Floral Designers earn a median of $37,360 per year ($17.96/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 5.6% through 2035, with about 5,200 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 27-1023
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Floral Designer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $37,360a year, or $17.96/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $29KTop 10% $51K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -5.6%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−5.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −5.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 5,20045,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202545.2K
- Projected 203542.7K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 45.2K Projected 2035 42.7K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Floral Artist, Floral Business Owner, Floral Clerk, Floral Studio Designer, Florist, Wedding Decorator.
Pay
How much do Floral Designers make?
Every floral designer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$37,360
Middle half earn $32,810 to $45,700
- 10th
- $28,600
- 25th
- $32,810
- 75th
- $45,700
- 90th
- $51,000
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $28,600 |
| 25th | $32,810 |
| Median | $37,360 |
| 75th | $45,700 |
| 90th | $51,000 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $37,360
- Median hourly wage
- $17.96/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $39,520
- People employed
- 40,590
Versus all US occupations
At $37,360, Floral Designers earn 27% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $13,620 a year.
Versus arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
Inside the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media group, where the middle occupation pays $68,060, this is 45% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $51,000 or more while the bottom 10% earn $28,600, a gap of 1.8×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 5% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Alaska pays the most at $48,130, and still leads at $47,021 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Floral Designers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Alaska | $48,130 | $47,021 | 80 |
| 2California | $47,040 | $42,486 | 4,080 |
| 3Massachusetts | $46,460 | $43,931 | 870 |
| 4Hawaii | $46,170 | $41,991 | 380 |
| 5Colorado | $45,380 | $44,036 | 790 |
| 6New York | $45,260 | $41,938 | 2,330 |
| 7New Jersey | $45,190 | $41,533 | 1,020 |
| 8Oregon | $44,730 | $43,276 | 710 |
| 9Vermont | $44,720 | $45,652 | 110 |
| 10Washington | $44,460 | $41,546 | 910 |
Job outlook
Is Floral Designer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -5.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Floral Designers | −5.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Floral Designers to change -5.6% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 2,500 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 5,200 openings are projected each year, 11.5% of the 45,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Although there will likely continue to be demand for floral arrangements at events such as weddings and funerals, the need for floral designers is projected to decline along with the number of florist shops. Local florist shops, where many florists are employed, often fulfill online orders from flower delivery services. This practice may increase the number of orders florist shops receive, but it also may dampen the demand for additional shops as each existing shop widens its customer service area.
Getting in
How to become a Floral Designer
Most floral designers have a high school diploma or the equivalent and learn their skills on the job in a few months.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
Full BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entryThe work
What does a Floral Designer do?
Design, cut, and arrange live, dried, or artificial flowers and foliage.
Floral designers, also called florists, arrange live, dried, and silk flowers and greenery to make decorative displays. They also help customers select flowers and containers, ribbons, and other accessories.
Day-to-day tasks
- Plan arrangement according to client's requirements, using knowledge of design and properties of materials, or select appropriate standard design pattern.
- Trim material and arrange bouquets, wreaths, terrariums, and other items, using trimmers, shapers, wire, pins, floral tape, foam, and other materials.
- Confer with clients regarding price and type of arrangement desired and the date, time, and place of delivery.
- Water plants, and cut, condition, and clean flowers and foliage for storage.
- Order and purchase flowers and supplies from wholesalers and growers.
- Perform general cleaning duties in the store to ensure the shop is clean and tidy.
- Decorate, or supervise the decoration of, buildings, halls, churches, or other facilities for parties, weddings and other occasions.
- Inform customers about the care, maintenance, and handling of various flowers and foliage, indoor plants, and other items.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Many floral designers work full time, although their hours may vary with the work setting.
Independent shops are typically open during regular business hours. Floral departments inside grocery stores or other stores may stay open longer.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes are not usually serious.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Where floral designers work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Florists55%
- Grocery and specialty food retailers19%
- Self-employed workers14%
- Wholesale trade4%
- Lawn and garden equipment and supplies retailers1%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Florists | 55% |
| Grocery and specialty food retailers | 19% |
| Self-employed workers | 14% |
| Wholesale trade | 4% |
| Lawn and garden equipment and supplies retailers | 1% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.9
- Speaking3.6
- Critical Thinking3.1
- Monitoring3.0
- Reading Comprehension2.9
- Active Learning2.9
- Writing2.6
- Learning Strategies2.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Speaking | 3.6 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.9 |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
| Writing | 2.6 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Service Orientation3.3
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Time Management3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Coordination2.8
- Persuasion2.8
- Complex Problem Solving2.8
- Operations Analysis2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Service Orientation | 3.3 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 2.8 |
| Persuasion | 2.8 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.8 |
| Operations Analysis | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Accounting software
- Internet browser software
- Inventory management software
- Procurement software
- Time accounting software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Floral Designer?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Floral Designer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 4 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 4 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules.
- Realistic5.1
- Artistic4.5
- Conventional3.9
- Enterprising3.7
- Social2.5
- Investigative1.6
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Floral Designer
O*NET related occupations
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Production
Painting, Coating, and Decorating Worker
$41,600median a year
Most earn $31K to $61K
+1.3%No formal credential - Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Sales and Related
- Production
Tailor, Dressmaker, and Custom Sewer
$41,640median a year
Most earn $30K to $64K
−8.8%No formal credential - Production
More arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media careers
Median annual pay, with floral designers highlighted
- Art Director$114,850
- Technical Writer$90,390
- Editor$77,920
- Writer and Author$76,910
- Public Relations Specialist$74,750
- Interior Designer$67,190
- Graphic Designer$62,960
- Photographer$44,660
- Floral Designer$37,360
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Art Director | $114,850 |
| Technical Writer | $90,390 |
| Editor | $77,920 |
| Writer and Author | $76,910 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $74,750 |
| Interior Designer | $67,190 |
| Graphic Designer | $62,960 |
| Photographer | $44,660 |
| Floral Designer | $37,360 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Floral Designer appears on
Questions
Floral Designer: frequently asked questions
How much do Floral Designers make?
Floral Designers earn a median of $37,360 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 27% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $17.96/hr. The middle half earn between $32,810 and $45,700. The top 10% earn $51,000 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Floral Designer?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Floral Designers. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Floral Designer a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 5.6% over 2025–2035, a loss of 2,500 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 5,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Floral Designer do?
Floral designers, also called florists, arrange live, dried, and silk flowers and greenery to make decorative displays. A core O*NET task: plan arrangement according to client's requirements, using knowledge of design and properties of materials, or select appropriate standard design pattern. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Presentation software.
Which states pay Floral Designers the most?
The highest state medians for Floral Designers are Alaska ($48,130), California ($47,040), Massachusetts ($46,460) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Floral Designer?
O*NET scores Floral Designers highest on the Realistic, Artistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.