I'll try my best to answer your questions.
For salary, it not only depends on your experience and position but also the location of the job. But for entry-level designers in either footwear or apparel,you can start off at 35k if you live in an area like charleston, SC. For example I knew an apparel designer, although not footwear, still relatively related,she started at around 34k in south carolina for some jacket company. While if you live in NYC, an entry level designer with even no internships or experience,could make as high as 50k depending on how much skill and potential the designer has. I want to say the average for an entry level footwear designer would bearound mid 30's to low 40's. But if you have many years in the business, you could make as high as 150k if youre a design director in NYC or so Iveheard. Theres also the option of freelance work on the side to get some extra money.
As for job security and demand, thats a question Im not too sure about. I wanna say theres a decent demand for shoe designers. I mean you do have your athleticfootwear companies, but you have to remember there are also a good amount of fashion footwear companies that are seeking talent. Also theres a good decentamount of openings as the only way to move up and make more money in footwear design, is to switch companies. As for job security, well that all depends on howhard you work and what you have done and offered to the company. But considering our country is kind of in a recession, its tough to really know how secureyour job is. I heard that Steve & Barry's, the people that own Starbury, laid off many people including designers too.
Education needed, the ideal degree to get in order to become a footwear designer is industrial or product design. But I graduated in apparel design and Imworking as a footwear designer. I also know some designers who have a degree in graphic design or illustration, and yet they design footwear. I think DwayneEdwards, the design director of Jordan Brand, has a degree in marketing and no design degree. Hes just pure hard work and talent. Jason Petrie, I think didTextile design, yet he was one of the most inspirational designers ever. So ideally industrial or product design is the way to go. But if you got the talentand the hard work even without a design degree, you can still make it as a footwear designer.
As for decent schools. Im not too sure. But university of cincinatti and ohio state university have a pretty good industrial design programs and they even haveco-ops with nike. College for Creative Studies in Detroit I hear is a great school for product design, and companies like adidas and nike recruit over there.Duane Laurence of Converse, graduated from there. Rhode Island of School & Design has produced some great talent like Michael DiTullo. Art Center Collegeof Design in Pasadena I hear is an awesome school too. Some of the best designers of anything, have gone there.
