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Overview
Florists, also called floral designers, work with dried, live and silk flowers to make them into pleasing arrangements. They design arrangements by choosing and cutting the flowers and deciding on appropriate containers for the displays. Florists add ribbons and other decorations to form bouquets, wreaths, corsages and centerpieces for holidays, funerals, weddings and other special events. Because the occupation is typically low-paying, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, turnover in the industry is common.
Employment
Location of employment plays a role in determining how much florists make. Florists work in grocery stores, florist shops, wholesale distributors and as self-employed contractors. Their work schedules are often determined by the calendar when holiday requests require them to work long hours, weekends and through the holidays. Self-employed florists often supplement their income by working as design consultants and holding seminars and workshops.
Averages
As of May 2008, the median annual income for florists in the United States was $23,230. According to the Florist Registry, newcomers to the field typically earn at or close to minimum wage. Grocery store florists, on average, earned the highest wages in the neighborhood of $25,160. The highest average yearly earners brought home closer to $35,010. As a supportive industry, call centers that take orders for online florists such as ProFlowers employ customer service representatives who are typically paid on an hourly basis. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, customer service reps that provide business support earned an average median income in May 2008 of about $14.36 an hour.
Training
Florists typically learn their profession on the job. While a certain amount of artistic flair is required for the position, a desire to learn, coupled with a love of flowers, are often the only qualities needed to find employment with a seasoned florist. Programs in floral design are often available through industry associations and community college adult education programs. Self-employed florists often add business courses to their background to help them successfully operate their businesses.
Opportunity
As with any entrepreneurial endeavor, the more you put into your business, the more successful you can become. While most florist shops are sole proprietorships, owned and operated locally, a florist could increase earnings by opening multiple shops. Adding online shopping can help small local shops compete with the larger online flower distributors. Management opportunities in grocery stores and through online floral support services are other avenues that florists can take to increase their earnings.