18.5% higher than the US national median ($48,464)
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Is this a competitive Models salary in California in 2026?
Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS August 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.
$Competitive · ~P50
P10$35K
P25$35K
P50$57K
P75$108K
P90$131K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
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Demand: ACTIVE. Demand is active -- retail openings are at 4.7% (JOLTS, August 2026). A balanced market where the median is a solid, competitive anchor.
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Merit budget: Wages in retail trade are rising about 3.4% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 3.0-3.5% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $57,408 to $107,910 (market median to the 75th percentile). The median-to-P75 range keeps offers competitive.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.
How Models pay is moving in 2026
Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI
Pay trend
BLS's May 2025 median estimate for this role is -46.1% below its May 2024 estimate. A swing that large usually reflects survey sampling or classification changes between OEWS vintages rather than actual pay changes, so lean on the sector wage-growth benchmark (3.4% per year, BLS ECI) for planning.
Hiring demand · MODERATE
Retail Trade is running a 4.7% job-openings rate with quits at 3.0% (BLS JOLTS). The openings rate has drifted up from 4.5% to 4.7% over the past quarter.
Pay spread
Top earners (P90) make about 3.8 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is wider than typical, so expect large pay differences by experience, employer size, and geography; build generous ranges and differentiate strongly.
What changed recently
Sep 29, 2026JOLTS August 2026: sector openings rose to 4.7% (up 54K), the highest this year. Quits held at 3.0% (July revised from 3.1%). Hourly churn pressure persists.
Sep 1, 2026JOLTS July 2026: sector openings held at 4.5% (June revised down from 4.8%); quits crept up to 3.1%, the highest of the year. Hourly churn pressure persists.
Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings climbed to 4.8% and quits returned to 3.0%. Frontline churn pressure is building again.
Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS August 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The median salary for Models in California is $57,408 per year ($27.60/hr). This is 18.5% higher than the national median of $48,464.
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.
Wage Percentiles: California
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours) · National adjusted
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
vs National
P10Entry level
$17.02
$35,402
+3.5%
P25
$17.02
$35,402
-0.9%
P50MEDIAN
$27.60
$57,408
+18.5%
P75
$51.88
$107,910
+8.6%
P90Top earners
$63.21
$131,477
+0.0%
How California compares for Models
Computed from this state's own BLS distribution against national
Pay for Models in California is above national (+3.5%) at entry, above national (+18.5%) at the median and in line with national (0.0%) at the top.
An offer at the national median of $48,464 would sit at about the 46th percentile in California.
The top of the range earns 3.71 times the bottom here, close to the 3.84 times seen nationally.
California employs 990 people in this role, 26.2% of the national total.
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P10–P90 breakdown, career outlook, industry wages, and JOLTS market signal for Models
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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 2 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
See the complete picture
Full percentile breakdown · JOLTS market signals · Geographic comparison · AI analyst briefs
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median models salary in California?
The median (P50) annual salary for Models in California is approximately $57,408, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. This is 18.5% higher than the national median of $48,464. For the full P10–P90 breakdown and market context, open CompSignal.
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.
