Curious what your ideal fashion job pays? Or perhaps what your current fashion job should pay? The results from Fashionista’s annual Inside the Fashion Workplace survey are here to shed some light on today’s industry salaries.Between January and May of 2026, we once again anonymously surveyed more than 500 industry professionals about their jobs and workplaces, including exactly how much money they made (pre-tax) in 2025. Our respondents span entry-level to executive roles across design, marketing, retail, operations, styling, production, wholesale and media. Their employers include retail giants like Saks Global and Revolve, designer labels like Prada and Coach, and major agencies like Karla Otto and BPCM.We compiled average (mean) yearly pay for common roles within the sectors listed, as well as a few specific salaries, so that you can see exactly what, say, a merchandising planner at Gap or commerce editor at Condé Nast brings in each year. Plus, what were the highest and lowest reported salaries under each sector? How does experience level impact income? Which sectors make the most money overall?Keep scrolling for those details, and download the full report for even more analysis and insights on job happiness, burnout, where people found their jobs and more.Mean Salary by Years of Experience
As you may expect, fashion industry salaries tend to correlate with the employee’s level of experience. Compared to the year prior, average entry-level salaries increased by about $5,000, while salaries for those with more than 20 years of experience increased by about $10,000. However, mid-level salaries decreased for workers with between three and 10 years of experience.Distribution of Six-Figure Salaries by Role
Design roles held the largest share of salaries $100K (as they did last year), followed by Corporate /Operations and Marketing (which includes PR roles).Marketing / Brand / Communications SalariesOn average, salaries ranged from $42,000 for assistants to $147,000 for directors and executives.Salary SpotlightHighest: $281,000 (self-employed Events Manager)Lowest: $25,000 (entry-level in-house Coordinator)Coordinator at Prada – $40,000Copywriter at Saks Global – $79,000PR Assistant at Karla Otto – $48,000PR Executive at BPCM – $125,000In-House Marketing Head at a contemporary brand – $150,000Retail & Merchandising SalariesOn average, salaries ranged from $45,000 for senior sales associates to $95,000 for store managers and directors.Salary SpotlightHighest: $322,000 (Regional Manager at Fortune 250 Company)Lowest: $25,000 (Sales Associate at Madewell)Junior Merchandiser at Catalyst Brands – $69,000Merchandising Planner at Gap – $103,000Merchandiser at Steve Madden – $74,000Store Manager at Longchamp – $78,000Corporate / Operations SalariesOn average, operations managers made $194,000 per year.Salary SpotlightHighest: $500,000 (COO)Lowest: $31,000 (Executive Assistant at a publicly traded company)Entry-level Analyst at Steve Madden – $71,000Vice President at denim brand – $165,000Chief People Officer at medium-sized private company – $163,000Media / Editorial SalariesOn average, salaries ranged from $40,000 for editorial assistants to $175,000 for editors in chief.Salary SpotlightHighest $180,000 (Fashion Editor, 20+ yrs experience)Lowest: $25,000 (Commerce Editor at a Condé Nast title)Editorial Assistant at an LVMH house- $83,000Freelance Writer in New York – $70,000Associate Editor at L’Officiel – $31,000Product Development / Production SalariesOn average, salaries ranged from $52,000 for production coordinators to $155,000 for VPs.Salary SpotlightHighest: $275,000 (Product Developer, publicly traded company)Lowest: $35,000 (Product Developer, very small private company)Fit Specialist at Good American – $154,000Product Developer at Coach – $142,000Wholesale & Buying SalariesOn average, salaries ranged from $48,000 for buying assistants to $185,000 for sales directors.Salary SpotlightHighest: $500,000 (Sales Director, 20+ yrs experience)Lowest: $42,000 (Showroom Manager, Illinois)Senior Buyer at Ross Stores – $140,000Wholesale Manager for large swimwear companies – $120,000Junior Buyer at small private company, New York – $60,000Design SalariesOn average, salaries ranged from $65,000 for graphic designers to $133,000 for creative and design directors.Salary SpotlightHighest: $250,000 (Creative Director, 20+ yrs)Lowest: $25,000 (Jr. Accessories Designer)Accessories Designer at Coach – $58,000Design Director at a publicly traded American fashion and lifestyle brand- $210,000Fashion Designer at Untuckit – $125,000Graphic Designer at LVMH – $105,000Inside the Fashion Workplace 2026: Get the Full Report
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