Fashion Designers pay range in Boulder
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,480 a year or less, while the top 10% make $175,410 or more. The middle half of fashion designers in Boulder earn between $77,070 and $132,990.
- $46K10th
- $77K25th
- $99KMedian
- $133K75th
- $175K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $100,980 | $8,415 | $48.55 |
| Median | $98,680 | $8,223 | $47.44 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $77,070 | $6,422 | $37.05 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $132,990 | $11,082 | $63.94 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Fashion Designers pay in Boulder vs. Colorado and the U.S.
Fashion designers in Boulder earn 7% more than the Colorado average ($94,270) and 11% more than the U.S. average ($91,230). At the median the gap is +22% against the U.S. median of $80,960.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder | $100,980 | $98,680 | $46,480 | $175,410 | 60 |
| Colorado | $94,270 | $94,140 | $59,180 | $132,990 | 360 |
| United States | $91,230 | $80,960 | $39,490 | $146,870 | 21,450 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Fashion Designers salary after taxes in Boulder
On the average salary of $100,980, a single filer in Boulder takes home about $76,135 a year, or $6,345 a month and $2,928 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Boulder a good place for fashion designers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Boulder area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.2), so the average $100,980 buys what about $95,987 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Boulder ($69,580). A typical home costs $727,954, or 7.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Fashion Designers salary in other Colorado cities
Boulder ranks 1st of 2 Colorado metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Boulder$100,980
- Denver$93,470
Highest-paying cities for fashion designers
Boston, MA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($118,650).
- Boston, MA$118,650
- New York, NY$113,040
- Santa Maria, CA$112,270
- San Francisco, CA$106,270
- Boulder, CO$100,980
Does this match what you are paid?
Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.
Share your pay anonymously
Fashion Designers salary in Boulder: questions
How much do fashion designers make an hour in Boulder?
$48.55 an hour on average, and $47.44 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level fashion designers salary in Boulder?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,480 a year and the 25th percentile is $77,070, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the fashion designers take-home pay in Boulder?
About $76,135 a year ($6,345 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $100,980. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do fashion designers earn more in Boulder than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% more than the U.S. average for this job ($91,230).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 27-1022; area Boulder, CO (14500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.4%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.44, this job is 2.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.