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Clothing Designer Salary in the United States

How much does a Clothing Designer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Clothing Designer in the United States is $37,065 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $18.

However, a Clothing Designer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $45,825
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $33,195 to $41,650
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $29,672
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Clothing Designer Salaries

A Clothing Designer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Clothing Designer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Clothing Designer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $36,033
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $36,728
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $38,212
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $38,414
  • Expert (over 8 years): $38,751
Levels Salary
Entry Level Clothing Designer$36,033
Intermediate Level Clothing Designer$36,728
Senior Level Clothing Designer$38,212
Specialist Level Clothing Designer$38,414
Expert Level Clothing Designer$38,751
View as Graph

How Do Clothing Designer Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Clothing Designers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $41,039.
  • California: $40,883.
  • Massachusetts: $40,338.

Top Paying Cities for Clothing Designers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $46,751
  • San Francisco: $46,239
  • Oakland: $45,264

What Skills Can Increase a Clothing Designer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Teamwork (Mentioned in 30.26% Job Postings): Teamwork is a skill consist of interrelated abilities that let you work effectively in an organized group. Teamwork skills are vital to employers, as teams are a basic organizational unit within many companies.
  • Work Ethic (Mentioned in 1.87% Job Postings): A belief that work and diligence have a moral benefit and an inherent ability, virtue or value to strengthen character and individual abilities. A set of values centered on importance of work and manifested by determination or desire to work hard.
  • Inventory Management (Mentioned in 0.85% Job Postings): Overseeing and controlling supplies and stock to ensure that an organization maintains an adequate stock quantity.
Skills Demand Percentage
Teamwork 30.26%
Work Ethic 1.87%
Inventory Management 0.85%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Clothing Designer's salary.

  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Interviewing: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Talent Acquisition: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Innovation $41,143
11%
Interviewing $40,031
8%
Talent Acquisition $39,289
6%
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Clothing Designer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Clothing Designer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Retail & Wholesale and MFG Nondurable sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Clothing Designer positions in Hospitality & Leisure or MFG Durable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Clothing Designer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Clothing Designer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Retail & Wholesale$48,185$23.030%
MFG Nondurable$40,772$20.010%

How Education impacts a Clothing Designer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Clothing Designers enter the field with a No Diploma degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Clothing Designer with a No Diploma is between $39,768 and $43,591).

Clothing Designer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Clothing Designer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 12.5%
High School 37.5%
Associates 12.5%
Bachelors 31.3%
Masters 6.3%
Doctorate 0.0%
View as Graph

Clothing Designer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Clothing Designer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$33,195
Average $37,065/year
$41,650
$2,766
Average $3,089/month
$3,471
$638
Average $713/week
$801
$16
Average $18/hour
$20
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $41,650 $3,471 $801 $20
Average $37,065 $3,089 $713 $18
25th Percentile $33,195 $2,766 $638 $16

Most common benefits for Clothing Designer

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Clothing Designer

Here are companies hiring for Clothing Designer and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Clothing Designer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Clothing Designer?

The Retail & Wholesale industry offers the highest average compensation for Clothing Designer roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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