Fashion designers
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Fashion designers in the United States earn a median salary of $80,960 per year — about $39 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 26K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +2%.
AI & Automation Risk
Fashion design is increasingly digital, utilizing CAD and graphics software for sketching, trend analysis, and virtual modeling—all areas where generative AI is rapidly advancing. While the physical aspects of selecting fabrics, creating prototypes, and overseeing production provide a buffer, the core creative and analytical tasks are highly susceptible to AI-driven automation and productivity gains.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CABEST VALUE | $108,220 | Above avg (108.8) | $99,469 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $106,630 | Above avg (108.3) | $98,489 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $99,420 | Above avg (105.8) | $93,986 |
| Boulder, CO | $98,680 | Above avg (105.2) | $93,800 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $96,760 | Above avg (106.4) | $90,904 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $102,370 | Above avg (115.6) | $88,545 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $99,560 | Above avg (112.6) | $88,448 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $82,130 | Average (97.3) | $84,367 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $82,040 | Average (100.9) | $81,269 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $78,280 | Average (100.9) | $77,589 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $78,890 | Average (102.6) | $76,925 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $85,220 | Above avg (111.1) | $76,683 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $82,010 | Above avg (111.9) | $73,297 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $59,150 | Below avg (92.5) | $63,916 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $63,210 | Above avg (103.1) | $61,315 |