Set and Exhibit Designers Career, Salary and Skills
Set and Exhibit Designers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $75,240 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 10,630. Wage data is published for 65 locations.
Occupation 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.
O*NET code
27-1027.00
Job zone
5
Typical education
Bachelor's Degree
Experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$75,240
Hourly median
$36.17
Employment
10,630
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Active Listening | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Time Management | 3.75 | 3.62 |
| Operations Analysis | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Speaking | 3.75 | 3.62 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Coordination | 3.50 | 3.50 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.38 | 3.88 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.38 | 3.12 |
| Writing | 3.25 | 3.12 |
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Develop set designs, based on evaluation of scripts, budgets, research information, and available locations.
Technology
- Act-3D Quest3D
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe Director
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop
- Autodesk 3ds Max
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Autodesk Maya
- Autodesk Revit
- AutoDesSys form Z
- Computer aided design and drafting CADD software
Set and Exhibit Designers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Set and Exhibit Designers Salary in CAMedian $105,030 · Employment 2,690
- Set and Exhibit Designers Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $106,880 · Employment 1,870
- Set and Exhibit Designers Salary in New York, NYMedian $86,880 · Employment 1,620
- Set and Exhibit Designers Salary in FLMedian $60,750 · Employment 740
- Set and Exhibit Designers Salary in Washington, DCMedian $82,960 · Employment 420
- Set and Exhibit Designers Salary in MDMedian $80,540 · Employment 420
- Set and Exhibit Designers Salary in UTMedian $44,540 · Employment 340
- Set and Exhibit Designers Salary in GAMedian $67,210 · Employment 310
- Set and Exhibit Designers Salary in Orlando, FLMedian $61,370 · Employment 310
- Set and Exhibit Designers Salary in San Francisco, CAMedian $109,120 · Employment 290
- Set and Exhibit Designers Salary in MOMedian $51,610 · Employment 290
- Set and Exhibit Designers Salary in OHMedian $54,560 · Employment 290
Related careers
- Layout Workers, Metal and PlasticNational median $63,870
- Video Game DesignersNational median $104,000
- Model Makers, WoodNational median $56,550
- Architectural and Civil DraftersNational median $66,150
- Architecture Teachers, PostsecondaryNational median $96,870
- Fabric and Apparel PatternmakersNational median $62,750
- Special Effects Artists and AnimatorsNational median $102,030
- Landscape ArchitectsNational median $79,870
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.