Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The median hourly wage for models in the United States was $17.84 in May 2023
Kendall Jenner was the highest-paid model in the world in 2018 earning $22.5 million
Models in the bottom 10 percent of earnings made less than $11.55 per hour in 2023
The employment of models is projected to grow 9 percent from 2022 to 2032
New York has the highest employment level of models among US states
The global market size of the modeling agencies industry was estimated at $1.8 billion in 2022
In the Spring 2021 season, 41.3% of model castings across all major fashion capitals were models of color
Mid-size and plus-size models accounted for only 0.6% of castings in the Fall 2020 season
In Spring 2022, plus-size model appearances on the runway increased to 1.81% of total castings
62% of models report being asked to lose weight or change their body shape by their agency or client
France passed a law in 2017 requiring models to provide a doctor's certificate attesting to their overall physical health and BMI
29.7% of models reported dealing with inappropriate sexual advances at work
98% of fashion models use Instagram as a digital portfolio for castings
Kendall Jenner accrued over 290 million Instagram followers by 2024 making her the most followed model
Gigi Hadid commands up to $300,000 per sponsored Instagram post
Demographics & Diversity
- In the Spring 2021 season, 41.3% of model castings across all major fashion capitals were models of color
- Mid-size and plus-size models accounted for only 0.6% of castings in the Fall 2020 season
- In Spring 2022, plus-size model appearances on the runway increased to 1.81% of total castings
- Models aged 50 and over accounted for less than 1% of total castings in 2020
- Fall 2022 saw the highest number of transgender and non-binary models on the runway with 91 castings
- In 2023 only 0.9% of models on the runway were classified as "curve" models by Vogue Business
- Only 2 Asian models appeared in the Top 10 most booked models list in Spring 2019
- In Fall 2016, 75.3% of models cast were white, marking a low point in recent diversity history
- New York Fashion Week consistently scores higher on racial diversity (55.5% POC in Spring 2022) than London, Milan, or Paris
- Black models represented 23% of castings in Spring 2022, the highest racial minority group represented
- 7% of runway castings were models aged 30 to 50 in 2021
- South Asian representation remains low with only 0.6% of castings in major fashion weeks in 2020
- Indigenous models represented less than 0.1% of all runway appearances in 2023
- From Spring 2015 to Spring 2021, racial diversity on runways improved by 24 percentage points
- Milan Fashion Week had the lowest diversity score of the big four in Spring 2020 with only 36% models of color
- Non-binary models represented 0.5% of castings in Spring 2023
- 13 transgender models were cast in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show for the first time in 2021 promotions following rebranding
- Disabled models made up only 0.02% of fashion castings in 2019
- Models over size 14 appeared on only 0.9% of catwalks in Spring 2023
- 54% of covers for major fashion magazines featured people of color in 2020, up from 17% in 2013
Interpretation
The good news is that runways have become measurably more diverse, with POC representation up 24 percentage points from Spring 2015 to Spring 2021, 41.3% POC castings in Spring 2021, Black models at 23% in Spring 2022, New York hitting 55.5% POC that season and 54% of major magazine covers featuring people of color in 2020; the bad news is that this progress is painfully narrow, because plus, mid and curve models, models over 50, disabled, Indigenous and South Asian models, and non-binary and transgender talent still amount to only fractions of castings or single-digit totals, proving visibility has widened but true inclusion remains a runway away.
Economics & Compensation
- The median hourly wage for models in the United States was $17.84 in May 2023
- Kendall Jenner was the highest-paid model in the world in 2018 earning $22.5 million
- Models in the bottom 10 percent of earnings made less than $11.55 per hour in 2023
- Male models generally earn 75% less than their female counterparts in the high-fashion sector
- The average annual salary for a fashion model in the UK is approximately £40,000 depending on experience
- Gisele Bündchen was the highest-paid model for 15 consecutive years before 2017
- The top 10% of models in the US earn more than $60.27 per hour
- Commercial print models generally earn between $1500 and $3000 per day rate
- Editorial shoots for magazines often pay models only $150 to $250 per day despite the prestige
- Supermodel Joan Smalls topped the highest-paid list for Latina models earning over $8.5 million in 2018
- Fit models earning rates are typically between $250 and $400 per hour depending on experience
- As of 2023, the net worth of Kathy Ireland, a former model turned mogul, is estimated at $500 million
- Hand and foot parts models can earn up to $1,000 for a days work in commercial advertising
- Showroom models typically earn a flat daily rate between $200 and $500
- Liu Wen was the first Asian model to make the Forbes highest-paid list earning $7 million in 2013
- Catwalk fees for new faces at major shows can be as low as trade-for-clothes or $0
- Adriana Lima's peak earning year saw her bring in $10.5 million
- The average salary for a child model ranges from $50 to $100 per hour
- Aggregate wages for models in the US totaled approximately $107 million in 2021
- Lingerie models earn an average of double the hourly rate of standard catalog models
- Earnings for runway models can drop by 20% after the age of 26
Interpretation
Fashion modeling is a glittering runway where a handful of superstars and specialty niches pull multimillion-dollar paychecks and unusually high day rates, while the median model makes modest hourly wages, the bottom ten percent earn nearly nothing, editorial prestige often replaces cash, men and those over 26 face steep penalties, and many newcomers work for little more than clothes and exposure.
Health Standards & Advocacy
- 62% of models report being asked to lose weight or change their body shape by their agency or client
- France passed a law in 2017 requiring models to provide a doctor's certificate attesting to their overall physical health and BMI
- 29.7% of models reported dealing with inappropriate sexual advances at work
- Israel passed a law in 2012 banning models with a BMI below 18.5 from appearing in advertisements
- 81% of models undergoing the Model Alliance survey reported having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of less than 18.5
- Madrid Fashion Week banned models with a BMI under 18 in 2006
- 68% of models state that they suffer from anxiety or depression linked to their profession
- 1 in 5 models report using drugs or alcohol to maintain weight
- The CFDA formed the Health Initiative in 2012 to address eating disorders among models
- Italy's fashion chamber signed a manifesto in 2006 against anorexic models
- 71.7% of models report feeling pressure to work despite being ill or injured
- In 2022, New York passed the Fashion Workers Act to regulate management agencies and provide health protections
- The Model Alliance found that 41% of models have not been paid for a job they completed
- Researchers found that the average BMI of a fashion model is typically between 16 and 17
- Retouching disclaimers are now required on commercial photos of models in Norway as of 2022
- 86% of models reported onset fatigue and lack of sleep during Fashion Weeks
- In 2022 UK legislators proposed a bill to prohibit advertisers from digitally altering bodies of models without notification
- 50% of models report that they have been exposed to cocaine use in their work environment
- Denmark's Fashion Ethical Charter requires healthy food to be provided backstage for models
- 94% of models reported that their agency did not provide them with health insurance
Interpretation
These statistics reveal an industry that celebrates skinniness while offering threadbare protections: most models are pressured into dangerously low BMIs and routinely face harassment, anxiety, substance use, unpaid work and exhaustion, left to rely on a patchwork of laws and initiatives because agencies too often fail to provide basic health care or fair pay.
Industry Market & Employment
- The employment of models is projected to grow 9 percent from 2022 to 2032
- New York has the highest employment level of models among US states
- The global market size of the modeling agencies industry was estimated at $1.8 billion in 2022
- California employs the second-highest number of models in the United States
- There are approximately 2,800 modeling agencies businesses in the US as of 2023
- About 2,300 openings for models are projected each year on average in the US
- The freelancing model market has grown by 18% due to apps like Ubooker and Swipecast
- The US modeling industry revenue is expected to increase at an annualized rate of 2.1% over five years
- Approximately 34% of employed models work part-time
- The concentration of modeling agencies is highest in the Mid-Atlantic US region
- The "Motion Picture and Video Industries" sector is the third largest employer of models
- Self-employed workers account for nearly 47% of the modeling workforce
- The average tenure for a high fashion runway model career is less than 5 years
- Male models account for approximately 24% of the total modeling workforce in the US
- There is a 12% annual turnover rate in the model management industry
- More than 60% of US modeling agencies are located in New York City and Los Angeles
- Virtual modeling agencies (using AI avatars) grew by 20% in client adoption in 2023
- Florida ranks third in the US for employment of fashion models
- The "Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools" sector employs a significant number of art models for life drawing
- Global spending on talent management including modeling agencies reached $600 million in 2020
- The wholesale trade sector employs approximately 1,150 models in the US
Interpretation
From New York's dominance with California and Florida following, to short-lived high-fashion runway careers and a surge in freelancing and virtual-avatar adoption, the modeling industry is quietly becoming "glamour meets gig economy," projected to grow 9% by 2032 with about 2,300 annual openings and roughly 2,800 U.S. agencies (more than 60% in New York City and Los Angeles and the Mid-Atlantic hosting the highest agency concentration), supported by a $1.8 billion global agency market and $600 million in talent-management spending, nearly half the workforce self-employed, 34% part-time, men at about 24%, steady 2.1% annualized U.S. revenue growth, and a range of employers from motion pictures to colleges and wholesale trade despite a brisk 12% management turnover.
Social Media & Influence
- 98% of fashion models use Instagram as a digital portfolio for castings
- Kendall Jenner accrued over 290 million Instagram followers by 2024 making her the most followed model
- Gigi Hadid commands up to $300,000 per sponsored Instagram post
- Interactions with posts featuring diverse models receive 15% higher engagement rates on social media
- Cara Delevingne has over 42 million followers on Instagram
- Influencer marketing involving models is an industry worth over $21 billion in 2023
- Bella Hadid generated $2.3 million in Media Impact Value (MIV) for a single Coperni show appearance
- TikTok's #modelscout hashtag has over 800 million views driving new recruitment methods
- 43% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand if they see user-generated content or relatable models on social media
- Instagram engagement rates for micro-influencer models (10k-100k followers) are approximately 60% higher than macro-influencers
- A single viral moment on social media can increase a model's booking fee by 50% overnight
- 89% of brand marketers say ROI from influencer modeling is comparable to or better than other marketing channels
- Hailey Bieber's "glazed donut skin" trend on TikTok generated over 300 million views influencing beauty campaigns
- Snapchat users are 1.5x more likely to purchase a fashion item after seeing a model use a branded AR lens
- 80% of Gen Z consumers discover new fashion brands through social media primarily via influencers and models
- Posts by models with high engagement rates (over 3%) are valued 4x higher by brands than those with high follower counts but low engagement
- LinkedIn has seen a 25% increase in "profile" creation described as "Freelance Model" since 2020
- Virtual Model "Lil Miquela" charges approximately $8,000 per sponsored post
- 70% of fashion brands now use Instagram Stories specifically for casting calls
- Brands utilizing "average-sized" models in social ads see a 200% increase in Click Through Rate compared to size-0 models
Interpretation
The modern model is less a runway fixture and more a social economy power brand: Instagram and TikTok have turned profiles into portfolios that can generate multimillion dollar deals, a single viral moment can spike fees overnight, micro influencers and diverse relatable faces deliver the engagement brands now pay a premium for, virtual influencers and AR lenses open new revenue streams and recruitment channels, and with Gen Z discovering fashion largely through creators, savvy brands are swapping size 0 glamour for average sized authenticity to drive clicks and measurable ROI in a billion dollar influencer economy.
References
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