Fashion Designers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for fashion designers is $80,960, or $38.92 per hour. About 21,450 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $103,520 in Massachusetts to $40,040 in Texas.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 23 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $103,520 | $49.77 | 540 | 1.08 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $101,610 | $48.85 | 160 | 0.27 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $100,160 | $48.16 | 40 | 0.44 |
| 4 | New York | $98,640 | $47.42 | 5,760 | 4.31 |
| 5 | Colorado | $94,140 | $45.26 | 360 | 0.91 |
| 6 | Virginia | $94,120 | $45.25 | 100 | 0.17 |
| 7 | Ohio | $82,050 | $39.45 | 90 | 0.11 |
| 8 | Washington | $82,030 | $39.44 | — | — |
| 9 | Connecticut | $81,510 | $39.19 | 50 | 0.20 |
| 10 | Vermont | $79,610 | $38.27 | 60 | 1.32 |
| 11 | Georgia | $78,340 | $37.66 | 120 | 0.17 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $74,990 | $36.05 | 460 | 0.68 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $63,840 | $30.69 | 320 | 0.38 |
| 14 | Michigan | $63,430 | $30.50 | 40 | 0.07 |
| 15 | Kansas | $59,150 | $28.44 | 40 | 0.22 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $57,030 | $27.42 | 120 | 0.30 |
| 17 | Maine | $49,530 | $23.81 | 30 | 0.35 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $47,990 | $23.07 | — | — |
| 19 | Arizona | $45,720 | $21.98 | — | — |
| 20 | Florida | $43,020 | $20.68 | 1,100 | 0.80 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $42,110 | $20.25 | 420 | 1.02 |
| 22 | Indiana | $40,740 | $19.59 | 120 | 0.27 |
| 23 | Texas | $40,040 | $19.25 | 1,850 | 0.95 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do fashion designers make?
The median annual wage for fashion designers in the United States is $80,960, or $38.92 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $39,490, and the top 10% earn $146,870.
How many fashion designers are employed in the U.S.?
About 21,450 people work as fashion designers nationwide.
Which state pays fashion designers the most?
Massachusetts pays the most at a median of $103,520, followed by New Jersey ($101,610) and New Hampshire ($100,160).
Which state pays fashion designers the least?
Texas has the lowest median at $40,040.
Where are fashion designers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is New York at 4.31×.