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Models Salaries by State

Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for modelss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).

National mean salary $72,800 ≈ $35/hr
National median salary $48,470
Total employment 3,780 nationwide

Job Outlook, 2024–2034

Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.

Projected growth -0.5% Decline
Annual openings 1,200 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 6,700 → 6,700 (0)
Typical entry education No formal educational credential

Salary Map

Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.

Mean annual wage $29,000–$41,000 $41,000–$48,000 $48,000–$54,000 $54,000–$73,000 $73,000–$116,000 U.S. mean $72,800

💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States

  1. New York$116,450
  2. Arizona$87,790
  3. Illinois$80,460
  4. California$72,810
  5. Florida$65,990

📉 5 Lowest-Paying States

  1. Georgia$28,840
  2. Missouri$35,330
  3. Oregon$40,320
  4. New Hampshire$40,780
  5. Nebraska$43,300

State Rankings

⇄ Compare specific states
#StateMeanMedian Hourlyvs. U.S.Employment
1 New York $116,450 $107,280 $56 +60% —
2 Arizona $87,790 $109,910 $42 +20.6% —
3 Illinois $80,460 $53,280 $39 +10.5% 60
4 California $72,810 $57,400 $35 +0% 990
5 Florida $65,990 $45,900 $32 -9.4% 620
6 New Jersey $64,230 $60,520 $31 -11.8% —
7 Texas $54,350 $46,840 $26 -25.3% —
8 Rhode Island $48,760 $45,060 $23 -33% —
9 Ohio $48,370 $42,550 $23 -33.6% 120
10 Virginia $47,780 $45,720 $23 -34.4% 40
11 Maryland $45,080 $47,170 $22 -38.1% 40
12 Nebraska $43,300 $41,600 $21 -40.5% —
13 New Hampshire $40,780 $39,890 $20 -44% —
14 Oregon $40,320 $42,880 $19 -44.6% 40
15 Missouri $35,330 $34,610 $17 -51.5% —

Top-Paying Metro Areas

Highest median pay among 12 metro areas.

#Metro areaMedianMeanEmployment
1 Rochester, NY $208,000 $155,500 50
2 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $109,820 $111,390 400
3 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $107,280 $109,200 —
4 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $99,320 $70,330 —
5 Anchorage, AK $81,520 $93,590 40
6 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $53,700 $82,850 50
7 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $51,150 $92,410 —
8 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $48,570 $59,630 —
9 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $47,170 $46,570 30
10 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $45,060 $54,950 —

Pay by Industry

Highest-paying industries employing modelss (BLS OEWS, by median).

#IndustryMedianMeanEmployment
1 Sector 51 - Information $128,210 $125,830 310
2 Administrative and Support Services $107,280 $94,030 —
3 Employment Services $107,280 $94,030 —
4 Temporary Help Services $107,280 $92,290 —
5 Sector 56 - Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services $107,280 $94,030 —
6 Broadcasting and Content Providers $51,880 $70,100 50
7 Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, & Other Media Networks & Content Providers $51,880 $70,100 50
8 Cross-industry, Private Ownership only $50,820 $77,080 3,210
9 Management of Companies and Enterprises $48,550 $65,120 70
10 Management of Companies and Enterprises $48,550 $65,120 70
11 Sector 55 - Management of Companies and Enterprises $48,550 $65,120 70
12 Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local $48,470 $72,800 3,780

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do models make in the U.S.?

The median models salary in the United States is $48,470 per year (mean $72,800), and about 80% earn between $34,190 and $131,470.

How much do models make per hour?

Roughly $35 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $72,800 and 2,080 work hours per year.

Which state pays models the most?

New York has the highest average pay for models at $116,450 per year (median $107,280).

What is the job outlook for models?

Employment is projected to change -0.5% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 1,200 openings per year.