jobfacts

Visual merchandiser

Visual merchandisers and related occupations — SOC 2020 7125

Visual merchandisers develop, deliver and communicate visual concepts and strategies to promote brands, products and services in-store, in catalogues or online, and create displays of merchandise.

Also calledWindow dresserDisplay assistantPhotographic stylistDisplay artistProduct stylistVisual merchandising assistantand 11 more titles
Typical full-time pay£25,8002025 Provisional
People in the job10,000across the UK
Demand for workersNot high
New adverts a month118↓ 1.9%on last year · 381st of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025
What full-time visual merchandisers earn, 2025
£25,800 typicaln/ptop 10%
n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less thanNot published
Lowest 20% earn less thanNot published
25%Not published
Median£25,800
75%Not published
Top 20% earn more thanNot published
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £25,800
London!£25,500
North EastNot published by ONS–
North WestNot published by ONS–
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS–
East MidlandsNot published by ONS–
West MidlandsNot published by ONS–
East of EnglandNot published by ONS–
South EastNot published by ONS–
South WestNot published by ONS–
ScotlandNot published by ONS–
WalesNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £25,800
London£25,500 (small sample)
North EastNot published by ONS
North WestNot published by ONS
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS
East MidlandsNot published by ONS
West MidlandsNot published by ONS
East of EnglandNot published by ONS
South EastNot published by ONS
South WestNot published by ONS
ScotlandNot published by ONS
WalesNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £21,900
  • 2024 £23,700
  • 2025 Provisional£25,800
↑ 18% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 118 jobs for visual merchandisers are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as not high.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (2 in all)
Show as table
Aug 2026132
Jul 2026Not published
Jun 2026116
May 202697
Apr 2026106
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 2026116
Jan 2026130
Dec 202559
Nov 2025118
Oct 2025167
Sept 2025139
Aug 2025127
Jul 2025135
Jun 2025146
May 2025131
Apr 2025104
Mar 2025120
Feb 2025112
Jan 2025123
Dec 202451
Nov 2024101
Oct 2024160
Sept 2024148
Aug 2024161
Jul 2024186
Jun 2024143
May 2024152
Apr 2024152
Mar 202485
Feb 2024143
Jan 2024208
Dec 2023100
Nov 202371
Oct 2023100
Sept 2023130
Aug 2023147
Jul 2023132
Jun 2023233
May 2023161
Apr 2023121
Mar 2023162
Feb 2023156
Jan 2023167
Dec 2022137
Nov 2022144
Oct 2022205
Sept 2022244
Aug 2022209
Jul 2022249
Jun 2022183
May 2022200
Apr 2022208
Mar 2022199
Feb 2022192
Jan 2022154
Dec 2021115
Nov 2021137
Oct 2021192
Sept 2021132
Aug 2021174
Jul 2021123
Jun 2021114
May 2021102
Apr 202192
Mar 2021115
Feb 202135
Jan 202152
Dec 202034
Nov 202069
Oct 202083
Sept 202076
Aug 202046
Jul 202074
Jun 202014
May 202026
Apr 202017
Mar 202094
Feb 2020181
Jan 2020154
Dec 2019109
Nov 2019129
Oct 2019124
Sept 2019119
Aug 2019141
Jul 2019170
Jun 2019162
May 2019176
Apr 2019121
Mar 2019161
Feb 2019154
Jan 2019174
Dec 2018113
Nov 2018115
Oct 2018149
Sept 2018138
Aug 2018147
Jul 2018193
Jun 2018171
May 2018133
Apr 2018141
Mar 2018183
Feb 2018145
Jan 2018204
Dec 2017120
Nov 2017149
Oct 2017217
Sept 2017204
Aug 2017207
Jul 2017184
Jun 2017218
May 2017182
Apr 2017189
Mar 2017194
Feb 2017162
Jan 2017190
Is there a shortage of visual merchandisers?
Not high

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment.

  • Visas grantedUsual
  • Online job advertsUsual
  • Wage growthAbove usual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedUsual
Note: uncertainty in change in hourly wage.
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
17%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for sales related occupations, which includes visual merchandisers. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London91
Manchester13
City of Edinburgh9
Birmingham7
Cherwell7
Glasgow City7
Belfast6
Leeds6
Liverpool5
Leicester4
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where visual merchandisers are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. Fewer than 10 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
WomenToo few in the survey to give a reliable figure
Age of visual merchandisers
n/p
n/p
n/p
n/p
n/p
n/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–24Not published
25–34Not published
35–44Not published
45–54Not published
55–64Not published
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent!104%
Higher education below degree!18%
A levels or equivalent–
Not published
GCSEs or equivalent!25%
Other qualifications–
Not published
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent104% (small sample)
Higher education below degree18% (small sample)
A levels or equivalentNot published
GCSEs or equivalent25% (small sample)
Other qualificationsNot published

Main employers: retail sale of clothing in specialised stores (36%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
104%
as their highest qualification
Apprenticeships
None
none leads directly into this work

Routes in

Visual merchandiser

You can get into this job through:

College

You could do a college course before looking for a trainee job with a retailer. Courses include:

  • retail skills
  • fashion business and retail
  • visual display and branding for fashion
  • retail and visual merchandising operations

Some people get into visual merchandising after doing art and design, fashion design or textiles at college.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Apprenticeship

You may be able to apply for a place on an apprenticeship with a company. These include:

  • Retailer Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • Retail Manager Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
  • Buying and Merchandising Assistant Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Other ways in

Work your way up

You could start as a retail worker and take on more responsibility for displays and merchandising as your experience grows. You could also study for qualifications in merchandising while you work.

Apply directly

You may be able to apply directly for jobs if you have retail experience and can show enthusiasm and a flair for display design.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

It will help to have a portfolio of work to showcase your creative ideas and design skills to potential employers.

Further information

You can find out more about working in visual merchandising from the Fashion Retail Academy.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for visual merchandiser. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Photographic stylist

You can get into this job through:

University

You could take a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in a subject like:

  • fashion photography and promotion
  • fashion styling and communication
  • interior design
  • visual merchandising
  • photography
  • art and design

Most photographic stylists come from a fashion, photography or design background.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

College

You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job.

Examples include:

  • photography
  • fashion
  • art and design
  • photographic make-up
Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a Photographer Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship, which may help you to secure a job in a studio as an assistant or stylist.

Entry requirements

Employers will set their own entry requirements.

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Volunteering

You should try and get as much work experience as possible. It will help you to make contacts in the industry and allow you to learn on the job.

You could approach photographers and stylists about possible work placements. You could also try media production companies that create content for retailers, magazines and advertisers.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

Work experience in fashion retail, visual design or interior design can be useful.

You'll need a portfolio with examples of your styling work to show to potential employers. These are known as 'tear sheets'. They show how your styling was used in the final published images.

Having a website and social media accounts where you can show your work can also be important.

Professional and industry bodies

The Association of Photographers and British Institute of Professional Photographers (BIPP) offer membership for anyone with an interest in professional photography.

Further information

You'll find more details about working in photography from The Association of Photographers.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for photographic stylist. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • consults with advertising and sales staff and advises retailers on the optimal display of a product and of any promotions
  • implements plans from display designers or display managers or develops ideas and plans for merchandise display or window dressing
  • prepares an area for new display, constructs or assembles displays from a variety of materials, and dismantles existing displays and returns merchandise to relevant departments
  • provides feedback about displays to managers and designers

Skills

  • meet deadlines
  • translate artistic concepts to technical designs
  • understand artistic concepts
  • use personal protection equipment
  • work ergonomically
  • work safely with machines
  • adapt sets
  • adapt to artists' creative demands
  • analyse a script
  • assess visual impact of displays
  • carry out sales analysis
  • change window displays
  • create set models
  • develop design concept

Knowledge

  • merchandising techniques

Suits people who like

  • Creating and designing
  • Practical, hands-on work

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for sales occupations, a group of 13 jobs that includes visual merchandisers.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↓ 12%about 255,000 fewer jobs
Workers needed by 2035671,000including people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

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