $55,614 | $26.74 |
| 20 | Mississippi | $59,265 | $28.49 |
| 21 | Alaska | $64,725 | $31.12 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $60,152 | $28.92 |
| 23 | Arizona | $56,780 | $27.30 |
| 24 | Colorado | $56,200 | $27.02 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $58,277 | $28.02 |
| 26 | Maryland | $57,260 | $27.53 |
| 27 | Montana | $57,990 | $27.88 |
| 28 | Michigan | $51,256 | $24.64 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $52,612 | $25.29 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $54,288 | $26.10 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $55,063 | $26.47 |
| 32 | Georgia | $50,633 | $24.34 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $49,899 | $23.99 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $53,832 | $25.88 |
| 35 | Virginia | $50,355 | $24.21 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $52,311 | $25.15 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $47,276 | $22.73 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $51,122 | $24.58 |
| 39 | Indiana | $50,128 | $24.10 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $51,985 | $24.99 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $49,739 | $23.91 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $46,858 | $22.53 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $50,780 | $24.41 |
| 44 | Florida | $46,711 | $22.46 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $46,926 | $22.56 |
| 46 | Illinois | $41,200 | $19.81 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $50,724 | $24.39 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $47,295 | $22.74 |
| 49 | Iowa | $40,092 | $19.27 |
| 50 | Alabama | $45,228 | $21.74 |
| 51 | Kansas | $40,429 | $19.44 |
Highest paying cities for apparel designers
The highest-paying cities for apparel designers are Richmond, CA, Beaverton, OR, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richmond, CA | $83,473 | $40.13 |
| 2 | Beaverton, OR | $83,306 | $40.05 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $79,528 | $38.23 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $65,673 | $31.57 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $64,888 | $31.20 |
| 6 | Fort Lee, NJ | $58,363 | $28.06 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $57,410 | $27.60 |
| 8 | Boulder, CO | $56,353 | $27.09 |
| 9 | Milwaukee, WI | $50,177 | $24.12 |
| 10 | Tampa, FL | $47,166 | $22.68 |
| 11 | Charlotte, NC | $46,287 | $22.25 |
Apparel designer salary details
An apparel designer's salary ranges from $40,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $105,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an apparel designer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $105,000 | $8,750 | $50 |
| 75th Percentile | $84,000 | $7,000 | $40 |
| Average | $65,467 | $5,456 | $31 |
| 25th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| 10th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
Highest paying apparel designer jobs
The highest paying types of apparel designers are head designer, senior designer, and interactive designer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic Artist | $54,900 | $4,575 | $26.39 | 8,752 |
| Visual Merchandiser | $38,037 | $3,170 | $18.29 | 74,351 |
| Graphic Designer/Production | $48,619 | $4,052 | $23.37 | 95,831 |
| Graphic Designer, Marketing | $48,763 | $4,064 | $23.44 | 115,113 |
| Motion Graphics Designer | $62,558 | $5,213 | $30.08 | 44,960 |
| Web Graphic Designer | $52,574 | $4,381 | $25.28 | 51,462 |
Top companies hiring apparel designers now:
Which companies pay apparel designers the most?
Apparel designer salaries at Fanatics and PVH are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average apparel designer salary at companies like VF and Nike are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fanatics | $112,867 | $54.26 |
| 2 | PVH | $110,882 | $53.31 |
| 3 | VF | $106,022 | $50.97 |
| 4 | Nike | $105,947 | $50.94 |
| 5 | Harley-Davidson | $92,193 | $44.32 |
| 6 | Neiman Marcus Group | $89,822 | $43.18 |
| 7 | Under Armour | $86,336 | $41.51 |
| 8 | Belk | $84,979 | $40.86 |
| 9 | Converse | $84,249 | $40.50 |
| 10 | Meijer | $80,475 | $38.69 |
| 11 | Abercrombie & Fitch Co | $79,693 | $38.31 |
| 12 | Columbia Sportswear | $78,196 | $37.59 |
| 13 | Brooks Running | $71,327 | $34.29 |
| 14 | Tyndale | $70,921 | $34.10 |
| 15 | Reebok | $67,423 | $32.41 |
| 16 | Acushnet Holdings | $65,936 | $31.70 |
| 17 | G F PARTNERS | $63,211 | $30.39 |
| 18 | Adidas North America Inc | $62,908 | $30.24 |
| 19 | Wicked Fashions, Inc. | $62,429 | $30.01 |
| 20 | Miller’s | $61,999 | $29.81 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Apparel designer salary trends
The average apparel designer salary has risen by $9,602 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average apparel designer earned $55,865 annually, but today, they earn $65,467 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for apparel designers over the last decade.
Compare apparel designer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average apparel designer salary over time
Compare apparel designer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Apparel designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $65,500 | $31.47 | +2.7% |
| 2025 | $63,700 | $30.64 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $62,800 | $30.19 | +7.3% |
| 2023 | $58,200 | $27.99 | +3.3% |
| 2022 | $56,300 | $27.06 | +2.3% |
Recently added apparel designer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nordstrom Inc. | Retail Sales-Designer Men's Apparel | Aventura, FL | 06/28/2025 | $30,470 |
| Under Armour | Apparel Designer I, Curry Basketball | Baltimore, MD | 06/28/2025 | $61,808 |
| Cella Inc. | Apparel Designer | Beaverton, OR | 06/26/2025 | $79,306 |
| AKT Enterprises | Band Merch & Apparel Designer In | Orlando, FL | 06/25/2025 | $54,262 |
| Wal-Mart | (USA) Manager, Apparel Designer-Women's Active | New York, NY | 06/21/2025 | $108,000 |
| Lifung Trinity Group | Womenswear Designer-Branded and Licensed Apparel | New York, NY | 06/20/2025 | $95,000 |
| z Supply Inc. | Senior Apparel Designer | Costa Mesa, CA | 06/10/2025 | $120,000 |
| Peoples Services | Senior Apparel and Accessories Designer | Las Vegas, NV | 06/09/2025 | $75,000 |
| Pyramid Consulting Group, LLC | Children's Apparel Designer (Multiple Roles) | New York, NY | 05/30/2025 | $90,000 |
| Search | Apparel Designer, Project Management | New York, NY | 05/28/2025 | $91,250 |
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