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How Much Does a Fashion Designer Make?

A fashion designer in the US earns a median salary of $80,960 a year, or $38.92 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $91,230, and the middle half earn between $51,940 and $106,470.

Median a year $80,960
Median an hour $38.92
Median a month $6,747
Average a year $91,230

Fashion designer pay range

What fashion designers earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $39,490 $18.99
25th $51,940 $24.97
Median (50th) $80,960 $38.92
75th $106,470 $51.19
90th (top 10%) $146,870 $70.61

The median is 59% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 21,450 people work as fashion designers in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,557
Every two weeks
$3,114
Twice a month
$3,373
A month
$6,747

At the median salary, before tax.

Fashion designer salary by state

Sorted by average pay. Massachusetts pays fashion designers the most, at $113,650 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
Massachusetts $113,650 $103,520 540 After tax
New York $111,740 $98,640 5,760 After tax
New Jersey $103,480 $101,610 160 After tax
New Hampshire $102,050 $100,160 40 After tax
Georgia $95,070 $78,340 120 After tax
Connecticut $94,620 $81,510 50 After tax
Colorado $94,270 $94,140 360 After tax
Washington $90,130 $82,030 – After tax
North Carolina $87,590 $74,990 460 After tax
Virginia $87,480 $94,120 100 After tax
Pennsylvania $77,880 $63,840 320 After tax
Vermont $75,210 $79,610 60 After tax
Michigan $74,660 $63,430 40 After tax
Ohio $73,870 $82,050 90 After tax
Kansas $71,770 $59,150 40 After tax
Maine $59,620 $49,530 30 After tax
Wisconsin $59,030 $57,030 120 After tax
Indiana $56,210 $40,740 120 After tax
Texas $54,600 $40,040 1,850 After tax
Florida $53,350 $43,020 1,100 After tax
Hawaii $52,820 $47,990 – After tax
Arizona $48,700 $45,720 – After tax
Minnesota $45,670 $42,110 420 After tax

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other arts, design, entertainment, sports and media jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Fashion Designers” (SOC 27-1022). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a fashion designer make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a fashion designer is $38.92, and the average is $43.86. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $18.99 an hour and the top 10% over $70.61.

How much does a fashion designer make a month?

At the median salary of $80,960, a fashion designer earns about $6,747 a month before tax, or $3,114 every two weeks.

Which state pays fashion designers the most?

Massachusetts has the highest average pay for a fashion designer, at $113,650 a year. Next are New York and New Jersey. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a fashion designer?

The lowest-paid 10% of fashion designers earn less than $39,490 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $51,940. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid fashion designers make?

The top 10% earn more than $146,870 a year, and the top 25% more than $106,470.