Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
No formal educational credential
None
None
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Models work in a specialized, relatively small profession with national employment of about 7,000 people. The field offers a mix of creative and interpersonal work, drawing on skills such as creativity and innovation, speaking and listening, and strong customer service abilities. Physical strength and stamina are also highlighted, indicating that the work can be physically demanding or require sustained presence and energy. The typical entry point does not require a formal educational credential, which can make this path accessible to people from a wide range of backgrounds. At the same time, top skills like computers and information technology, science, writing and reading, and adaptability suggest that success involves a blend of artistic, technical, and communication strengths. With a national median salary of $89,990 and 1,000 annual openings, this career may appeal to people who want to combine creativity with public-facing work and are ready to develop a broad mix of abilities.
The national median annual salary for models is $89,990, indicating substantial earning potential at the midpoint of the field. Pay can vary significantly by location. Among states, California reports a median salary of $57,400, while Georgia shows a much lower median of $15,080. Virginia, Maryland, and Ohio fall between these ranges, at $45,720, $47,170, and $42,550 respectively. At the metro level, differences are even more pronounced. Rochester, NY stands out with a median salary of $208,000, while Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA shows $109,820 and Anchorage, AK reports $81,520. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV sits at $47,170, and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN at $53,700. These figures show that earnings for models are highly location-dependent, with some metro areas offering especially high median pay relative to state-level medians and the national median.
Models work in a small occupation with national employment of 7,000 and projected employment growth of -0.5%. This slightly negative growth rate suggests that overall job numbers are expected to edge down rather than expand. Even with this projected decline, there are 1,000 annual openings, reflecting ongoing needs such as turnover and replacement hiring. The projected growth rate of -0.5% appears consistently across the highlighted states and metro areas, indicating a broadly similar outlook by location within the examples provided. For someone considering this path, the combination of limited total employment, a slightly negative growth trend, and steady annual openings points to a field where opportunities exist but may be competitive. Planning a job search with attention to geography, compensation levels, and the specific opportunity scores in different areas can help candidates position themselves in the parts of the market that best match their goals.
Location plays a significant role in the opportunity profile for models. Among states, California ranks highest by opportunity score (67.38), with a median salary of $57,400 and employment of 990. Virginia and Maryland follow, with opportunity scores of 54.96 and 52.88 and relatively small employment levels of 40 in each state. Ohio and Georgia have lower opportunity scores of 42.84 and 41.49; Georgia in particular combines a modest employment level of 130 with a median salary of $15,080, the lowest among the listed states. At the metro level, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV leads in opportunity score at 64.47, with a median salary of $47,170 and employment of 30. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA follows closely with an opportunity score of 62.99, a median salary of $109,820, and employment of 400. Rochester, NY stands out for a very high median salary of $208,000, while Chicago and Anchorage show mid-range salaries and opportunity scores, illustrating meaningful differences across local markets.
For models, the typical education requirement is listed as no formal educational credential. This means entry into the field does not formally depend on completing a specific degree or certificate program. However, the highlighted skill set suggests that developing certain abilities is still important for success. Top skills include physical strength and stamina, which can support the physical aspects of the work, and creativity and innovation, which align with the expressive and visual nature of the role. Speaking and listening, customer service, and interpersonal skills indicate the importance of effective interaction with others. Computers and information technology, science, and mechanical skills show a more technical side to the occupation, while writing and reading and adaptability round out the profile. Together, these skills suggest that while formal credentials are not required, models benefit from a combination of physical capability, creativity, communication, and comfort with information and technology-focused tasks.
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