Set and Exhibit Designers pay in the U.S.
$83,160avg. a year
$39.98 an hour · 10,630 employed
Set and Exhibit Designers in the U.S. earn an average of $83,160 a year and a median of $75,240. Pay is highest in California ($105,350) and lowest in Arkansas ($46,290).
$75,240Median pay
$39.98Average hourly
+29%Avg. pay since 2020
10,630Jobs in the U.S.
Top-paying states for set and exhibit designers
Average pay by state. Swipe to see the top 10.
12,690 jobs
California
$105,350
$50.65 an hour
2170 jobs
Washington
$93,190
$44.80 an hour
3420 jobs
Maryland
$82,070
$39.46 an hour
4190 jobs
District of Columbia
$81,770
$39.31 an hour
5230 jobs
Massachusetts
$79,580
$38.26 an hour
6220 jobs
New Jersey
$78,470
$37.73 an hour
750 jobs
Nebraska
$73,700
$35.43 an hour
8310 jobs
Georgia
$69,420
$33.37 an hour
970 jobs
Connecticut
$69,300
$33.32 an hour
10280 jobs
Oregon
$68,720
$33.04 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Set and Exhibit Designers pay, charted
Pay over time
United States, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where the jobs are
Employment by state, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $56k$56k–$67k$67k–$74k$74k+
Top-paying metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 (areas with 100+ jobs)
| Metro area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $113,990 | $54.80 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $112,660 | $54.16 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $102,670 | $49.36 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $95,590 | $45.96 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $84,350 | $40.56 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $82,040 | $39.44 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $78,680 | $37.83 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $76,710 | $36.88 |
Related jobs
- Graphic Designers$70,560
- Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$42,830
- Interior Designers$74,540
- Art Directors$129,440
- Floral Designers$39,520
- Commercial and Industrial Designers$93,260
Average U.S. pay, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Set and Exhibit Designers pay in every state
States without a figure had too few jobs or too little survey data for BLS to publish.
| State | Avg. pay | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $56,100 | $46,280 | 70 |
| Arkansas | $46,290 | $38,700 | 50 |
| California | $105,350 | $105,030 | 2,690 |
| Connecticut | $69,300 | $60,680 | 70 |
| District of Columbia | $81,770 | $76,900 | 190 |
| Florida | $65,910 | $60,750 | 740 |
| Georgia | $69,420 | $67,210 | 310 |
| Indiana | $66,500 | $72,200 | 110 |
| Iowa | $55,510 | $50,640 | 60 |
| Kentucky | $53,600 | $53,260 | 40 |
| Maryland | $82,070 | $80,540 | 420 |
| Massachusetts | $79,580 | $74,540 | 230 |
| Michigan | $53,080 | $50,910 | 140 |
| Minnesota | $67,090 | $66,090 | 150 |
| Missouri | $53,160 | $51,610 | 290 |
| Nebraska | $73,700 | $73,980 | 50 |
| Nevada | $61,140 | $50,860 | 180 |
| New Jersey | $78,470 | $76,380 | 220 |
| North Carolina | $51,440 | $49,410 | – |
| Ohio | $56,700 | $54,560 | 290 |
| Oregon | $68,720 | $62,770 | 280 |
| Pennsylvania | $66,750 | $59,670 | 120 |
| Texas | $65,570 | $56,930 | 210 |
| Utah | $53,780 | $44,540 | 340 |
| Virginia | $67,280 | $58,650 | 120 |
| Washington | $93,190 | $77,230 | 170 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$113,990
1,870 jobsNew York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
$102,670
1,620 jobsWashington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$84,350
420 jobsOrlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
$66,140
310 jobsSan Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$112,660
290 jobsPortland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
$68,530
240 jobsBaltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
$78,680
220 jobsLas Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV
$61,120
180 jobsQuestions and answers
How much do set and exhibit designers make?
The average is $83,160 a year across the U.S. Half earn more than $75,240 and half earn less (the median).
What is the hourly pay?
The average hourly wage is $39.98, and the median is $36.17 an hour.
Which state pays set and exhibit designers the most?
California, with an average of $105,350 a year. The best-paying metro area is Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA at $113,990.
What is the pay range?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $41,750 a year, and the top 10% earn over $135,410.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 27-1027. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.