Models

Median salary

$48,470

Average salary

$72,800

Employment

3,780

Projected growth

0.5% decline

Annual openings

1,200

Typical entry education

No formal educational credential

What Models Do

Model garments or other apparel and accessories for prospective buyers at fashion shows, private showings, or retail establishments. May pose for photos to be used in magazines or advertisements. May pose as subject for paintings, sculptures, and other types of artistic expression.

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: None
Self-employed: 16.3%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 2 of 5

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Experience: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
Education: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Job training: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 2.7/5
English Languageimportance 2.5/5
Fine Artsimportance 2.4/5
Transportationimportance 1.8/5
Communications and Mediaimportance 1.8/5
Administration and Managementimportance 1.8/5
Computers and Electronicsimportance 1.6/5
Public Safety and Securityimportance 1.5/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.8/5
Contact With Others4.7/5
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.0/5
Freedom to Make Decisions3.7/5
E-Mail3.5/5
Spend Time Sitting3.4/5

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

Telemarketers92% skill match
Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants91% skill match
Actors91% skill match
Bailiffs91% skill match
Crossing Guards and Flaggers90% skill match
Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs90% skill match
Paralegals and Legal Assistants90% skill match
Writers and Authors89% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.9/5
Coordinationimportance 2.6/5
Time Managementimportance 2.5/5
Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 2.1/5
Persuasionimportance 2.0/5
Negotiationimportance 2.0/5
Service Orientationimportance 1.9/5
Complex Problem Solvingimportance 1.9/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

Other Software Used

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Self-Confidence
Social Orientation
Dependability
Optimism
Stress Tolerance
Self-Control
Adaptability

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

ArtisticHigh
RealisticHigh
EnterprisingMedium
SocialLow
ConventionalLow
InvestigativeLow

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.