All careersEveryday & transport

Fashion Designer

$80,690
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Sketch designs, choose fabrics, and create samples for clothing, footwear, and accessories.

Where you work

Studios and design offices

The hours

Full time, long hours near deadlines

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$80,690
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~2,300
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+2%
About average
Working in the U.S.
25,700
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's in fashion or design.

License or certification

No license required to start in most places.

What it takes

SketchingSewingFabric knowledgeTrend sense

The honest take

Designs clothing and accessories, from first sketch to finished sample, in a competitive field.

Standard Occupational Classification 27-1022. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.