Job Titles & Salaries
The Industry
Apparel represents a $276 billion retail market in the United States. The U.S. industry employs large numbers: 116,000 in textile manufacturing; 170,000 in apparel design and production; 140,000 in apparel wholesale distribution; and around 3 million in apparel retailing. Currently, around 96% of the apparel sold in retail stores is imported into the U.S. However, almost all of the clothing we buy is designed, branded and marketed by American companies. What is more, American brands are famous and widely sought by consumers around the world. Among these, Californian brands are perhaps the most dynamic and diverse, including Quiksilver, Patagonia, Volcom, Forever 21, BCBG, Seven for All Mankind, Vans, St John Knits, True Religion, American Apparel. Nationwide, the greatest concentration of apparel companies and jobs is to be found in Southern California, centered around Los Angeles.
Careers
Career pathways in the apparel production and distribution sectors include: retail buying and international sourcing; merchandising; product development; wholesale sales and marketing; market research and forecasting; retail marketing and promotion; visual merchandising; brand management; production management; supply chain management; and product design.
Pathways in related industries include textile buying and wholesaling, fashion journalism, public relations, higher education, and the marketing of equipment and support services (financial, software, international trade, and business consulting) to the fashion industry.
AMM students have a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Many aspire to start their own business and a significant number of our alums are successful business owners.
Some students complement their AMM major by completing a business, communications or art related minors. This helps expand or better focus their career opportunities.
Listed below are some of the primary career tracks, together with typical salaries in California associated with specific positions
Apparel 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 |
Apparel 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 |
Apparel 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 |
Apparel 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 |
Videos and photo albums created by students to share some of the cool things they do in this major.