Fashion Jobs: Find Out What They Really Pay
Ever wanted to know what your dream job in fashion pays — or should be paying you, if you already have it? Fashionista's third annual salary survey should offer you some guidance on that matter, thanks to the more than 4,500 readers who generously (and anonymously) shared details about their jobs, including titles and compensation, spanning design, editorial, retail, publicity, creative and more.
Our participant list was pretty diverse, with respondents from companies including Prada, Chanel, Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, Condé Nast, Hearst, Nike, Ralph Lauren, H&M, Nordstrom, Macy's and hundreds more — so you can rest assured that these numbers are pretty representative when it comes to pay. Remember: these are averages, so use this as a guide, not a definitive salary chart. But if you find yourself well below the mean, perhaps it's time to ask for that raise...
Design
Assistant Technical Designer: $36,000
Associate Technical Designer: $44,000
Assistant Designer: $61,000
Associate Designer: $65,000
Technical Designer: $72,000
Designer: $95,000
Senior Designer: $104,000
Senior Technical Designer: $120,000
Creative Director: $157,000
Design Director: $163,000
Editorial
Assistant Market Editor: $33,000
Editorial Assistant: $42,000
Assistant Editor: $46,000
Associate Editor: $47,000
Associate Market Editor: $47,000
Copy Editor: $49,000
Writer: $59,000
Researcher: $59,000
Assistant Designer: $61,000
Managing Editor: $62,000
Editor: $67,000
Senior Editor: $67,000
Senior Market Editor: $74,000
Senior Writer: $92,000
Editor at Large: $106,000
Director Level Editor: $143,000
Creative
Assistant Graphic Designer: $33,000
Assistant Photo Editor: $34,000
Graphic Designer: $75,000
Stylist's Assistant: $80,000
Senior Graphic Designer: $82,000
Photo Editor: $91,000
Stylist: $95,000
Design Director: $183,000
Creative Director: $206,000
Retail/Sales/E-commerce
Assistant Buyer: $46,000
Assistant Merchandiser: $49,000
Visual Merchandiser: $52,000
Associate Buyer: $58,000
Store Manager: $60,000
Merchandiser: $80,000
Buyer: $99,000
Fashion Director: $120,000
Publicity
Associate Publicist: $40,000
Publicist: $56,000
Senior Publicist: $66,000
Publicity Director: $101,000
Vice President Publicity: $170,000
Marketing/Advertising
Associate Marketing Manager: $43,000
Bookings Director: $54,000
Marketing Manager: $89,000
Senior Bookings Editor: $108,000
Marketing Director: $122,000
Social Media
Social Marketing Manager, Entry Level: $41,000
Social Media Manager, Mid Level: $47,000
Social Media Manager, Senior Level: $53,000