SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 27-1027.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $41,750 | $3,479 | $803 | $20.07 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $52,830 | $4,402 | $1,016 | $25.40 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $75,240 | $6,270 | $1,447 | $36.17 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $104,030 | $8,669 | $2,001 | $50.01 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $135,410 | $11,284 | $2,604 | $65.10 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Set and Exhibit Designers is $75,240, which is 48% higher. Among the 41 occupations of the field Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks number 11 by median pay. With 10,630 jobs, it makes up about 0.7 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($83,160) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Set and Exhibit Designers pay by state
The highest median pay was in California ($105,030), Maryland ($80,540) and Washington ($77,230). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($34,260), Arkansas ($38,700) and Utah ($44,540). The most jobs were in California (2,690), New York (1,690) and Florida (740). The occupation is most concentrated in District of Columbia, where its share of all jobs is 3.9 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 2,690 | $105,030 | $105,350 | $50.49 |
| Maryland | 420 | $80,540 | $82,070 | $38.72 |
| Washington | 170 | $77,230 | $93,190 | $37.13 |
| District of Columbia | 190 | $76,900 | $81,770 | $36.97 |
| New Jersey | 220 | $76,380 | $78,470 | $36.72 |
| Massachusetts | 230 | $74,540 | $79,580 | $35.84 |
| Nebraska | 50 | $73,980 | $73,700 | $35.57 |
| Indiana | 110 | $72,200 | $66,500 | $34.71 |
| Georgia | 310 | $67,210 | $69,420 | $32.31 |
| Minnesota | 150 | $66,090 | $67,090 | $31.77 |
| Oregon | 280 | $62,770 | $68,720 | $30.18 |
| Florida | 740 | $60,750 | $65,910 | $29.21 |
| Connecticut | 70 | $60,680 | $69,300 | $29.18 |
| Pennsylvania | 120 | $59,670 | $66,750 | $28.69 |
| Virginia | 120 | $58,650 | $67,280 | $28.20 |
| Texas | 210 | $56,930 | $65,570 | $27.37 |
| Ohio | 290 | $54,560 | $56,700 | $26.23 |
| Kentucky | 40 | $53,260 | $53,600 | $25.61 |
| Missouri | 290 | $51,610 | $53,160 | $24.81 |
| Michigan | 140 | $50,910 | $53,080 | $24.48 |
| Nevada | 180 | $50,860 | $61,140 | $24.45 |
| Iowa | 60 | $50,640 | $55,510 | $24.35 |
| North Carolina | not published | $49,410 | $51,440 | $23.76 |
| Arizona | 70 | $46,280 | $56,100 | $22.25 |
| Utah | 340 | $44,540 | $53,780 | $21.42 |
| Arkansas | 50 | $38,700 | $46,290 | $18.61 |
| Puerto Rico | not published | $34,260 | $35,020 | $16.47 |
| Colorado | 170 | not published | not published | not published |
| Illinois | 330 | not published | not published | not published |
| New Mexico | 70 | not published | not published | not published |
| New York | 1,690 | not published | not published | not published |
| Oklahoma | 50 | not published | not published | not published |
| South Carolina | 50 | not published | not published | not published |
| Tennessee | 230 | not published | not published | not published |
| Wisconsin | 50 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Editors$77,920 a year
- Writers and Authors$76,910 a year
- Film and Video Editors$75,420 a year
- Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film$74,990 a year
- Public Relations Specialists$74,750 a year
- Music Directors and Composers$73,710 a year
Common questions
How much do Set and Exhibit Designers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $75,240 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $41,750 and the highest-paid 10% more than $135,410.
How many people work as Set and Exhibit Designers?
About 10,630 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.
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