Fashion Designers
Also called: Apparel Designer, Costume Designer, Designer, Fashion DesignerDesign clothing and accessories. Create original designs or adapt fashion trends.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 12 of its 20 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 0.1% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 5.5% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 9.1 hires for every 10 job openings in retail trade, which employs about 30% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.9.1 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $45,720 | $43,110 to $57,500 | not published |
| Arkansas | not published | not published | 190 |
| California | not published | not published | 6,470 |
| Colorado | $94,140 | $73,670 to $105,220 | 360 |
| Connecticut | $81,510 | $51,720 to $116,380 | 50 |
| Florida | $43,020 | $41,130 to $64,190 | 1,100 |
| Georgia | $78,340 | $61,530 to $116,940 | 120 |
| Hawaii | $47,990 | $44,120 to $51,830 | not published |
| Indiana | $40,740 | $39,840 to $60,200 | 120 |
| Kansas | $59,150 | $50,670 to $79,540 | 40 |
| Kentucky | not published | not published | 120 |
| Maine | $49,530 | $40,700 to $74,240 | 30 |
| Maryland | not published | not published | 120 |
| Massachusetts | $103,520 | $81,390 to $138,880 | 540 |
| Michigan | $63,430 | $53,220 to $84,160 | 40 |
| Minnesota | $42,110 | $42,110 to $46,050 | 420 |
| Missouri | not published | not published | 200 |
| New Hampshire | $100,160 | $79,670 to $115,080 | 40 |
| New Jersey | $101,610 | $80,960 to $126,530 | 160 |
| New York | $98,640 | $76,370 to $131,370 | 5,760 |
| North Carolina | $74,990 | $52,310 to $105,890 | 460 |
| Ohio | $82,050 | $54,530 to $86,730 | 90 |
| Oregon | not published | not published | 860 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,840 | $53,410 to $92,400 | 320 |
| Texas | $40,040 | $39,490 to $63,210 | 1,850 |
| Utah | not published | not published | 430 |
| Vermont | $79,610 | $58,660 to $82,040 | 60 |
| Virginia | $94,120 | $60,790 to $102,790 | 100 |
| Washington | $82,030 | $71,650 to $100,250 | not published |
| Wisconsin | $57,030 | $40,200 to $64,040 | 120 |
Nationally: $80,960. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 12 of its 20 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Sketch rough and detailed drawings of apparel or accessories, and write specifications such as color schemes, construction, material types, and accessory requirements. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Examine sample garments on and off models, modifying designs to achieve desired effects. | Not published |
| Not much | Select materials and production techniques to be used for products. | Not published |
| AI + software | Collaborate with other designers to coordinate special products and designs. | Not published |
| AI alone | Provide sample garments to agents and sales representatives, and arrange for showings of sample garments at sales meetings or fashion shows. | Not published |
| Not much | Confer with sales and management executives or with clients to discuss design ideas. | Not published |
See all 20 tasks
| AI + software | Identify target markets for designs, looking at factors such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Direct and coordinate workers involved in drawing and cutting patterns and constructing samples or finished garments. | Not published |
| Not much | Purchase new or used clothing and accessory items as needed to complete designs. | Not published |
| AI + software | Visit textile showrooms to keep up-to-date on the latest fabrics. | Not published |
| AI + software | Adapt other designers' ideas for the mass market. | Not published |
| AI + software | Attend fashion shows and review garment magazines and manuals to gather information about fashion trends and consumer preferences. | Not published |
| Not much | Test fabrics or oversee testing so that garment care labels can be created. | Not published |
| Not much | Determine prices for styles. | Not published |
| AI alone | Develop a group of products or accessories, and market them through venues such as boutiques or mail-order catalogs. | Not published |
| Not much | Draw patterns for articles designed, cut patterns, and cut material according to patterns, using measuring instruments and scissors. | Not published |
| AI + software | Design custom clothing and accessories for individuals, retailers, or theatrical, television, or film productions. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Research the styles and periods of clothing needed for film or theatrical productions. | Not published |
| Not much | Sew together sections of material to form mockups or samples of garments or articles, using sewing equipment. | Not published |
| AI + software | Read scripts and consult directors and other production staff to develop design concepts and plan productions. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 3 of the 20 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 20 tasks fall under 15 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
- #14 Create visual designs or displays
- #16 Create artistic designs or performances
- and 6 more, in the table below
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Create artistic designs or performances | |||
| Communicate with others about specifications or project details | |||
| Monitor external affairs, trends, or events | |||
| Promote products, services, or programs | |||
| Assemble products or work aids | |||
| Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise | |||
| Create visual designs or displays | |||
| Prepare informational or instructional materials |
Show all 15 activities
| Select materials or equipment for operations or projects | |||
| Determine values or prices of goods or services | |||
| Study details of artistic productions | |||
| Collect data about consumer needs or opinions | |||
| Test characteristics of materials or products | |||
| Direct scientific or technical activities | |||
| Replenish inventories of materials, equipment, or products |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- A design mockup16%
- A document or report15%
- Marketing or social media content10%
- A machine-learning or AI system9%
- Ideas or a brainstorm4%
How they worked with Claude
44% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for fashion designers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 18,699 moves out
- 1 Designers, All Other High +1.2% 8%
- 2 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 5%
- 3 Art Directors Very high +4.2% 4%
- 4 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
- 5 Graphic Designers Very high -1.7% 3%
Where people moved in from
of 18,013 moves in
- 1 Designers, All Other High +1.2% 8%
- 2 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 4%
- 3 Office Clerks, General Very high -6.0% 4%
- 4 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Very high -6.0% 4%
- 5 Graphic Designers Very high -1.7% 4%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 1% less than high school
- 4% high school
- 1% some college
- 44% associate's
- 51% bachelor's
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 22 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 1% less than high school
- 8% high school
- 18% some college
- 11% associate's
- 54% bachelor's
- 8% master's
- 1% professional degree
- 1% doctorate
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 322 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
5 programs, such as Apparel and Textile Manufacture, Textile Science and Fashion and Fabric Consultant.
See all
- Apparel and Textile Manufacture
- Textile Science
- Fashion and Fabric Consultant
- Fashion/Apparel Design
- Costume Design
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 1 registered apprenticeship in this occupation (FUR DESIGNER). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Fashion Designers” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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