Career: Fashion Designer
Average salary: $62,610
Degree needed: Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in fine arts or fashion design from a National Association of Schools of Art and Design accredited institution
Certifications: None
Scholarships: Apply online
Common employers: Apparel and accessory merchant wholesalers, corporate fashion companies, clothing stores, performing arts companies and fashion design firms. About 24 percent of fashion designers are self-employed.
Job outlook: Slow job growth, highly competitive, good potential for women
Common duties may include:
Skills needed:
YourBeanstalk’s Opinion: With shows like Project Runway, the life and glamour of fashion designers are now on the top of people’s minds. If you are a woman who designs – and even makes – your own clothing, this could be the perfect career for you. There are different ways for women to get started in the fashion industry, but it’s important to have some formal education. After that you can apprentice, enter design competition, and hopefully one day see people wearing your designs. Competition is fierce, so this may be a difficult career for single moms or working mothers. It also requires long hours, perserverance and patience.
