Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Floral Designers

Floral designers arrange live, dried, and silk flowers and greenery to make decorative displays.

7/100
#806 of 825
$37,360
median pay, U.S.
40,590
employed (2024)
-5.9%
growth, 2024–34
5,100
openings per year
High school diploma or equivalent
typical entry education

Is floral designers a good career?

It scores 7/100 and ranks #806 of 825 occupations on pay, growth, employment and openings. Here's what the federal data says, with no editorializing.

Advantages

  • No college degree typically required to enter

Possible tradeoffs

  • Pays below the U.S. median wage ($37,360 vs $61,390)
  • Employment is projected to decline (-5.9% through 2034)

What floral designers earn

Wages: BLS OEWS May 2025

Pay is a range, not a number. Half of U.S. floral designers earn between $32,810 and $45,700 a year.

Best-paying states

Alaska statewide
$48,130
California statewide
$47,040
Massachusetts statewide
$46,460
Hawaii statewide
$46,170
Colorado statewide
$45,380
New York statewide
$45,260
New Jersey statewide
$45,190
Oregon statewide
$44,730
Vermont statewide
$44,720
Washington statewide
$44,460
$20k $50k $80k

Best-paying metros

01 Kahului, HI $52,570
02 Salinas, CA $49,220
03 Oxnard, CA $48,740
04 Santa Rosa, CA $48,410
05 Anchorage, AK $48,310
06 Los Angeles, CA $48,200
07 Sacramento, CA $47,910
08 Riverside, CA $47,560

Strongest employment concentration

01 California 4,080
02 Texas 3,100
03 Florida 2,600
04 New York 2,330
05 Pennsylvania 1,840
06 Illinois 1,760

Live floral designers jobs

No live floral designers openings yet

When the jobs.best ATS feed launches, verified floral designers openings will appear here — each shown against the $37,360 national median. Nothing here is placeholder.

No placeholder listings · nothing invented

How to become a floral designer

Typical education
High school diploma or equivalent
Work experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Outlook
Employment is projected to grow decline through 2034.

Education

Most floral designers have a high school diploma or the equivalent. Postsecondary programs may be useful for florists who want to start their own business. Programs in floral design and caring techniques for flowers and plants are available through private floral schools, vocational schools, and community colleges. Most of these programs offer a certificate or diploma. Classes in flower and plant identification, floral design concepts, and advertising and other business courses, as well as experience working in a greenhouse, are part of many certificate and diploma programs. Some community colleges and universities offer certificates or associate’s degrees in floriculture/floristry operations and management.

Training

New floral designers typically get hands-on experience working with an experienced floral designer. They may start by preparing simple flower arrangements and practicing the basics of tying bows and ribbons, cutting stems to appropriate lengths, and learning about the proper handling and care of flowers and plants. Floral designers also learn about the different types and growth properties of flowers and plants, how to use flowers in complex floral designs, and which flowers and plants complement each other.

Licenses, certifications & registrations

Although certification is voluntary, it indicates a measure of floral design knowledge and expertise gained through work experience or education.

Advancement

Formal training in floral design may be helpful for people who are interested in opening their own business or in becoming a chief floral designer or supervisor.

Important qualities

Artistic ability. Floral designers use their sense of style to develop aesthetically pleasing designs.

Creativity. Floral designers must develop appropriate designs for different occasions. They must also be open to new ideas because trends in floral design change quickly.

Customer-service skills. Floral designers spend much of their day interacting with customers and suppliers. They must be able to understand what a customer is looking for, explain options, and provide high-quality products and service.

Organizational skills. Floral designers need to be well organized to keep the business operating smoothly and to ensure that orders are completed on time.

Related occupations

Bachelor's degree · $62,960 median
High school diploma or equivalent · $39,390 median
Bachelor's degree · $67,190 median
Questions about becoming a floral designer
How much do floral designers make?

The national median wage is $37,360 a year, with the middle half earning between $32,810 and $45,700 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Is floral designers a good career?

On the Jobs.best index it scores 7 of 100 and ranks #806 of 825 occupations, weighing pay, growth, employment and openings. Employment is projected to change -5.9% through 2034.

What education do you need to become a floral designer?

The typical entry-level education is high school diploma or equivalent.

Where do floral designers earn the most?

Among states, Alaska pays the highest median ($48,130). Local pay for every state and metro is below.

U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWages: BLS OEWS May 2025 · Projections: BLS EP 2024–34
Sources: OEWS-M2025 · EP-2024-34 · OOH-2024-34. How we score careers →