The 2014 Fashion Industry Average Annual Salary by Occupation has been released. It found that, among occupations such as designer, salesperson, store manager, retailer, and production manager, "MD/Buyer" had the highest annual income across all age groups.

The survey was conducted by Credence, a recruitment agency specializing in the fashion industry, which compiled salary data from 1,800 job seekers aged 25 to 39 and calculated average annual salaries by age group: 25 to 29, 30 to 34, and 35 to 39. According to the survey, "MD/Buyer" had the highest annual income across all age groups, with annual salaries of ¥3.67 million, ¥4.68 million, and ¥5.83 million, respectively. Second place for those 25 to 29 years old was "VMD" (¥3.45 million), followed by "Sales" (¥3.43 million), and second place for those 30 to 34 years old was "Press" (¥4.10 million), followed by "VMD" (¥4.03 million). For those aged 35 to 39, the second most popular job was "store management" (5.66 million yen), followed by "press" (4.67 million yen).

"MD/Buyer" predicts best-selling items and purchases and develops products, a job that determines the success or failure of a brand. As the apparel business becomes more complex with the expansion of the e-commerce market and omni-channel, the skills required are also increasing. As a result, there are fewer employees within a brand and many people hold multiple positions, so in many cases the annual salary is high. Across all age groups, the average annual salary of "MD/Buyer" increased compared to last year.