A jewelry designer creates designs for accessories made from precious materials. She may employ others to physically create her designs or she may fabricate them herself, making frameworks and setting stones. She will often combine her design with the task of selling the jewelry to clients, advising and informing on different pieces according to the requirements of the client. She may also take commissions to design individual pieces of jewelry to a customer's specifications. Her salary may vary according to the circumstances of her employment.Average Salary
- In the latest occupational employment and wage figures compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean yearly salary for a jewelry designer was listed as $36,620 as of May 2009. This represents a monthly wage of $3,052 and a rate per hour of $17.60. The median 50 percent of earners within the profession achieved an average salary of $34,060, the highest 10 percent received $57,170, and the lowest 10 percent earned $19,080.
Salary by Employer
- The type of employer a jewelry designer works for will significantly affect her salary. The Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that jewelry, luggage and leather goods stores employed by far the greatest numbers of jewelry designers of any industry sector and paid an average salary of $38,910. This is over $9,000 more than specialized jewelry design services who were listed at a mean annual salary of $29,890. Firms that provide jewelry coating, engraving, heat treatment and allied activities offered average wages of $42,860, while positions in retail stores other than jewelry, luggage and leather goods brought compensation of $36,230.
Salary by Location
- Regardless of industry sector, the geographical location in which a jewelry designer pursues her vocation will influence the pay level she achieves. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that Connecticut and Illinois are the states paying the best wage levels -- $53,120 and $45,530, respectively. Idaho and Minnesota offer comparable average salaries -- $44,000 and $43,710, respectively. In contrast, South Dakota offers $30,000 and New Mexico is listed at an average of $28,380. Bakersfield, California, is the metropolitan area offering the best compensation for the services of jewelry designers -- $80,990.
Prospects
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics cautions that employment opportunities for jewelry designers are likely to grow by only 5 percent in the decade between 2008 and 2018. This is slower than the national rate across all occupations, estimated to be between 7 and 13 percent for the same period. The continued increase in imports of jewelry is a major factor behind this low growth rate. However, the BLS also suggests that the number of vacancies liable to arise and the number of qualified professionals to fill them will roughly be in balance. Jewelry designers should therefore be able to secure reasonably competitive salaries in the immediate future.
Read more: The Average Salary of a Jewelry Designer | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_7868553_average-salary-jewelry-designer.html#ixzz1gkmRngde
