Sales · Career brief

Models

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Models at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$48,470

Below the middle on pay

2025 national median. Below the middle of ChooseField careers for pay.

2Demand

-2.1%

Projected employment decline

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Bottom quarter for growth among careers on ChooseField.

3Openings

700

Low national opening volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Bottom quarter for openings among careers on ChooseField.

4Route in

No formal credential

A four-year degree is not the typical entry route

No formal educational credential. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Creative

Original ideas and creative judgment matter

Pose for artists and photographers.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

BLS projects employment to shrink 2.1% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

ChooseField take

The national benchmarks are mixed, so the work itself and the route in matter more than any standout pay or demand signal. It makes the most sense if creative work appeals to you and you are comfortable with entry without a formal credential. Main tradeoff: BLS projects employment to shrink 2.1% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

Before choosing, compare:Retail Salespersons Counter and Rental Clerks Parts Salespersons

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Models with another field Explore rankings in Sales Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$48,470

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

-2.1%employment growth700openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

No formal educational credential

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

4,200

A small national occupation; local availability may be uneven.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Models (41-9012).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Pose for artists and photographers.
Gather information from agents concerning the pay, dates, times, provisions, and lengths of jobs.
Assemble and maintain portfolios, print composite cards, and travel to go-sees to obtain jobs.
Pose as directed, or strike suitable interpretive poses for promoting and selling merchandise or fashions during appearances, filming, or photo sessions.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

BLS projects employment to shrink 2.1% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.
The work routinely happens in close physical proximity to other people; personal space is limited.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Performing General Physical Activities4.4
Thinking Creatively3.5
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.2
Scheduling Work and Activities3.0
Getting Information2.8

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Artistic6.9
Realistic5.0
Enterprising3.7
Social2.5
Conventional2.3
Investigative1.1

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Fine Arts Transportation Communications and Media Computers and Electronics

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Work through a realistic case with incomplete information: make a recommendation, show the numbers behind it, and defend the tradeoffs.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Models nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options

Compare before committing

The useful question is not whether one field wins overall, but what changes when you choose a nearby path. Explore the full career guides for Retail Salespersons, Counter and Rental Clerks, Parts Salespersons, Cashiers.