Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Understanding customer needs and providing helpful, professional service.
Adjusting effectively when priorities, conditions, tools, or expectations change.
Developing original ideas, approaches, designs, or solutions.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become a Floral Designer Most floral designers learn their skills on the job over the course of a few months. Most floral designers have a high school diploma or the equivalent and learn their skills on the job in a few months.
Education
Most floral designers have a high school diploma or the equivalent. Postsecondary programs may be useful for florists who want to start their own business. Programs in floral design and caring techniques for flowers and plants are available through private floral schools, vocational schools, and community colleges. Most of these programs offer a certificate or diploma. Classes in flower and plant identification, floral design concepts, and advertising and other business courses, as well as experience working in a greenhouse, are part of many certificate and diploma programs. Some community colleges and universities offer certificates or associate’s degrees in floriculture/floristry operations and management.
Training
New floral designers typically get hands-on experience working with an experienced floral designer. They may start by preparing simple flower arrangements and practicing the basics of tying bows and ribbons, cutting stems to appropriate lengths, and learning about the proper handling and care of flowers and plants. Floral designers also learn about the different types and growth properties of flowers and plants, how to use flowers in complex floral designs, and which flowers and plants complement each other.
Licenses, Certifications & Registrations
Although certification is voluntary, it indicates a measure of floral design knowledge and expertise gained through work experience or education. Information on certifications is available from CareerOneStop. Advancement Formal training in floral design may be helpful for people who are interested in opening their own business or in becoming a chief floral designer or supervisor.
Your Next Step
Review training, certifications, apprenticeships, or employer-based preparation that may support entry into this career.
Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Employment of floral designers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, decline. About 5,200 openings for floral designers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. 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. Employment 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. Floral Designers Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Total, all occupations 3% Art and design workers 1% Floral designers -6% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Floral Designers Do
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.
Duties
Floral designers typically do the following:
- Buy flowers and other products from wholesalers and suppliers to ensure that an adequate supply meets customers’ needs
- Determine the type of arrangement desired, the occasion, and the date, time, and location for delivery
- Recommend plants or flowers and greenery for each arrangement in accordance with the customer’s budget
- Design floral displays that evoke a particular sentiment or style
- Answer telephones, take orders, and wrap arrangements
Floral designers may create a single arrangement for a specific purpose or multiple displays for special occasions, such as weddings or funerals. They use artistry and their knowledge of different types of blooms to choose appropriate flowers or plants for each occasion. Floral designers need to know when flowers and plants are in season and available.
Floral designers also need to know the properties of flowers and other plants. Some flowers, such as carnations, can last for many hours outside of water. Other flowers are delicate and wilt more quickly. Some plants are poisonous to certain types of animals. For example, lilies are toxic to cats.
Floral designers must know the color varieties and average size of each flower and plant they sell. They may need to calculate the number of flowers that will fit into a particular vase or how many rose petals cover a space, such as the length of a walkway for a wedding procession.
Floral designers use their knowledge to recommend plants or flowers, greenery, and designs to customers. If the customer selects flowers, the designer uses that type of flower to arrange a visually appealing display. The designer may include items, such as stuffed animals or balloons, or use a decorative basket or vase when creating an arrangement.
Plants typically are showcased in attractive containers and are available for immediate sale. Although more complex floral displays must be ordered in advance, floral designers often create small bouquets or arrangements while customers wait. When they are responsible for multiple arrangements for a special occasion, such as a wedding or funeral, floral designers usually create and set up these decorations just before the event, then remove them afterward. Some floral designers work with event planners on a contract basis when creating arrangements for these types of occasions.
Floral designers also give customers instructions on how to care for flowers and plants, including what the ideal temperature is and how often the water should be changed. For plants or cut flowers, floral designers often provide plant or flower food as part of the sale.
Floral designers also order new flowers, greenery, and plants from suppliers. They process newly arrived shipments by stripping leaves that would be below the water line. Floral designers cut new flowers, transplant plants, mix plant or flower food solutions, fill containers with the food solutions, and sanitize workspaces. They keep most flowers and plants in cool display cases so that the products stay fresh and live longer.
Some floral designers have formal agreements with the managers of hotels and restaurants or the owners of office buildings and private homes to replace old flowers or plants with new ones on a recurring schedule—usually daily, weekly, or monthly—to keep areas looking fresh and appealing. They may work with interior designers in creating displays.
Floral designers who are self-employed or have their own shop also must do business tasks, such as advertising, pricing, inventory, and taxes. Some designers hire and supervise staff to help with these tasks.
Work Environment
Work Environment
Floral designers held about 45,200 jobs in 2025. The largest employers of floral designers were as follows:
| Florists | 55% |
| Grocery and specialty food retailers | 19 |
| Self-employed workers | 14 |
| Wholesale trade | 4 |
| Lawn and garden equipment and supplies retailers | 1 |
Floral designers in retail businesses serve walk-in customers as well as customers placing orders over the telephone, on the Internet, or through other florists. Some floral designers who work on a contract basis when creating arrangements for events, such as weddings, have to travel to event locations.
Work Schedules
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.
Floral designers are busier at certain times of the year, such as holidays, than at other times. Because freshly cut flowers are perishable, most orders cannot be completed too far in advance. Therefore, designers often work additional hours just before and during holidays. In addition, many part-time and seasonal opportunities are available around certain holidays, such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Mother’s Day.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. Artistic ability. Floral designers use their sense of style to develop aesthetically pleasing designs. Creativity. Floral designers must develop appropriate designs for different occasions. They must also be open to new ideas because trends in floral design change quickly. Customer-service skills. Floral designers spend much of their day interacting with customers and suppliers. They must be able to understand what a customer is looking for, explain options, and provide high-quality products and service. Organizational skills. Floral designers need to be well organized to keep the business operating smoothly and to ensure that orders are completed on time.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about floral designers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
Take the Next Step
Explore Training Options
Review training, certifications, apprenticeships, or employer-based preparation that may support entry into this career.
Explore pathway →Hear From ED
Use the guided career counseling experience to connect this career to your goals, skills and education preferences.
Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.