Expert: Kitty Kavey - 3/23/2011

Question
What does the average model make yearly and what do the more successful models make?

Answer
The answer to your question as to what an average model earns yearly would depend on what type of model, what market they were in, how often they worked, and who they work(ed) for.  Even if you take an hypothetical two female fashion models with the same NYC agency, one might have "the look of the moment" while the other who is statistically identical (height, size, age, measurements) may work far less.

However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics can give you the US averages (May, 2009)
http://www.bls.gov/oes/2009/may/oes419012.htm
including national estimates, an industry profile, a state and metropolitan area profile for models.

If you were up in the category of supermodel, the well-known (fashion) faces, you can earn thousands of dollars for a single runway show, or a million or more with a cosmetics or beauty contract.  In the Forbes article (pub. 2007) "The Richest 20 Women In Entertainment" one supermodel, Gisele Bundchen, makes the list:
http://www.forbes.com/2007/01/17/richest-women-entertainment-tech-media-cz_lg_ri...

And again from Forbes on MSNBC in 2010, an article that lists the highest paid fashion models:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37133492/ns/business-forbescom/

with Gisele still at the top of the list.

~Kitty