Fashion Designers Salary
Fashion Designers in Virginia make a median of $94,120 a year, or about $45.25 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $118K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $99,293 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,646/month, or 27.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Virginia. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $94K get you in Virginia?
About fashion designers
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What this looks like in Virginia
Virginia 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 $1,646/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level fashion designers (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $94K. Top earners bring in $118K or more, a $68K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track fashion designers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a fashion designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $94K, rent takes 28.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for fashion designers in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fashion designers typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,025/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Virginia?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $94K here vs. $81K nationally.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for fashion designers?
Virginia pays $94K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $99K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do fashion designers make in Virginia?
The median is $94,120 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,410, and experienced fashion designers can clear $118,490. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $94K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,809/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 28.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a fashion designers salary go in Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median fashion designers salary is worth about $99,293 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.