Salary of Costume & Wardrobe Designers
When you watch a movie or play, costume and wardrobe designers prepare the outfits worn by the performers. A costume and wardrobe designer is a fashion designer who conducts research of various historical periods in order to create appropriate clothing for cast members. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that costume and wardrobe designers typically earn a two- or four-year degree in fashion design.
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As of May 2010, fashion designers earned an annual mean wage of $74,440, according to the bureau. Salaries for this occupation ranged from $32,500 for the bottom 10 percent to $130,890 for the top 10 percent. The median annual wage was $64,530. To calculate the annual mean wage, the bureau multiplied the hourly mean wage of $35.79 by 2,080 — the average number of hours worked by a “year-round, full-time” employee.
Industries
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“Apparel, piece goods and notions merchant wholesalers” was the industry sector that employed the largest number of fashion designers. In that sector, the annual mean wage was $74,370 as of May 2010. Other industry sectors reporting high employment levels for fashion designers were “cut and sew apparel manufacturing, which paid $75,910, and “management of companies and enterprises,” which paid an annual mean wage of $77,660. Fashion designers working in the motion picture industry — where many costume designers are employed, earned a mean annual wage of $92,570. As of May 2010, there were 15,060 fashion designers employed in the U.S., according to the bureau.
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Locations
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New York was the state that employed the largest number of fashion designers as of May 2010. There, they earned an annual mean wage of $81,990. The five states that paid the highest annual mean wages to fashion designers were New Hampshire, at $87,810; New York, at $81,990; Maine, at $79,620; Wisconsin, at $73,190; and California, at $72,500. Two of the ten highest-paying metropolitan areas for fashion designers were located in New York. Nassau, N.Y., placed first with an annual mean wage of $88,160.
Considerations
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The bureau estimates that employment for fashion designers will grow by just 1 percent through the year 2018. Job opportunities for costume and wardrobe designers will be concentrated in areas such as Los Angeles and New York, where many films and stage productions are made. Aspiring costume designers will benefit from taking courses in fashion history and becoming proficient in computer-assisted design, or CAD. Completing an internship and developing a solid portfolio can make the difference in landing a job.
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