States with the Highest Salaries
Without a doubt, New York is the place to be if you are a fashion designer. Not only is New York City the hub of the fashion industry in the United States, at $80,490 the mean annual wage for fashion designers in New York State is higher than in any other state. New England states rank second, third, and fifth among the top paying states for fashion designers. The mean in Maine is $80,200; in New Hampshire it's $76,900; and in Connecticut it is $74,820. California comes in just above Connecticut, with a mean annual wage of $74,820. The mean annual wage for fashion designers nationwide was $71,400 in 2008.
The type of employer and the experience of the designer exert strong influence over earnings. The motion picture and video industries paid top dollar for fashion designers in 2008, with a mean annual wage of $89,760. Apparel manufacturers paid the second highest wage: $79,430. Fashion designers need to establish themselves in the profession before they can expect salaries at the top of their industry.
Nearly one-third of fashion designers are self-employed. Self-employed designers typically earn less than salaried designers and have less job security. However, the very best enjoy excellent earnings and high status in the glamorous world of fashion design.
Competition in this creative and sometimes glamorous field is expected to be keen for the foreseeable future. The best job opportunities will be with companies that design mass-market clothing sold in retail stores. Very few designers will find employment in high-end custom design.
States with the Highest Employment Levels
New York, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut are the states that employ the most fashion designers, in that order. New York actually employs nearly twice the number of fashion designers as California, and after that the numbers drop dramatically. In fact, New York employs way more fashion designers than the other four top states combined. If you rank these five states by fashion designer salaries, New York pays the highest, followed by California and Connecticut (which are tied), New Jersey, and then Massachusetts trailing far behind.
New York State has the distinction of being the state that employs the most fashion designers and pays them the highest salaries, with the vast majority located in and around New York City. (The New York City metropolitan area employs 7,140 of the 7,550 fashion designers in New York State.) Apparel wholesalers employed the highest number of fashion designers (nearly one-third of all fashion designers in 2008), but the motion picture and video industries paid the highest salaries.
Employers tend to look for designers who have a two- or four-year degree and know about fabrics and fashion trends. To succeed in the profession designers must be creative and have a strong sense of the aesthetic. Designers also need strong skills in drawing, patternmaking, and sewing. Marketing, management, and communication skills enhance a designer’s opportunities for advancement.
