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.
What it pays
Set and Exhibit Designers earn a median of $36.17/hr — about $75,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $20.07/hr; the top 10% earn $65.10/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Set and Exhibit Designers earn a median of $36.17/hr — about $75,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $20.07/hr; the top 10% earn $65.10/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- 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.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).
The feel of the work
Much of the day is spent working solo; time pressure is a real part of the job. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 63.5% of set and exhibit designers are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are creative, take-charge and hands-on.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
- Public Relations Specialists
- Writers and Authors
- Editors
- Interior Designers
- Commercial and Industrial Designers
- Graphic Designers
Quick questions
- How much does a set and exhibit designer make?
- The median pay is $36.17 per hour — roughly $75,000 a year, with the real range running from about $20.07/hr (10th percentile) to $65.10/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a set and exhibit designer?
- The typical entry-level education is: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation level: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).
- What does a set and exhibit designer actually do all day?
- 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.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.