SOC 271027

Set and Exhibit Designers

Design special exhibits and sets for film, video, television, and theater productions. May study scripts, confer with directors, and conduct research to determine appropriate architectural styles.

National Median

$66,280

per year

National Salary Overview

Median Annual

$66,280

Entry Level (10th pct)

$35,990

Experienced (90th pct)

$129,420

Total Employed

10,850

Salary Distribution

Salary percentiles show the range from entry-level (10th) to top earners (90th)

Salary by Experience Level

Experience LevelEstimated Salary Range
Entry Level0-2 years experience$35,990 - $48,920
Mid Career2-8 years experience$48,920 - $100,020
Senior / Expert8+ years experience$100,020 - $129,420

Highest Paying Locations for Set and Exhibit Designers

Set and Exhibit Designers Salary by Location

Compare salaries across 50 metropolitan areas

Metropolitan AreaMedian SalaryEmployed
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$106,58050
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$106,410290
California$100,0202,770
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$100,0202,080
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$96,0901,270
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH$85,26050
Rochester, NY$82,67040
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$78,320120
Washington$78,320150
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD$78,200140
Maryland$78,200290
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$75,230410
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$73,460200
Massachusetts$73,290250
Illinois$71,340350
New Jersey$67,870300
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$67,360100
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$66,800150
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$66,280N/A
Colorado$66,050N/A
Memphis, TN-MS-AR$65,81040
Minnesota$65,770170
St. Louis, MO-IL$61,920320
District of Columbia$61,800260
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$61,77040
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$61,580240
Oregon$61,24050
Louisiana$60,79070
New Orleans-Metairie, LA$60,790N/A
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL$59,27030
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI$59,02040
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN$57,99040
Connecticut$57,83050
Columbus, OH$57,66060
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$56,930N/A
Kansas City, MO-KS$56,10090
Missouri$56,100510
Indiana$55,95080
Nebraska$54,88030
Cleveland, OH$54,45040
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$54,22060
Texas$54,220270
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$54,070110
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$54,070100
Ohio$52,870260
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$52,71090
Georgia$52,710170
New Mexico$51,81080
Virginia$51,120100
Arizona$51,12050

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary for a Set and Exhibit Designers?
The national median annual salary for Set and Exhibit Designers is $66,280, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This means half of workers in this occupation earn more, and half earn less.
Where do Set and Exhibit Designerss earn the most?
The highest-paying metro area for Set and Exhibit Designerss is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, with a median salary of $106,580.
How much can an experienced Set and Exhibit Designers make?
Top-earning Set and Exhibit Designerss (90th percentile) make $129,420 or more annually. This typically reflects workers with significant experience, specialized skills, or positions in high-paying regions.