Fashion Designers Salary
Fashion Designers in Colorado make a median of $94,140 a year, or about $45.26 an hour. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $133K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $90,772 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,832/month, about 30.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $94K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About fashion designers
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What this looks like in Colorado
Colorado sits well above the national pay line for fashion designers, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $81K. Rent runs $1,832/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.71) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level fashion designers (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $94K. Top earners bring in $133K or more, a $74K spread from bottom to top.
Fashion Designers salary by metro in Colorado
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $99K | +6% | 250 |
| Boulder | $99K | +5% | 60 |
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Track fashion designers salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a fashion designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $94K, rent takes 31.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,832/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for fashion designers in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fashion designers typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,916/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is fashion designer a high-paying job in Colorado?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $94K here vs. $81K nationally.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for fashion designers?
Colorado pays $94K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do fashion designers make in Colorado?
The median is $94,140 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,180, and experienced fashion designers can clear $132,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $94K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,873/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 31.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a fashion designers salary go in Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 103.71 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median fashion designers salary is worth about $90,772 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do fashion designers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.