Entry-level Fashion Designer salary in New York, NY
Based on 43 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Hoboken, Long Island City, Moonachie, Little Ferry, South Plainfield.
Also listed as: Associate Designer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $56,014 |
| 25th | $57,007 |
| 50th (median) | $62,691 |
| 75th | $67,900 |
| 90th | $70,210 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $50,000 | $48,506 | $55,000 | 43 |
| FY2021 | $48,300 | $48,235 | $52,000 | 33 |
| FY2022 | $51,000 | $50,000 | $62,907 | 30 |
| FY2023 | $54,080 | $53,227 | $54,874 | 18 |
| FY2024 | $58,007 | $54,496 | $68,980 | 24 |
| FY2025 | $59,904 | $56,014 | $65,800 | 25 |
| FY2026 | $62,691 | $62,691 | $69,450 | 18 |
Cost of living
New York's median entry-level Fashion Designer salary of $62,691 is worth about $55,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; New York = 112.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Fashion Designers in the New York, NY area earned a median of $99,560 in May 2025 (5,540 employed). The H-1B median here is $62,691, 37% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Sensual | too few | 4 |
| Hidden News | too few | 3 |
| Paper Cut Clothing | too few | 3 |
| YJM Apparel Group | too few | 3 |
| 13 Rattles | too few | 2 |
| KW Fashion | too few | 2 |
| Mystic | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $62,691 | 43 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $83,744 | 20 |
| Senior · Level III | $113,670 | 10 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $62,691 | $62,691 | 43 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $77,730 | $83,744 | 20 |
| Senior · Level III | $99,445 | $113,670 | 10 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.