Fashion Designers
Fashion designers create clothing, accessories, and footwear.
Is fashion designers a good career?
It scores 17/100 and ranks #413 of 825 occupations on pay, growth, employment and openings. Here's what the federal data says, with no editorializing.
Advantages
- Pays well above the U.S. median wage ($80,960 vs $61,390)
Possible tradeoffs
- Slower-than-average projected growth (+2.0%)
- Typically requires a bachelor's degree
What fashion designers earn
Wages: BLS OEWS May 2025Pay is a range, not a number. Half of U.S. fashion designers earn between $51,940 and $106,470 a year.
Best-paying states
Best-paying metros
Strongest employment concentration
Live fashion designers jobs
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- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- Outlook
- Employment is projected to grow slower than average through 2034.
Education
Fashion designers typically have a bachelor’s degree in a fine arts or business field such as fashion design or fashion merchandising. These fashion-focused programs teach students about textiles and fabrics and how to use computer-aided design (CAD) technology. Students also work on projects they can add to their portfolio, which showcases their designs.
For many artists, including fashion designers, developing a portfolio—a collection of design ideas that demonstrates their styles and abilities—is essential. Students studying fashion design often have opportunities to develop their portfolios further by entering their designs in student or amateur contests. When making hiring decisions, employers rely on these portfolios to gauge talent and creativity.
More than 360 postsecondary institutions are accredited with programs in art and design, and many of them award degrees in fashion design. These schools often require students to have completed basic art and design courses before entering a program. Applicants usually must submit sketches and other examples of their artistic ability.
Important qualities
Artistic ability. Fashion designers sketch their initial design ideas, which are used to create prototypes. Designers must be able to express their vision for the design through illustration.
Communication skills. Throughout the design process, fashion designers must be able to communicate effectively. For example, they may need to instruct sewers about garment construction.
Computer skills. Fashion designers must be able to use computer-aided design (CAD) programs and be familiar with graphics editing software.
Creativity. Fashion designers work with a variety of fabrics, shapes, and colors. Their ideas must be unique, functional, and stylish.
Decision-making skills. When working on teams, fashion designers are exposed to many ideas. They must be able to decide which ideas to incorporate into their designs.
Detail oriented. Fashion designers must have a good eye for small differences in color and other details that can make a design successful.
Related occupations
How much do fashion designers make?
The national median wage is $80,960 a year, with the middle half earning between $51,940 and $106,470 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Is fashion designers a good career?
On the Jobs.best index it scores 17 of 100 and ranks #413 of 825 occupations, weighing pay, growth, employment and openings. Employment is projected to change +2.0% through 2034.
What education do you need to become a fashion designer?
The typical entry-level education is bachelor's degree.
Where do fashion designers earn the most?
Among states, Massachusetts pays the highest median ($103,520). Local pay for every state and metro is below.