27
Fashion Designers is a notable career in the 27 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Fashion Designers against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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13
| soc | 27-1022 |
| title | Fashion Designers |
| onet code | 27-1022.00 |
| description | Design clothing and accessories. Create original designs or adapt fashion trends. |
| job zone | 3 |
| major group | 27 |
| tot emp | 20,910 |
| a mean | 122,430 |
| a median | 80,690 |
| a pct10 | 35,970 |
| a pct25 | 53,730 |
| a pct75 | 107,990 |
| a pct90 | 169,620 |
| h mean | 58 |
| h median | 38 |
The day-to-day work of a fashion designers typically centers on sketch rough and detailed drawings of apparel or accessories, and write specifications such as color schemes, construction, material types, and accessory requirements. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Speaking. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.76 out of 5 — highly rated for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working fashion designers, the most common entry qualification is a Bachelor's Degree (50.7%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 51% of incumbents. Entry pathways are mixed; a meaningful minority enters without a four-year degree.
Median annual pay is highest in Tennessee at $142,500 and lowest in Wisconsin at $37,790 — a 3.8× spread. The top five states (Tennessee, Oregon, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire) average $110,360. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $142,500 | $117,100 | $40,980 | $170,180 | 40 |
| Oregon | $125,310 | $134,060 | $80,470 | $215,230 | 1,140 |
| Massachusetts | $99,340 | $107,560 | $63,150 | $159,720 | 610 |
| New York | $96,420 | $106,180 | $60,620 | $170,400 | 6,600 |
| New Hampshire | $88,230 | $90,750 | $61,260 | $121,250 | 50 |
| Virginia | $85,870 | $79,150 | $46,800 | $105,030 | 90 |
| Colorado | $85,680 | $94,950 | $58,960 | $139,570 | 180 |
| New Jersey | $84,020 | $96,380 | $59,710 | $137,310 | 200 |
| Missouri | $81,700 | $87,290 | $43,020 | $176,510 | 260 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,950 | $80,740 | $46,570 | $127,240 | 380 |
| Washington | $77,990 | $80,350 | $45,820 | $130,400 | 590 |
| Connecticut | $77,020 | $101,850 | $61,650 | $181,120 | 50 |
| North Carolina | $74,830 | $82,370 | $43,250 | $129,170 | 330 |
| Georgia | $73,070 | $77,500 | $52,610 | $105,390 | 70 |
| Ohio | $58,790 | $65,050 | $31,440 | $94,870 | 210 |
| Utah | $58,490 | $71,330 | $21,120 | $105,530 | 330 |
| Kansas | $54,400 | $65,410 | $48,290 | $90,410 | 50 |
| Indiana | $52,430 | $58,670 | $35,120 | $85,080 | 50 |
| Kentucky | $48,000 | $64,220 | $42,400 | $107,350 | 70 |
| Florida | $43,920 | $57,550 | $26,340 | $102,200 | 840 |
| Arizona | $43,200 | $46,150 | $36,790 | $58,250 | 110 |
| Minnesota | $40,040 | $44,130 | $40,040 | $53,020 | 470 |
| Wisconsin | $37,790 | $39,200 | $24,670 | $48,530 | 50 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for fashion designers. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Accessories Designer or Apparel Accessories Specialist frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Fashion Designers compares to others in the 27 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Fashion Designers
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.