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The national median salary for Models is $48,464 per year ($23.30/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $35,714 and $99,320 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $131,477 per year. There are approximately 3,780 models employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Model garments or other apparel and accessories for prospective buyers at fashion shows, private showings, or retail establishments. May pose for photos to be used in magazines or advertisements. May pose as subject for paintings, sculptures, and other types of artistic expression.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
-0.5%
Little or no change
Annual openings
1K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
7K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
No formal educational credential
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
620
$44,260
Junior Colleges
NAICS 611200
360
$46,370
Offices of Dentists
NAICS 621200
240
$40,980
Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers
NAICS 424300
100
N/A
Management of Companies and Enterprises
NAICS 551100
70
$48,550
Wage range across top 5 industries: $40,980 to $48,550 (18% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$16.44
$34,195
P25
$17.17
$35,714
P50MEDIAN
$23.30
$48,464
P75
$47.75
$99,320
P90
$63.21
$131,477
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · retail sector
Active
Openings Rate
4.6%
Quits Rate
3.1%
Retail openings rose to 737K (+52K) in March, rate up to 4.6%. Hires increased to 684K (+73K). Frontline turnover persists with quit rate at 3.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average models salary?
The national median salary for Models is $48,464 per year ($23.30/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $35,714 and $99,320 annually.
How much do top-earning models make?
The 90th percentile salary for Models is $131,477 per year ($63.21/hr). The 75th percentile is $99,320 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for models?
Entry-level Models (10th percentile) earn approximately $34,195 per year ($16.44/hr). The 25th percentile is $35,714 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.