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Career Change Finder

Jobs for Former Models

Models build social perceptiveness, coordination and time management skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance (74%).

Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers

Skills you enjoy

Pick the skills you want to keep using. The list re-ranks.

Sorted by skill match.

25 careers that use your skills

  1. 1Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance
    74%
    Median pay
    $97,150
    Pay change
    +100%
    Extra educationCertificate or associate
  2. 2Costume Attendants
    71%
    Median pay
    $50,400
    Pay change
    +4%
    Extra educationNone
  3. 3Photographers
    66%
    Median pay
    $44,660
    Pay change
    −8%
    Extra educationCertificate or associate
  4. 4Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators
    63%
    Median pay
    $55,490
    Pay change
    +14%
    Extra educationCertificate or associate
  5. 5Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers
    61%
    Median pay
    $39,390
    Pay change
    −19%
    Extra educationCertificate or associate
  6. 6Craft Artists
    61%
    Median pay
    $46,080
    Pay change
    −5%
    Extra educationCertificate or associate
  7. 7Choreographers
    60%
    Median pay
    $55,310
    Pay change
    +14%
    Extra educationCertificate or associate
  8. 8Fashion Designers
    58%
    Median pay
    $80,960
    Pay change
    +67%
    Extra educationCertificate or associate
  9. 9Floral Designers
    56%
    Median pay
    $37,360
    Pay change
    −23%
    Extra educationNone
  10. 10Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers
    54%
    Median pay
    $41,600
    Pay change
    −14%
    Extra educationNone

Compared with Models, median $48,470. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.

Your transferable skills

How important each skill is in work as models (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).

Social Perceptiveness2.88
Coordination2.62
Time Management2.50
Judgment and Decision Making2.12
Negotiation2.00
Persuasion2.00

Skills to learn

The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.

  • Instructing
  • Management of Material Resources
  • Operations Analysis
  • Quality Control Analysis

Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.

Your top 3 moves, up close

A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.

Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance

74% skill match · $97,150 · +100% pay

First step

  • Most common education: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (33% of workers).
  • Usually needs vocational training or an associate degree — more preparation than your current job.
  • A certification can help.
  • On-the-job training: none or short demonstration.

Skills to add

Management of Financial Resources · Management of Material Resources · Instructing

Is this right for you?

  • Tight deadlines are common
  • Long hours on your feet
  • Work outdoors in all weather

Costume Attendants

71% skill match · $50,400 · +4% pay

First step

  • Most common education: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (32% of workers).
  • On-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.

Skills to add

Systems Evaluation · Instructing · Management of Material Resources

Is this right for you?

  • Tight deadlines are common

Photographers

66% skill match · $44,660 · −8% pay

First step

  • Most common education: Some College Courses (27% of workers).
  • Usually needs vocational training or an associate degree — more preparation than your current job.
  • A certification can help.
  • On-the-job training: over 3 months, up to and including 6 months.

Skills to add

Instructing · Operations Monitoring · Quality Control Analysis

Is this right for you?

  • Tight deadlines are common

Similar roles in the same field

If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.

Free help near you

Former models can get free career counseling, job search help and, if you qualify, help paying for training through American Job Centers, which are funded by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Find an American Job CenterFind training programs

Links go to CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Questions former models ask

What jobs can former models do?

The closest matches are Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance (74% skill match, median $97,150), Costume Attendants (71% skill match, median $50,400) and Photographers (66% skill match, median $44,660), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.

Which model career changes pay more?

Among the 25 matches, 12 pay more than models at the median. The biggest increases: Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance (+100%, $97,150), Fashion Designers (+67%, $80,960) and Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film (+55%, $74,990).

Do former models need another degree?

15 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.

How is the skill match calculated?

We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.

Keep exploring

Sources. Skills, tasks and education: O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Data Sources & Licenses