Models
Models (SOC 41-9012) earn a median $48,470 a year ($23.30 an hour) in the United States, with 3,780 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Arizona.
What models do
Models wear and show garments, accessories, and other apparel for would-be buyers at fashion shows, private showings, or stores. They may pose for photographs used in magazines or advertisements, and they may serve as the subject of paintings, sculptures, and other works of art. The single core task O*NET gives for the occupation is posing for artists and photographers. The titles listed under the code show the range of the work: art model, artist's model, clothes model, agent model, art class model, and character impersonator. What these jobs share is that the person's appearance or presence is the thing being used, whether to present clothing to buyers or to be the subject of an artwork or an image. Because the standard classification and O*NET describe the work only briefly, details such as how engagements are arranged depend on the kind of modeling.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the usual education level (about 76 percent).
Also called: Agent Model, Art Class Model, Art Model, Artist's Model, Character Impersonator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.44 | $17.17 | $23.30 | $47.75 | $63.21 | $35.00 | 3,780 |
| Annual | $34,190 | $35,710 | $48,470 | $99,320 | $131,470 | $72,800 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where models earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $16.85 | $17.75 | $52.84 | $52.85 | $52.85 | $42.21 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $35,050 | $36,920 | $109,910 | $109,920 | $109,920 | $87,790 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $21.50 | $44.05 | $51.58 | $77.36 | $102.76 | $55.98 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $44,720 | $91,620 | $107,280 | $160,920 | $213,740 | $116,450 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $24.18 | $29.10 | $29.10 | $29.10 | $56.29 | $30.88 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $50,290 | $60,520 | $60,520 | $60,520 | $117,070 | $64,230 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.02 | $17.02 | $27.60 | $51.88 | $63.21 | $35.01 | 990 | 0.05 | 2.23 |
| Annual | $35,400 | $35,400 | $57,400 | $107,900 | $131,470 | $72,810 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $17.53 | $20.63 | $25.62 | $69.22 | $75.00 | $38.68 | 60 | 0.01 | 0.38 |
| Annual | $36,450 | $42,910 | $53,280 | $143,970 | $156,000 | $80,460 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.02 | $17.02 | $27.60 | $51.88 | $63.21 | $35.01 | 990 | 0.05 | 2.23 |
| Annual | $35,400 | $35,400 | $57,400 | $107,900 | $131,470 | $72,810 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $16.44 | $17.86 | $22.07 | $47.75 | $47.75 | $31.73 | 620 | 0.06 | 2.55 |
| Annual | $34,190 | $37,150 | $45,900 | $99,320 | $99,320 | $65,990 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $7.25 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $20.75 | $26.82 | $13.87 | 130 | 0.03 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $15,080 | $15,080 | $15,080 | $43,150 | $55,790 | $28,840 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $15.38 | $18.56 | $20.46 | $24.55 | $32.59 | $23.25 | 120 | 0.02 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $31,990 | $38,590 | $42,550 | $51,060 | $67,790 | $48,370 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $17.53 | $20.63 | $25.62 | $69.22 | $75.00 | $38.68 | 60 | 0.01 | 0.38 |
| Annual | $36,450 | $42,910 | $53,280 | $143,970 | $156,000 | $80,460 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Rochester, NY | Hourly | $22.50 | $44.05 | $100.00 | $100.00 | $100.00 | $74.76 | 50 | 0.09 | 3.84 |
| Annual | $46,790 | $91,620 | $208,000 | $208,000 | $208,000 | $155,500 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $30.93 | $32.90 | $52.80 | $63.21 | $81.66 | $53.55 | 400 | 0.06 | 2.64 |
| Annual | $64,330 | $68,440 | $109,820 | $131,470 | $169,850 | $111,390 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $24.18 | $31.70 | $51.58 | $51.58 | $77.37 | $52.50 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $50,290 | $65,930 | $107,280 | $107,280 | $160,920 | $109,200 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $16.44 | $16.44 | $47.75 | $47.75 | $47.75 | $33.81 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $34,190 | $34,190 | $99,320 | $99,320 | $99,320 | $70,330 | ||||
| Anchorage, AK | Hourly | $24.43 | $39.19 | $39.19 | $69.23 | $69.23 | $45.00 | 40 | 0.22 | 8.90 |
| Annual | $50,820 | $81,520 | $81,520 | $143,990 | $143,990 | $93,590 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $30.93 | $32.90 | $52.80 | $63.21 | $81.66 | $53.55 | 400 | 0.06 | 2.64 |
| Annual | $64,330 | $68,440 | $109,820 | $131,470 | $169,850 | $111,390 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $21.79 | $21.79 | $25.82 | $75.00 | $75.00 | $39.83 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $45,330 | $45,330 | $53,700 | $156,000 | $156,000 | $82,850 | ||||
| Rochester, NY | Hourly | $22.50 | $44.05 | $100.00 | $100.00 | $100.00 | $74.76 | 50 | 0.09 | 3.84 |
| Annual | $46,790 | $91,620 | $208,000 | $208,000 | $208,000 | $155,500 | ||||
| Anchorage, AK | Hourly | $24.43 | $39.19 | $39.19 | $69.23 | $69.23 | $45.00 | 40 | 0.22 | 8.90 |
| Annual | $50,820 | $81,520 | $81,520 | $143,990 | $143,990 | $93,590 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $21.28 | $22.68 | $22.68 | $22.68 | $22.68 | $22.39 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.41 |
| Annual | $44,260 | $47,170 | $47,170 | $47,170 | $47,170 | $46,570 | ||||
Top industries employing models
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools employ 16.4% of models nationally (620 jobs) at a median $44,260 a year ($21.28 an hour), followed by Junior Colleges (9.5%) and Offices of Dentists (6.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 620 | 16.4% | $44,260 | $21.28 |
| Junior Colleges NAICS 611200 | 360 | 9.5% | $46,370 | $22.29 |
| Offices of Dentists NAICS 621200 | 240 | 6.3% | $40,980 | $19.70 |
| Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers NAICS 424300 | 100 | 2.6% | * | * |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 70 | 1.9% | $48,550 | $23.34 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (3,780). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $43,130 for models in May 2022 and $48,470 in May 2025, with employment of 2,070 and 3,780.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | * | * | 2,000 |
| May 2022 | $43,130 | $20.73 | 2,070 |
| May 2023 | $47,430 | $22.80 | 3,090 |
| May 2024 | $89,990 | $43.26 | 5,350 |
| May 2025 | $48,470 | $23.30 | 3,780 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
16 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona profile | $52.84 | $109,910 | $35,050 | $109,920 | ** | ** | ** |
| 2 | New York profile | $51.58 | $107,280 | $44,720 | $213,740 | ** | ** | ** |
| 3 | New Jersey profile | $29.10 | $60,520 | $50,290 | $117,070 | ** | ** | ** |
| 4 | California profile | $27.60 | $57,400 | $35,400 | $131,470 | 990 | 0.05 | 2.23 |
| 5 | Illinois profile | $25.62 | $53,280 | $36,450 | $156,000 | 60 | 0.01 | 0.38 |
| 6 | Maryland profile | $22.68 | $47,170 | $40,980 | $47,170 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.65 |
| 7 | Texas profile | $22.52 | $46,840 | $29,010 | $72,850 | ** | ** | ** |
| 8 | Florida profile | $22.07 | $45,900 | $34,190 | $99,320 | 620 | 0.06 | 2.55 |
| 9 | Virginia profile | $21.98 | $45,720 | $31,910 | $48,820 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.35 |
| 10 | Rhode Island profile | $21.66 | $45,060 | $45,060 | $45,070 | ** | ** | ** |
| 11 | Oregon profile | $20.62 | $42,880 | $33,450 | $45,720 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.74 |
| 12 | Ohio profile | $20.46 | $42,550 | $31,990 | $67,790 | 120 | 0.02 | 0.85 |
| 13 | Nebraska profile | $20.00 | $41,600 | $40,730 | $42,790 | ** | ** | ** |
| 14 | New Hampshire profile | $19.18 | $39,890 | $35,080 | $46,840 | ** | ** | ** |
| 15 | Missouri profile | $16.64 | $34,610 | $28,600 | $45,380 | ** | ** | ** |
| 16 | Georgia profile | $7.25 | $15,080 | $15,080 | $55,790 | 130 | 0.03 | 1.05 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (41-9010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Sales and Related Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 41-9012 Models.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked. A withheld or top-coded median in that table shows the marker explained above.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them. A withheld or top-coded cell in that table shows the marker explained above.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 41-9012, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 41-9012.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.