Fashion Designers pay range in Philadelphia
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $54,970 a year or less, while the top 10% make $133,820 or more. The middle half of fashion designers in Philadelphia earn between $63,840 and $103,600.
- $55K10th
- $64K25th
- $79KMedian
- $104K75th
- $134K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $86,920 | $7,243 | $41.79 |
| Median | $78,890 | $6,574 | $37.93 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $63,840 | $5,320 | $30.69 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $103,600 | $8,633 | $49.81 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Fashion Designers pay in Philadelphia vs. Pennsylvania and the U.S.
Fashion designers in Philadelphia earn 12% more than the Pennsylvania average ($77,880) and 5% less than the U.S. average ($91,230). At the median the gap is -3% against the U.S. median of $80,960.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | $86,920 | $78,890 | $54,970 | $133,820 | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,880 | $63,840 | $48,520 | $133,820 | 320 |
| 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 Philadelphia
On the average salary of $86,920, a single filer in Philadelphia takes home about $67,310 a year, or $5,609 a month and $2,589 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in PA | $67,310 | $5,609 |
| Working in NJ | $66,631 | $5,553 |
| Working in MD | $66,061 | $5,505 |
| Working in DE | $65,472 | $5,456 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Is Philadelphia a good place for fashion designers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Philadelphia area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 102.6), so the average $86,920 buys what about $84,755 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Philadelphia ($54,310). A typical home costs $390,463, or 4.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Fashion Designers salary in other Pennsylvania cities
Philadelphia ranks 1st of 2 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Philadelphia$86,920
- Pittsburgh$69,070
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
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Fashion Designers salary in Philadelphia: questions
How much do fashion designers make an hour in Philadelphia?
$41.79 an hour on average, and $37.93 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level fashion designers salary in Philadelphia?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $54,970 a year and the 25th percentile is $63,840, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the fashion designers take-home pay in Philadelphia?
About $67,310 a year ($5,609 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $86,920. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Do fashion designers earn more in Philadelphia than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% less 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (37980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.0%.
- 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 (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.42, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.42).
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