Set and Exhibit Designers: Job Description
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.
Featured schools near , edit
What Tasks Do Set and Exhibit Designers Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of set and exhibit designers include:
- Develop set designs, based on evaluation of scripts, budgets, research information, and available locations.
- Prepare rough drafts and scale working drawings of sets, including floor plans, scenery, and properties to be constructed.
- Prepare preliminary renderings of proposed exhibits, including detailed construction, layout, and material specifications, and diagrams relating to aspects such as special effects or lighting.
- Read scripts to determine location, set, and design requirements.
- Submit plans for approval, and adapt plans to serve intended purposes, or to conform to budget or fabrication restrictions.
- Attend rehearsals and production meetings to obtain and share information related to sets.
- Confer with clients and staff to gather information about exhibit space, proposed themes and content, timelines, budgets, materials, or promotion requirements.
- Research architectural and stylistic elements appropriate to the time period to be depicted, consulting experts for information, as necessary.
What Set and Exhibit Designers Need to Know
Successful set and exhibit designers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Creator
- Designer
- Display Coordinator
- Display Designer
- Event Decorator
- Event Designer
- Exhibit Coordinator
- Exhibit Designer
How Many Set and Exhibit Designers Are There?
The U.S. employs around 260,467 set and exhibit designers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -2.7% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Set and Exhibit Designers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $109,049 |
| Hourly median | $52.43 |
| 10th percentile | $66,697 |
| 25th percentile | $87,873 |
| 75th percentile | $130,225 |
| 90th percentile | $151,402 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $100,020 |
| Washington | $78,320 |
| Maryland | $78,200 |
| Massachusetts | $73,290 |
| Illinois | $71,340 |
| New Jersey | $67,870 |
| Colorado | $66,050 |
| Minnesota | $65,770 |
| District of Columbia | $61,800 |
| Oregon | $61,240 |
| Louisiana | $60,790 |
| Connecticut | $57,830 |
| Missouri | $56,100 |
| Indiana | $55,950 |
| Nebraska | $54,880 |
| Texas | $54,220 |
| Ohio | $52,870 |
| Georgia | $52,710 |
| New Mexico | $51,810 |
| Virginia | $51,120 |
| Arizona | $51,120 |
| Nevada | $49,700 |
| Michigan | $49,700 |
| Florida | $49,250 |
| Iowa | $48,150 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,010 |
| Oklahoma | $46,280 |
| Wisconsin | $46,100 |
| North Carolina | $45,880 |
| Tennessee | $45,840 |
| Kentucky | $44,340 |
| Arkansas | $36,560 |
| Utah | $35,230 |
| Kansas | $16,730 |
Where Set and Exhibit Designers Earn the Most
Pay for set and exhibit designers vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $95,788 | 30.9% | 2.04 |
| New England | $70,713 | 3.0% | 0.88 |
| Great Lakes | $59,374 | 8.8% | 0.64 |
| Southwest | $52,172 | 4.7% | 0.49 |
| Plains States | $51,102 | 8.5% | 1.92 |
| Southeast | $48,716 | 18.3% | 1.09 |
| Rocky Mountains | $35,230 | 3.8% | 3.18 |
| Middle Atlantic | $29,304 | 22.0% | 1.99 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Set and Exhibit Designers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $106,580 | 50 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $106,410 | 290 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $100,020 | 2,080 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $96,090 | 1,270 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | OH | $85,260 | 50 |
| Rochester, NY | NY | $82,670 | 40 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $78,320 | 120 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | MD | $78,200 | 140 |
Top Industries Employing Set and Exhibit Designers
Most set and exhibit designers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 4,430 | $57,020 |
| Information | 3,010 | $99,860 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,050 | $66,280 |
| Educational Services | 710 | $46,520 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 480 | $83,530 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 160 | $68,530 |
| Retail Trade | 60 | $54,280 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 50 | $67,640 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Video creation and editing software: Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Desktop publishing software: Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk Revit (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Dassault Systemes SolidWorks (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of set and exhibit designers reflects the following characteristics:
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Freedom to Make Decisions
Education and Training
Typical set and exhibit designers positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Video Game Designers (Supplemental)
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval (Primary-Long)
- Landscape Architects (Supplemental)
- Architectural and Civil Drafters (Supplemental)
- Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Curators (Supplemental)
- Museum Technicians and Conservators (Primary-Long)
- Art Directors (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Aspiring set and exhibit designers commonly pursue programs in:
Visual and Performing Arts
3 programs across 2 majors
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 27-1027.00 (Set and Exhibit Designers).
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.