Average Models Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Models is $48,470 per year. The middle 50% earn between $35,710 and $99,320, with 3,780 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 16 states and 12 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Models pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $34,190
- 25th
- $35,710
- Median
- $48,470
- 75th
- $99,320
- 90th
- $131,470
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Models earn close to the national median for all US workers. Solidly middle-income.
The pay band is unusually wide for this occupation. Experience, employer, and specialization can double or even triple an early-career salary, so what models earn depends heavily on where they are in their career and who they work for.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for models from 2024 to 2034. This occupation is projected to shrink. Workers may face more competition for fewer openings, and the role may see automation or consolidation pressure.
- Projected growth
- -0.5%
- 0 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 1,200
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings are high relative to the workforce size, reflecting meaningful turnover and new-hire volume.
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
There are no formal educational requirements for entry. Much of the training happens through experience on the job.
Where Models earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where models work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Arizona at $109,910, about 126.8% above the national median. At the metro level, Rochester, NY leads with a median of $208,000.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $109,910 | N/A |
| New York | $107,280 | N/A |
| New Jersey | $60,520 | N/A |
| California | $57,400 | 990 |
| Illinois | $53,280 | 60 |
| Maryland | $47,170 | 40 |
| Texas | $46,840 | N/A |
| Florida | $45,900 | 620 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Rochester, NY | $208,000 | 50 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $109,820 | 400 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $107,280 | N/A |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $99,320 | N/A |
| Anchorage, AK | $81,520 | 40 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $53,700 | 50 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $51,150 | N/A |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $48,570 | N/A |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see models pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Models rose from $28,350 to $48,470, a gain of +71.0% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $28,350 would need to be worth $35,701 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $48,470 is $12,769 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +35.8% in purchasing power.
Real wages have grown strongly, 35.8% above inflation. Workers in this field have meaningfully gained purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +71.0%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- +35.8%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Models median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $48,470
- 2024
- $89,990
- 2023
- $47,430
- 2022
- $43,130
- 2020
- $31,910
- 2019
- $28,350
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, 2021, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Real Estate Sales Agents
- $52,830
- Telemarketers
- $35,450
- Real Estate Brokers
- $73,220
- Sales Engineers
- $124,900
Common salary questions for Models
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Models workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.