How much does a fashion model make?

[Anonymous]

I found this somewhat surprising.

The median income across America in 2009 for a model was $27,330—income that includes no benefits.

The average magazine shoot pays about $100 a day. For appearing on the cover of Vogue a model gets an additional $300.

Payment for walking in a Fashion Week show in London is $500.

The super sought-after “high-end campaign”—for a fragrance or some other luxury good pays, on average, about $100,000.

http://www.freakonomics.com/2011/09/28/whats-the-median-income-for-a-fashion-model-in-the-u-s/

[Anonymous]

I suspect that there are a lot of models who really don't get much work, so they're dragging down the averages for everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Why would your average no-name model make very much? There aren't that many who are at the very top.

[Anonymous]

That's probably true that the average is low. However, I had a friend who was working in NYC as both a model and in financial modeling (hardeeharhar). Anyway, after 2-3 years he left to be a full time model. He has to be making some bank to leave finance for modeling...

[Anonymous]

Fashion models include those people who are in the ads for JCP, Kohls, Walmart, Target, Macy's, etc. No, you don't know their names, like Giselle or the big name models, but they are "fashion models" and they probably don't get a lot of money.

[Anonymous]

OP, I am not surprised. There are some models in my family who appear in magazines and when I tell my friends that they make very little, they are always surprised. Male models and children make the least.
It is not just modeling. If you look at the incomes of some actors and actresses, it is interesting. Forget the Cruises and the Pitts for a minute, look at the run of the mill, but recognizable actors. They might make 700K for a movie, but that comes only about once every three years, and during that time, they need to look good on the street, getting exposure in People magazine and so on. They spend high to always look their best (gym, fashion, hair). That comes to over 200K a year with high expenses, and not knowing what will be coming down the pike. Some say that Winona Ryder stole those clothes because she simply did not have the money to buy them, not because of a psych problem. Hallie Berry was very disappointed to find that her baby's daddy makes less than 40K a year as a model.
I think that the pp's friend might regret leaving Wall Street, unless he gets tons of work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I am not surprised. There are some models in my family who appear in magazines and when I tell my friends that they make very little, they are always surprised. Male models and children make the least.
It is not just modeling. If you look at the incomes of some actors and actresses, it is interesting. Forget the Cruises and the Pitts for a minute, look at the run of the mill, but recognizable actors. They might make 700K for a movie, but that comes only about once every three years, and during that time, they need to look good on the street, getting exposure in People magazine and so on. They spend high to always look their best (gym, fashion, hair). That comes to over 200K a year with high expenses, and not knowing what will be coming down the pike. Some say that Winona Ryder stole those clothes because she simply did not have the money to buy them, not because of a psych problem. Hallie Berry was very disappointed to find that her baby's daddy makes less than 40K a year as a model.
I think that the pp's friend might regret leaving Wall Street, unless he gets tons of work.

The girls and travel are also some of his benefits .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I am not surprised. There are some models in my family who appear in magazines and when I tell my friends that they make very little, they are always surprised. Male models and children make the least.
It is not just modeling. If you look at the incomes of some actors and actresses, it is interesting. Forget the Cruises and the Pitts for a minute, look at the run of the mill, but recognizable actors. They might make 700K for a movie, but that comes only about once every three years, and during that time, they need to look good on the street, getting exposure in People magazine and so on. They spend high to always look their best (gym, fashion, hair). That comes to over 200K a year with high expenses, and not knowing what will be coming down the pike. Some say that Winona Ryder stole those clothes because she simply did not have the money to buy them, not because of a psych problem. Hallie Berry was very disappointed to find that her baby's daddy makes less than 40K a year as a model.
I think that the pp's friend might regret leaving Wall Street, unless he gets tons of work.

The girls and travel are also some of his benefits .

If you call that a benefit.

[Anonymous]

this isn't surprising bc as pp's said, most aren't making much. kind of like actors - the average actor isn't raking it in, but the celebs skew the perception

[Anonymous]

OP, what is your point? Are you just surprised or actually disappointed to learn how little they make? They are hardly well-educated, rocket scientists ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, what is your point? Are you just surprised or actually disappointed to learn how little they make? They are hardly well-educated, rocket scientists ...

I was just surprised that the median annual income is so low, and thought others here might also find the report interesting. I'm passing along interesting info, not trying to argue a point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, what is your point? Are you just surprised or actually disappointed to learn how little they make? They are hardly well-educated, rocket scientists ...

Why so mean?
It was interesting to her/him and this the post.
If every time I think of posting on DCUM then have to say, "hmmm what will people think of this thread, will they say it is bragacious, or nutty, or mean, or nice?"
Nothing would get posted if we had to screen like that, so just cool it.
I found her post interesting because I was just having a discussion at work with someone about the same thing.

[Anonymous]

There are only a small percentage of Supermodels in the world. Unless--you are a Victoria Secret model or one of the very big names you aren't making the record cash. The category model...includes the sears catalog people and below.

[Anonymous]

It says median, not average. It seems obvious that more than half of the people trying to be fashion models would not be doing so well. Given that, the actual amounts paid to the ones that are would not be taken into account in this calculation.

[Anonymous]

This has to include the college students or pink-collar workers who pose at car shows, etc., and might get $500 a month on average.

The folks who're posing in Sears, JCPenneys, etc., probably make okay money but it's hit or miss I'd imagine ($10k one month, $0 the next).