Job description

Set and Exhibit Designers design special exhibits and movie, television, and theater sets. May study scripts, confer with directors, and conduct research to determine appropriate architectural styles.

• Prepare rough drafts and scale working drawings of sets, including floor plans, scenery, and properties to be constructed.
• Read scripts to determine location, set, and design requirements.
• Develop set designs, based on evaluation of scripts, budgets, research information, and available locations.
• Attend rehearsals and production meetings to obtain and share information related to sets.

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Salary

Set and Exhibit Designers with little to no experience tend to make between $29810 and $39650 while the more experienced ones can earn over $74830 per year.

One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as a Set and Exhibit Designer is to move to a higher paying state like NY. Right now, the highest paying states for Set and Exhibit Designers are NY, DC, HI, CA and OR.

However, a higher pay at NY doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at NY might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.

Three other factors that can increase your salary as a Set and Exhibit Designer is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.

Requirements

We asked other Set and Exhibit Designers what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had a Bachelor’s Degree followed by a Master’s Degree.

Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.

Pros and Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of being a Set and Exhibit Designer.

What is the job like

76% of Set and Exhibit Designers said they were satisfied with their job and 54% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.

Is this right for me

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules..

They also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

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