How much does a Fashion Designer make?

The average salary for a Fashion Designer is $84,016 per year in United States. Salaries estimates are based on 1705 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Fashion Designer employees in United States.

The highest salary for a Fashion Designer in United States is $113,326 per year.

The lowest salary for a Fashion Designer in United States is $63,012 per year.

If you are thinking of becoming a Fashion Designer or planning the next step in your career, find details about the role, the career path and salary trajectory of a Fashion Designer.

A career in fashion design allows employees to express creativity while developing a wide range of technical, soft and artistic skills. Hours can be long leading up to shows, magazine publications and film productions, but turnover in the industry is low because designers are often passionate about their work. Designers employed by motion picture companies have a higher median salary than designers employed by merchant wholesalers or apparel manufacturing firms.

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Good money is subjective, but Glassdoor's anonymous ratings give us more concrete insight, showing that about 65% of fashion designers are satisfied with their salaries. Having a bachelor's degree and two or more years of experience helps lead to a more satisfying salary.

Total pay for fashion designers falls between $48,729.26 and $147,873.43. As you move along the typical career path for fashion designers and gain more experience, you're likely to earn more. After working in the field for some time, the estimated total pay is $84,015.97. Once you reach that point, you may be qualified for a more advanced title, such as senior or head designer.

In order to earn more throughout your career as a fashion designer, make sure you're constantly evaluating and improving relevant skills. It's important to learn about the latest materials and fabric technologies, make connections with customers and vendors, attend fashion events, and continue to innovate on your designs so they feel fresh and relevant.

You could also seek out additional education if you want to specialize in certain aspects of fashion design — for example, taking courses related to color theory, textiles, garment construction or sustainability in fashion.

Gaining practical experience in the field is also always helpful to your salary. The more years of experience you have, the better.

Whether you're preparing to discuss a new job offer or looking to negotiate a raise at your current role, it's helpful to root your salary expectations in data. Research salaries for fashion designers in your area based on their level of seniority to get an idea of how much you should be making.

Then, get ready to advocate for yourself. Highlight innovative designs you've made in a portfolio. Prepare to talk through your creative process and specific skills, education, and experience you have that sets you apart from other fashion designers.