Fashion Designers Salary
Fashion Designers in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD make a median of $78,890 a year, or about $37.93 an hour. The range runs from $55K at the entry level to $134K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.55), that's roughly $76,928 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,810/month, about 34.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $79K get you in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (102.55). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About fashion designers
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What this looks like in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Fashion designers pay in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington tracks closely to the national median, $79K locally vs. $81K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,810/month, which is 35.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.55) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for fashion designers in metros near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $54K | $57K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $100K | $88K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Entry-level fashion designers (10th percentile) start around $55K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $134K or more, a $79K spread from bottom to top.
Fashion Designers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Fashion Designers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $104K | +28% | 540 |
| New Jersey | $102K | +26% | 160 |
| New Hampshire | $100K | +24% | 40 |
| New York | $99K | +22% | 5,760 |
| Colorado | $94K | +16% | 360 |
| Virginia | $94K | +16% | 100 |
| Ohio | $82K | +1% | 90 |
| Washington | $82K | +1% | N/A |
| Connecticut | $82K | +1% | 50 |
| Vermont | $80K | -2% | 60 |
| Georgia | $78K | -3% | 120 |
| North Carolina | $75K | -7% | 460 |
| Pennsylvania | $64K | -21% | 320 |
| Michigan | $63K | -22% | 40 |
| Kansas | $59K | -27% | 40 |
| Wisconsin | $57K | -30% | 120 |
| Maine | $50K | -39% | 30 |
| Hawaii | $48K | -41% | N/A |
| Arizona | $46K | -44% | N/A |
| Florida | $43K | -47% | 1,100 |
| Minnesota | $42K | -48% | 420 |
| Indiana | $41K | -50% | 120 |
| Texas | $40K | -51% | 1,850 |
Showing 1–10 of 23 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track fashion designers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a fashion designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 35.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,810/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for fashion designers in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fashion designers typically earn — is $55K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,298/month. At HUD’s $1,810/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $79K locally vs. $81K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compare to the national average for fashion designers?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — below the national median.
How much do fashion designers make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
The median is $78,890 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,970, and experienced fashion designers can clear $133,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,122/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,810/month, which eats 35.3% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.55 (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 $76,928 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.