Arts, design, media and sports
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.
Median pay
$75,240
Growth to 2035
+1%
little or no change
Openings a year
2,200
Time to qualify*
Minimal
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Set and exhibit designers
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
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
Hazardous conditions
Set and exhibit designers: 90% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- 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.
Also called: Designer · Display Coordinator · Exhibit Coordinator · Exhibit Designer · Exhibit Preparator · Historical Society Window Dresser · Installations Designer · Projection Designer
Outlook and AI
Set and exhibit designers held 31,600 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 32,000 by 2035 (+1%, little or no change; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Set and exhibit designers vs. Graphic designer
- Set and exhibit designers vs. Fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators
- Set and exhibit designers vs. Art director
- Set and exhibit designers vs. Craft artist
- Set and exhibit designers vs. Commercial and industrial designers
- Set and exhibit designers vs. Museum technicians and conservators
- Set and exhibit designers vs. Interior designer
- Set and exhibit designers vs. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Set and exhibit designers vs. Fashion designer
- Set and exhibit designers vs. Architects, except landscape and naval