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Apparel Industry Careers
The apparel industry is a $172 billion retail market nationwide, employing nearly 4.7 million people: 3.6 million in retail sales, 573,000 in apparel design and production and 470,000 in textile production. *
There is a wide variety of exciting career opportunities in apparel awaiting university graduates. Listed below are some of the primary career tracks, together with typical salaries in California associated with specific positions.
Buying, Planning & Merchandising
- Buyers meet with suppliers by attending fashion shows, apparel trade shows, and visiting designer and textile showrooms in order to negotiate merchandise deals for the company.
- Planners develop merchandise assortments for all stores by analyzing individual store needs.
- Merchandisers examine trends in the fashion industry and translate these trends to meet the needs of the consumer in order to boost sales through in-store marketing.
Position |
Average Salary |
VP Merchandising |
$217,150 |
General Merchandise Manager (GMM) |
$222,500 |
Divisional Merchandise Manager (DMM) |
$212,500 |
Merchandiser |
$127,200 |
Associate Merchandiser |
$ 65,000 |
Assistant Merchandiser |
$ 51,750 |
Planning VP |
$212,000 |
Planning Director |
$140,000 |
Planner |
$ 74,150 |
Assistant Planner |
$ 47,500 |
Allocator |
$ 44,700 |
Director of Visual Merchandising |
$122,500 |
Visual Coordinator |
$ 45,000 |
Production
- Jobs in the production field are in high demand.
- Individuals working within the production field research and analyze all costs associated with producing a garment and also make decisions regarding sourcing, importing, and exporting on a global basis.
- They also work very closely with suppliers, both international and domestic, to ensure that a product is delivered on time and meets quality assurance and quality control issues.
Position |
Average Salary |
VP Production |
$154,600 |
Production Manager |
$81,000 |
Pre-Production Manager |
$72,900 |
Overseas Production Manager |
$76,800 |
Production Assistant |
$42,900 |
Production Supervisor |
$53,350 |
Production Controller |
$53,200 |
Product Costing |
$43,800 |
Fabrics & Trim Buyer |
$64,750 |
Purchasing Assistant |
$44,350 |
Sales & Marketing
- Individuals involved in sales and marketing manage marketing initiatives from concept through implementation in the marketplace for a product.
- Marketers increase company revenue through sales and strategic marketing plans.
- Specific areas of interest in this field include: e-commerce (online retailing), public relations, fashion week events, brand image management, and advertising.
Position |
Average Salary |
VP Sales |
$180,600 |
National Sales Manager |
$107,000 |
Sales/Account Executive |
$109,650 |
Creative Director |
$132,500 |
Brand Manager |
$115,000 |
Marketing Manager |
$67,350 |
Showroom Representative |
$40,000 |
Showroom Manager |
$37,460 |
Technical Design
- Technical designers work extensively with computer-aided design (CAD) software to create garment designs and specifications.
- They establish and review fabric and construction guidelines.
- Designers also oversee proper construction and fit of the garment from design all the way through production.
Position |
Average Salary |
Designer |
$81,900 |
Associate Designer |
$55,250 |
Assistant Designer |
$41,400 |
CAD Operator |
$40,800 |
Technical Designer/PDM |
$58,500 |
Assistant Technical Designer |
$43,500 |
First Patternmaker |
$71,700 |
Production Patternmaker |
$75,200 |
Computer Patternmaker |
$81,650 |
Sample Room Manager |
$36,750 |
Cost Sheet Developer |
$43,350 |
Spec Technician |
$40,900 |
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