Fashion Designers pay range in Boston
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $69,790 a year or less, while the top 10% make $178,250 or more. The middle half of fashion designers in Boston earn between $85,200 and $138,880.
- $70K10th
- $85K25th
- $107KMedian
- $139K75th
- $178K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $118,650 | $9,888 | $57.04 |
| Median | $106,630 | $8,886 | $51.26 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $85,200 | $7,100 | $40.96 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $138,880 | $11,573 | $66.77 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Fashion Designers pay in Boston vs. Massachusetts and the U.S.
Fashion designers in Boston earn 4% more than the Massachusetts average ($113,650) and 30% more than the U.S. average ($91,230). At the median the gap is +32% against the U.S. median of $80,960.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | $118,650 | $106,630 | $69,790 | $178,250 | 480 |
| Massachusetts | $113,650 | $103,520 | $57,710 | $174,250 | 540 |
| 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 Boston
On the average salary of $118,650, a single filer in Boston takes home about $86,688 a year, or $7,224 a month and $3,334 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in NH | $92,300 | $7,692 |
| Working in MA | $86,688 | $7,224 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
Is Boston a good place for fashion designers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Boston area are 8% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.3), so the average $118,650 buys what about $109,591 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Boston ($66,620). A typical home costs $741,868, or 6.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Fashion Designers salary in nearby metro areas
- Providence, RI$73,130
- Burlington, VT$79,070
- New York, NY$113,040
- Philadelphia, PA$86,920
- Washington, DC$79,550
- Pittsburgh, PA$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 Boston: questions
How much do fashion designers make an hour in Boston?
$57.05 an hour on average, and $51.27 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level fashion designers salary in Boston?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $69,790 a year and the 25th percentile is $85,200, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the fashion designers take-home pay in Boston?
About $86,688 a year ($7,224 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $118,650. Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
Do fashion designers earn more in Boston than elsewhere?
The average here is 30% 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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH (14460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.4%.
- 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). Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.28, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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