Models
Career, Salary and Education Information
What They Do: Models pose for artists, photographers, and other clients to help advertise products.
Work Environment: Models work in a variety of conditions, from comfortable indoor studios and runway fashion shows to outdoors in all weather conditions. Most models work part time and have unpredictable work schedules. Many also experience periods of unemployment.
How to Become One: No formal educational credential is required and training is limited. Specific requirements depend on the client. However, most models must be within certain ranges for height, weight, and clothing size to meet the needs of fashion designers, photographers, and advertisers.
Salary: The median hourly wage for models is $15.34.
Job Outlook: Employment of models is projected to grow 9 percent over the next ten years, faster than the average for all occupations.
Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of models with similar occupations.
Following is everything you need to know about a career as a model with lots of details. As a first step, take a look at some of the following jobs, which are real jobs with real employers. You will be able to see the very real job career requirements for employers who are actively hiring. The link will open in a new tab so that you can come back to this page to continue reading about the career:
Top 3 Fashion Model Jobs
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Retail Customer Experience Associate, Las Vegas Fashion Show - Full Time
- Macy's
- North Las Vegas, NV
This position exemplifies the Own Your Style service model and requires a can-do attitude that goes above and beyond with a personable and efficient approach when servicing the customer. What we can ...
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Fashion Sales Stylist
- Kollectin
- Los Angeles, CA
Exciting Opportunity for Fashion Enthusiasts: Become a Stylist with Kollectin! Location: Remote Compensation: Commission + Bonus (does not include base salary) Who We Are Kollectin is at the ...
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Optometrist-Sioux Falls, SD-LensCrafters
- EssilorLuxottica
- Sioux Falls, SD
Practice model * Complete professional autonomy to practice exactly as you decide * No company ... Luxottica is a leader in the design, manufacture, and distribution of fashion , luxury and sports ...
What Models Do[About this section] [To Top]
Models pose for artists, photographers, or customers to help advertise a variety of products, including clothing, cosmetics, food, and appliances. Models also work as a fit or fitting model, enabling the manufacturer or fashion designer to achieve the best fit for new styles.
Duties of Models
Models typically do the following:
- Display clothing and merchandise in print and online advertisements
- Promote products and services in television commercials
- Wear designers' clothing for runway fashion shows
- Represent companies and brands at conventions, trade shows, and other events
- Pose for photos, paintings, or sculptures
- Work closely with photographers, hair and clothing stylists, makeup artists, and clients to produce a desired look
- Create and maintain a portfolio of their work
- Travel to meet and interview with potential clients
- Conduct research on the product being promoted—for example, the designer or type of clothing fabric
- Answer questions from consumers about the products
Almost all models sign with modeling agencies. Agencies represent and promote a model to clients in return for a portion of the model's earnings. Models typically apply for a position with an agency by submitting their photographs through its website or by attending open casting calls and meeting with agents directly.
Models must research an agency before signing, in order to ensure that the agency has a good reputation in the modeling industry. For information on agencies, models should contact a local consumer affairs organization, such as the Better Business Bureau.
Some freelance models do not sign with agencies. Instead, they market themselves to potential clients and apply for modeling jobs directly. However, because most clients prefer to work with agents, it is difficult for new models to pursue a freelance career.
Models must put together and maintain up-to-date portfolios and composite cards. A portfolio is a collection of a model's previous work. A composite card contains the best photographs from a model's portfolio, along with his or her body measurements. Both portfolios and composite cards are typically taken to all casting calls and client auditions.
Because advertisers often need to target specific segments of the population, models may specialize in a certain area. For example, petite and plus-size fashions are modeled by women whose sizes are respectively smaller and larger than that worn by the typical model. Models who are disabled may be used to model fashions or products for consumers with disabilities. "Parts" models have a body part, such as a hand or foot, particularly well suited to model products such as nail polish or shoes.
Models appear in different types of media to promote a product or service. Models advertise products and merchandise in magazine or newspaper advertisements, department store catalogs, or television commercials. Increasingly, models are appearing in online ads or on retail websites. Models also pose for sketch artists, painters, and sculptors.
Models often participate in photo shoots and pose for photographers to show off the features of clothing and other products. Models change their posture and facial expressions to capture the look the client wants. The photographer usually takes many pictures of the model in different poses and expressions during the photo shoot.
Models also display clothes and merchandise live in different situations. At fashion shows, models stand, turn, and walk to show off clothing to an audience of photographers, journalists, designers, and garment buyers. Other clients may require models to interact directly with customers. In retail establishments and department stores, models display clothing directly to shoppers and describe the features and prices of the merchandise. At trade shows or conventions, models show off a business' products and provide information to consumers. These models may work alongside demonstrators and product promoters to help advertise and sell merchandise.
Models often prepare for photo shoots or fashion shows by having their hair and makeup done by professionals in those industries. The hairstylists and makeup artists may touch up the model's hair and makeup and change the model's look throughout the event. However, models are sometimes responsible for applying their own makeup and bringing their own clothing.
Work Environment for Models[About this section] [To Top]
Models hold about 2,400 jobs. The largest employers of models are as follows:
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private | 22% |
| Self-employed workers | 8% |
| Junior colleges; state, local, and private | 7% |
Models work in a variety of conditions, from comfortable photography studios and runway fashion shows to outdoors in all weather conditions.
Models also may need to travel for photo shoots or to meet clients in different cities.
Model Work Schedules
Models' schedules can be demanding and stressful. Many models work part time and have unpredictable work schedules. They must be ready to work for a show or attend a photo shoot on short notice. The number of hours worked varies with the job. Many models experience periods of unemployment.
How to Become a Model[About this section] [To Top]
Get the education you need: Find schools for Models near you!
No formal education credential is required to become a model. Specific requirements depend on the client, with different jobs requiring different physical characteristics. However, most models must be within certain ranges for height, weight, and clothing size.
Education for Models
There are no formal educational credentials required to become a model. Most modeling agencies allow applicants to email photos directly to the agency. The agency will then contact and interview prospective models who show potential. Many agencies also have "open calls," whereby aspiring models can walk into an agency during a specified time and meet directly with agents and clients.
Some aspiring models may attend modeling schools that provide training in posing, walking, applying makeup, and other basic tasks. Although some models are discovered when agents scout for "fresh faces" at modeling schools, attending such schools does not necessarily lead to job opportunities.
Advancement for Models
Models advance by working more regularly and being selected for assignments that offer higher pay. They may appear in magazines, print advertising campaigns, commercials, or runway shows that have higher profiles and provide more widespread exposure.
Because advancement depends on a model's previous work, maintaining a good portfolio of high-quality, up-to-date photographs is important in getting assignments. In addition, actively participating in social media and building a large number of followers increases exposure.
A model's selection of an agency is also important for advancement: the better the reputation and skill of the agency, the more assignments a model is likely to get.
Important Qualities for Models
Specific requirements depend on the client, but most models must be within certain ranges for height, weight, and clothing size. Requirements may change slightly over time as perceptions of physical beauty change.
Discipline. A model's career depends on the person's maintaining his or her physical characteristics. Models must control their diet, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep to stay healthy and photogenic. Haircuts, pedicures, and manicures are necessary work-related expenses.
Interpersonal skills. Models must interact with a large number of people, such as agents, photographers, and customers. It is important to be polite, professional, prompt, and respectful.
Listening skills. Models must take direction from photographers and clients during photo shoots and commercials.
Organizational skills. Models must manage their portfolios and their work and travel schedules.
Persistence. Competition for jobs is strong, and most clients have specific needs for each job, so patience and persistence are essential.
Photogenic. Models spend most of their time being photographed. They must be comfortable in front of a camera in order for photographers to capture the desired look.
Style. Models must have a basic knowledge of hair styling, makeup, and clothing. For photographic and runway work, models must move gracefully and confidently.
Model Salaries[About this section] [More salary/earnings info] [To Top]
The median hourly wage for models is $15.34. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $12.00, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $59.97.
Models’ schedules can be demanding and stressful. Many models work part time and have unpredictable work schedules. They must be ready to work for a show or attend a photo shoot on short notice. The number of hours worked varies with the job. Many models experience periods of unemployment.
Wage data reported for this occupation were updated most recently in May 2020.<.p>
Job Outlook for Models[About this section] [To Top]
Employment of models is projected to grow 9 percent over the next ten years, faster than the average for all occupations.
About 500 openings for models are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment of Models
Rising retail sales, particularly online and in e-commerce, will encourage businesses to increase their digital advertising and marketing budgets. Demand for models to appear in digital advertisements is expected to lead to increased employment for these workers. However, less expensive digital and social media options are allowing companies promote their products and brands directly to consumers, which may moderate employment demand for models.
| Occupational Title | Employment, 2021 | Projected Employment, 2031 | Change, 2021-31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | |||
| Models | 2,400 | 2,600 | 9 | 200 |
More Model Information[About this section] [To Top]
For information about modeling schools and agencies in your area, contact a local consumer affairs organization, such as the Better Business Bureau .
A portion of the information on this page is used by permission of the U.S. Department of Labor.