Fashion Designers pay range in Madison
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,190 a year or less, while the top 10% make $103,180 or more. The middle half of fashion designers in Madison earn between $50,890 and $75,770.
- $40K10th
- $51K25th
- $57KMedian
- $76K75th
- $103K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $64,560 | $5,380 | $31.04 |
| Median | $57,030 | $4,752 | $27.42 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $50,890 | $4,241 | $24.47 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $75,770 | $6,314 | $36.43 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Fashion Designers pay in Madison vs. Wisconsin and the U.S.
Fashion designers in Madison earn 9% more than the Wisconsin average ($59,030) and 29% less than the U.S. average ($91,230). At the median the gap is -30% against the U.S. median of $80,960.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | $64,560 | $57,030 | $40,190 | $103,180 | 70 |
| Wisconsin | $59,030 | $57,030 | $37,950 | $75,770 | 120 |
| 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 Madison
On the average salary of $64,560, a single filer in Madison takes home about $51,730 a year, or $4,311 a month and $1,990 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Madison a good place for fashion designers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Madison area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.3), so the average $64,560 buys what about $66,360 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Madison ($58,080). A typical home costs $452,769, or 7.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Fashion Designers salary in nearby metro areas
- Minneapolis, MN$51,200
- Kansas City, MO$70,680
- Pittsburgh, PA$69,070
- Washington, DC$79,550
- Greensboro, NC$63,350
- Charlotte, NC$95,370
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 Madison: questions
How much do fashion designers make an hour in Madison?
$31.04 an hour on average, and $27.42 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level fashion designers salary in Madison?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,190 a year and the 25th percentile is $50,890, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the fashion designers take-home pay in Madison?
About $51,730 a year ($4,311 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $64,560.
Do fashion designers earn more in Madison than elsewhere?
The average here is 29% 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 Madison, WI (31540). 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.17, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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