How much do Set and Exhibit Designers make?
Set and Exhibit Designers earn a median annual salary of $75,240 in the United States, which works out to roughly $36.17 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $41,750 at the entry level and $135,410 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $52,830 and $104,030 a year.
That is $13,850 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Set and Exhibit Designers salary range by percentile
Half of all Set and Exhibit Designers earn between $52,830 and $104,030 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $41,750 | $20.07 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $52,830 | $25.40 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $75,240 | $36.17 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $104,030 | $50.01 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $135,410 | $65.10 |
Highest-paying states for Set and Exhibit Designers
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. California leads the country for Set and Exhibit Designers pay at $105,030 a year, followed by Maryland ($80,540) and Washington ($77,230). At the other end, Arkansas posts the lowest median at $38,700 — a gap of $66,330 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $105,030 | $50.50 | +40% |
| 2 | Maryland | $80,540 | $38.72 | +7% |
| 3 | Washington | $77,230 | $37.13 | +3% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $76,900 | $36.97 | +2% |
| 5 | New Jersey | $76,380 | $36.72 | +2% |
Set and Exhibit Designers salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 26 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 11,000 people work as Set and Exhibit Designers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $83,160 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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