27
Set and Exhibit Designers is a notable career in the 27 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Set and Exhibit Designers against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 27-1027 |
| title | Set and Exhibit Designers |
| onet code | 27-1027.00 |
| description | 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. |
| job zone | 5 |
| major group | 27 |
| tot emp | 10,850 |
| a mean | 78,450 |
| a median | 66,280 |
| a pct10 | 35,990 |
| a pct25 | 48,920 |
| a pct75 | 100,020 |
| a pct90 | 129,420 |
| h mean | 37 |
| h median | 31 |
The day-to-day work of a set and exhibit designers typically centers on develop set designs, based on evaluation of scripts, budgets, research information, and available locations. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, and Critical Thinking. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.63 out of 5 — highly rated for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working set and exhibit designers, the most common entry qualification is a Bachelor's Degree (33.3%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 76% of incumbents. This is a degree-heavy profession — most incumbents hold a four-year degree or beyond.
Median annual pay is highest in California at $100,020 and lowest in Kansas at $16,730 — a 6.0× spread. The top five states (California, Washington, Maryland, Massachusetts, Illinois) average $80,234. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $100,020 | $102,910 | $49,720 | $142,230 | 2,770 |
| Washington | $78,320 | $94,030 | $53,190 | $156,000 | 150 |
| Maryland | $78,200 | $79,290 | $51,340 | $106,740 | 290 |
| Massachusetts | $73,290 | $78,270 | $50,250 | $125,270 | 250 |
| Illinois | $71,340 | $75,670 | $47,100 | $108,150 | 350 |
| New Jersey | $67,870 | $69,910 | $43,430 | $93,830 | 300 |
| Colorado | $66,050 | $76,000 | $58,970 | $104,900 | — |
| Minnesota | $65,770 | $63,560 | $49,050 | $73,700 | 170 |
| District of Columbia | $61,800 | $73,710 | $45,140 | $107,580 | 260 |
| Oregon | $61,240 | $69,250 | $52,230 | $86,970 | 50 |
| Louisiana | $60,790 | $62,530 | $33,480 | $95,990 | 70 |
| Connecticut | $57,830 | $68,960 | $51,820 | $100,580 | 50 |
| Missouri | $56,100 | $50,760 | $30,030 | $64,280 | 510 |
| Indiana | $55,950 | $58,700 | $37,310 | $88,210 | 80 |
| Nebraska | $54,880 | $56,570 | $33,420 | $80,450 | 30 |
| Texas | $54,220 | $67,470 | $38,230 | $103,740 | 270 |
| Ohio | $52,870 | $58,600 | $34,910 | $90,270 | 260 |
| Georgia | $52,710 | $61,450 | $34,620 | $95,550 | 170 |
| New Mexico | $51,810 | $56,640 | $38,530 | $80,640 | 80 |
| Arizona | $51,120 | $63,790 | $37,490 | $104,470 | 50 |
| Virginia | $51,120 | $56,240 | $33,160 | $90,730 | 100 |
| Michigan | $49,700 | $54,780 | $29,000 | $82,640 | 120 |
| Nevada | $49,700 | $62,000 | $37,140 | $93,570 | 160 |
| Florida | $49,250 | $68,050 | $39,450 | $133,040 | 890 |
| Iowa | $48,150 | $53,640 | $44,780 | $68,530 | — |
| Pennsylvania | $48,010 | $63,140 | $31,070 | $122,140 | 130 |
| Oklahoma | $46,280 | $58,250 | $34,480 | $139,680 | 80 |
| Wisconsin | $46,100 | $54,620 | $30,790 | $121,810 | 80 |
| North Carolina | $45,880 | $50,150 | $23,930 | $83,200 | 150 |
| Tennessee | $45,840 | $52,950 | $25,980 | $104,000 | 370 |
| Kentucky | $44,340 | $44,130 | $23,440 | $63,440 | 60 |
| Arkansas | $36,560 | $43,640 | $33,380 | $66,390 | 40 |
| Utah | $35,230 | $40,250 | $20,090 | $61,930 | 380 |
| Kansas | $16,730 | $26,480 | $16,730 | $58,160 | 150 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for set and exhibit designers. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Designer or Display Coordinator frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Set and Exhibit Designers compares to others in the 27 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Set and Exhibit Designers
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.
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