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Floral designers are an important part of many events.
They are responsible for the arrangement of flower displays at all types of events, including funerals, weddings, anniversaries, and many other types of celebrations.
Without a floral designer, you wouldn’t have floral arrangements or displays for your events.
Keep reading to find out what steps it takes to become a floral designer in Wisconsin, the classes and programs that are available, and how much you can make as a floral designer.
Article Table of Contents
Steps to Become a Floral Designer in Wisconsin
The number one step to becoming a floral designer is to graduate from high school.
Without a high school diploma, you drastically limit the number of jobs you can get, because most people won’t hire someone who didn’t complete their high school education.
However, there are some exceptions to this rule.
Some employers will still give you a chance and provide training for floral design.
Most of the time, you can just stop with a high school education, but you will have more job opportunities if you can get additional education and training in floral design.
If an employer can see that you have some training and experience in the floral design field, they will be more likely to hire you than if you just graduated high school.
It shows that you are more serious about being a floral designer.
Floral Designer Classes and Programs
Wisconsin & Upper Michigan Florists Association
The Wisconsin and Upper Michigan Florists Association offers many tools and classes for both floral designers and people looking for florists.
They have different floral certification bundles and options to choose from that range in price from $75 to as high as $599.95 depending on the options you choose.
The options available include just the study guide and manual, hands-on testing, written testing, and the complete package.
The Wisconsin & Upper Michigan Florists Association also has workshops and classes that you can register for, but you have to check their website to find out when they will occur.
Midwest Floral Design School
Midwest Floral Design School offers a program that takes three weeks to complete.
They have a $50 fee for registration and a tuition fee of $750.
On the website, it says that they will deduct the registration fee from the tuition.
In the first week of the program, the students learn the right way to cut and care for freshly cut flowers and are introduced to the principles and elements used for floral design.
They have the opportunity to demonstrate these skills with the following projects:
- Bow making
- Bud vases
- Round and oblong centerpieces
- L pattern
- Standard triangles
In the second week, students learn the fundamentals of running and managing a shop.
Some of these skills include customer relations, merchandising, and pricing.
Students also learn how to design and wear basic corsage designs.
Corsage designs include shoulder, wrist, boutonnieres, and hairpieces.
The third week gives students hands-on opportunities for funeral floral arrangements, such as casket sprays, sympathy wreaths, and tributes. Students also learn how to do wedding arrangement styles, including:
- Nosegays
- cascades
- Crescents
- freeform
Red Square Flowers
Red Square Flowers offers four different classes for floral design: Beginner Basics, Intermediate Level, Terrarium Workshop, and Green Plant Workshop.
In the class Beginner Basics, students learn how to:
- Use florist tools like a knife, rose stripper, and scissors properly
- Properly care for and handle a variety of floral plants
- Determine a plant’s freshness before buying
- Use floral foam, hand-wrapping techniques, and tape grids
- Choose the best container selection for your display
Intermediate Level teaches:
- The mechanics of design
- The use of color coordination
- Stem placement importance
- Details to pay attention to when designing arrangements
- Mono botanical bouquets, hand wreaths, and tall glass vase arrangements
Terrarium workshop teaches students:
- How to plant and care for a terrarium
Green Plant Workshop teaches:
- The appropriate way to care for different varieties of plants
Floral Designer Schools in Wisconsin – Summary Table
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Wisconsin & Upper Michigan Florists Association | 1152 Haslett Rd, Haslett, MI 48840, USA |
| Midwest Floral Design School | 30 North Fourth Street Platteville, WI 53818 |
| Red Square Flowers | 337 W Mifflin St, Madison, WI 53703, United States |
Salary
In the United States, the average salary for a floral designer ranges between $44,167 and $65,751 with the average hitting around $54,406.
Wisconsin has its average floral designer salary at $53,590.
The lower part of the range is at $43,504 with the higher part of the range being at $64,765.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Milwaukee | $53,845 |
| Madison | $53,309 |
| Green Bay | $52,191 |
| Kenosha | $53,448 |
| Racine | $53,448 |
| Appleton | $52,202 |
| Waukesha | $53,641 |
| Oshkosh | $51,865 |
| La Crosse | $50,554 |
| Eau Claire | $52,085 |
Regional Salary in Wisconsin
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eau Claire, WI | 30 | $29,990 | $14.42 | $36,460 | $22,960 |
| Green Bay, WI | 60 | $28,920 | $13.9 | $36,300 | $21,540 |
| Madison, WI | 100 | $32,970 | $15.85 | $41,190 | $23,930 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI | 190 | $33,090 | $15.91 | $39,810 | $22,050 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | 40 | $29,450 | $14.16 | $37,440 | $23,360 |
| Sheboygan, WI | 30 | $27,160 | $13.06 | $35,780 | $24,380 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get a job as a floral designer in Wisconsin without a high school diploma?
Yes, you can get a job as a floral designer without graduating high school, but most employers prefer you to at least have a high school diploma or equivalent before they consider hiring you.
You are better off at least finishing high school.
It will give you a better chance of getting hired in the future.
What difference do extra classes or certifications make to getting a job as a floral designer in Wisconsin?
While some employers will hire someone who has only graduated high school, others prefer someone who has had other education or hands-on training in design or floral design.
It can make the difference between getting hired at higher rates and getting passed up due to another candidate having that preferred education and training.
How difficult is it to get a job as a floral designer in Wisconsin?
Getting a job as a floral designer is not too difficult.
As long as you meet the job requirements and show that you know your stuff or are willing to learn, you have a good chance of someone hiring you as a floral designer.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Floral Designer
Floral Design by State