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Also called designer, display designer, event designer and exhibit designer.
$75,240
Median pay a year
10,630
People do this work
6
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Pay and headcount are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lines are written from what the US Department of Labor records about this work.
An example
A Set and Exhibit Designer resume, filled in
Every line below comes from the same public record as the rest of this page. The greyed parts are the ones only you can answer.
Set and Exhibit Designer
Summary
Set and exhibit designer creating designs for film, video, television, and theater productions by evaluating scripts, preparing working drawings, and collaborating with directors and clients on thematic concepts
Experience
Set and Exhibit Designer
Where you worked
Month Year to Month Year
Developed set designs based on evaluation of scripts, budgets, research information, and available locations
Prepared 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 for productions
Attended rehearsals and production meetings to obtain and share information related to sets
Conferred with clients and staff to gather information about exhibit space, proposed themes, and content
Designed and built scale models of set designs or miniature sets used in filming backgrounds
Coordinated the transportation of sets built off-site and their setup at the site of use
Skills
Checking & Planning
Developing commercial purposes, Inspecting sets or exhibits, Selecting materials or props, Designing promotional materials, Conducting other work
Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Autodesk AutoCAD, Autodesk Revit, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software
Open to
On site, Remote
Education
Doctorate (PhD) Your university, Year
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What did you do each day?
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Developed set designs based on scriptsPrepared rough drafts and working drawingsCreated preliminary renderings of proposed exhibitsRead scripts to determine design requirementsSubmitted plans for approval and adaptationAttended rehearsals and production meetings
becomes
On your resume
Developed set designs by evaluating scripts and project requirements, ensuring alignment with creative vision and budget constraints
Created preliminary renderings of proposed exhibits, detailing construction, layout, and material specifications
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Mention if you had to adapt designs based on feedback or budget changes.
The line
Modified set designs based on client feedback while evaluating scripts and project requirements to align with creative vision and budget constraints
Mention if you had to adapt designs based on feedback or budget changes.
Pick one that fits
Modified plans based on client feedbackRefined concepts to meet production needs
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In your wordsAdd it
Adding it to the line…
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Show what improved once the renderings were completed and shared.
The line
Created preliminary renderings of proposed exhibits, detailing construction, layout, and material specifications
Show what improved once the renderings were completed and shared.
Pick one that fits
Helped secure client approval for the projectStreamlined communication with the construction teamFacilitated faster decision-making on materials
Or add your own.
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Adding it to the line…
Added to your resume
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What it is made of
Skills for a Set and Exhibit Designer resume
What this work is made of. Rung offers these and keeps the ones you claim.
What are you good at?
Developing commercial purposes
Inspecting sets or exhibits
Selecting materials or props
Drawing technical illustrations
Maintaining products
Studying scripts
Estimating project costs
Determining technical requirements
Designing promotional materials
Conducting other work
Maintaining security
Constructing exhibits
The work itself
What a Set and Exhibit Designer does
The public record of what this job is, in one paragraph.
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.
What it pays
How much does a Set and Exhibit Designer make?
Annual pay across the United States. The middle figure is the median: half earn less than that, and half earn more.
25th percentile
$52,830
Median
$75,240
75th percentile
$104,030
About 10,630 people do this work in the United States.
What it pays in each state
State
25th percentile
Median
75th percentile
AR
$35,200
$38,700
$48,430
AZ
$40,200
$46,280
$60,610
CA
$73,200
$105,030
$134,030
CT
$54,800
$60,680
$75,270
DC
$63,600
$76,900
$104,330
FL
$48,650
$60,750
$77,960
GA
$40,060
$67,210
$80,960
IA
$50,640
$50,640
$61,270
IN
$46,940
$72,200
$74,990
KY
$41,930
$53,260
$55,360
MA
$56,400
$74,540
$100,200
MD
$64,490
$80,540
$88,080
MI
$38,150
$50,910
$63,610
MN
$62,560
$66,090
$75,140
MO
$37,780
$51,610
$65,840
NC
$42,370
$49,410
$60,150
NE
$57,770
$73,980
$80,140
NJ
$61,610
$76,380
$98,560
NV
$39,320
$50,860
$79,610
OH
$40,340
$54,560
$65,630
OR
$62,770
$62,770
$62,770
PA
$51,110
$59,670
$68,520
PR
$30,600
$34,260
$42,380
TX
$44,420
$56,930
$74,500
UT
$40,160
$44,540
$65,320
VA
$46,870
$58,650
$83,200
WA
$59,990
$77,230
$129,280
Other names
Other names for this job
designer, display designer, event designer, exhibit designer, installations designer, lighting designer, miniature set designer, museum exhibit designer, projection designer, room designer, scenic designer, set designer.
More names for this work
stage scenery designer, stage set designer, theater set production designer, creator, display coordinator, event decorator, exhibit coordinator, exhibit preparator, exhibit specialist, exhibit tech, exhibit technician, exhibitions coordinator, exhibitor, exhibits manager, exhibits specialist, food stylist, historical society window dresser, presentation specialist, set decorator.
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This page is about the occupation Set and Exhibit Designers. What this job involves and what it is made of come from O*NET 30.3, the US Department of Labor's occupation database, refreshed July 2026; Rung writes those records into the plain sentences you see. Pay comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS release for 2025. Rung is an independent service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by either agency. How Rung handles accuracy is on the accuracy page, and the full data credits are on the credits page.