Arts, design, media and sports
Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
Plan and erect commercial displays, such as those in windows and interiors of retail stores and at trade exhibitions.
Median pay
$39,390
Growth to 2035
+3%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
17,200
Time to qualify*
1 month
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
Calculate your switch to merchandise displayers and window trimmers
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Merchandise displayers and window trimmers: 19% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Plan commercial displays to entice and appeal to customers.
- Arrange properties, furniture, merchandise, backdrops, or other accessories, as shown in prepared sketches.
- Change or rotate window displays, interior display areas, or signage to reflect changes in inventory or promotion.
- Place prices or descriptive signs on backdrops, fixtures, merchandise, or floor.
- Consult with store managers, buyers, sales associates, housekeeping staff, or engineering staff to determine appropriate placement of displays or products.
- Maintain props, products, or mannequins, inspecting them for imperfections, doing touch-ups, cleaning up after customers, or applying preservative coatings as necessary.
- Develop ideas or plans for merchandise displays or window decorations.
- Assemble or set up displays, furniture, or products in store space, using colors, lights, pictures, or other accessories to display the product.
Also called: Decorator · Display Associate · Display Decorator · Display Specialist · In-Store Marketing Associate · Merchandiser · Visual Merchandiser (VM) · Visual Merchandising Specialist
Outlook and AI
Merchandise displayers and window trimmers held 164,800 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 169,200 by 2035 (+3%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Merchandise displayers and window trimmers vs. Retail salesperson
- Merchandise displayers and window trimmers vs. Advertising sales agent
- Merchandise displayers and window trimmers vs. Fashion designer
- Merchandise displayers and window trimmers vs. Demonstrators and product promoters
- Merchandise displayers and window trimmers vs. Interior designer
- Merchandise displayers and window trimmers vs. Graphic designer
- Merchandise displayers and window trimmers vs. Commercial and industrial designers
- Merchandise displayers and window trimmers vs. Craft artist
- Merchandise displayers and window trimmers vs. Set and exhibit designers
- Merchandise displayers and window trimmers vs. Floral designer