Behind the glitz and glamour of the fashion industry, have you ever wondered what people are really making? Fashionista has conducted their third annual survey with feedback from more than 4,500 participants at hundreds of companies such as Conde Nast, Alexander Wang, Nordstrom, and H&M.
The results were organized by job title under the main sectors of the industry. In design, the average salary ranges from $36,000 to $163,000 while in editorial, salaries range from $33,000 to $143,000. Publicity ranges from $40,000 to $170,000, marketing and advertising from $43,000 to $122,000, and social media from $41,000 to $53,000. Retail/sales/e-commerce has the highest starting pay at $46,000 ranging up to $120,000 for the most senior positions, while creative has highest potential salary, with a salary range of $33,000 to $206,000.
From reading the survey in full, it's pretty apparent that until you make it to a senior/director level, average starting pay is pretty low. What’s not mentioned is that sometimes starting out in the industry means working for free, such as the early days of working for an emerging designer. Of course, the perks can offset the low pay. We're talking free gifts and swag, parties, and hefty designer discounts—which of course range from sector to sector.
Head on over to Fashionista for the full list of jobs.
