How long does the training take?

Typically about four years for the degree. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do set and exhibit designers make?

The US median is $75,240 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree for this work?

Yes — a degree is the usual way in.

Where can you train for this work?

418 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

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Set and exhibit designers: pay, training and the programs that lead there

Arts, design, media & film · SOC 27-1027

$75,240US median pay, 2025

+1.4%Projected growth, 2025–35

2,200Openings per year

DegreeUsual way in

How you get in

A degree is the usual way in.

Bachelor's degree
Work in: set and exhibit designers

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Design and Visual Communications, General	CIP 50.0401	247
Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology	CIP 50.0502	152
Illustration	CIP 50.0410	65

See the 418 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does the training take?: Typically about four years for the degree. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do set and exhibit designers make?: The US median is $75,240 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree for this work?: Yes — a degree is the usual way in.
Where can you train for this work?: 418 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

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