Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 27,000 people employed as set and exhibit designers in the United States. The median annual salary is $54,860. Entry level employees earn approximately $30,810 per year and senior employees earn approximately $100,550 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Develop set designs, based on evaluation of scripts, budgets, research information, and available locations.
• Prepare rough drafts and scale working drawings of sets, including floor plans, scenery, and properties to be constructed.
• Prepare preliminary renderings of proposed exhibits, including detailed construction, layout, and material specifications, and diagrams relating to aspects such as special effects or lighting.
• Read scripts to determine location, set, and design requirements.
• Acquire, or arrange for acquisition of, specimens or graphics required to complete exhibits.
• Design and produce displays and materials that can be used to decorate windows, interior displays, or event locations, such as streets and fairgrounds.
• Direct and coordinate construction, erection, or decoration activities to ensure that sets or exhibits meet design, budget, and schedule requirements.
• Coordinate the transportation of sets that are built off-site, and coordinate their setup at the site of use.
• Confer with conservators to determine how to handle an exhibit's environmental aspects, such as lighting, temperature, and humidity, so that objects will be protected and exhibits will be enhanced.
• Select and purchase lumber and hardware necessary for set construction.
• Arrange for outside contractors to construct exhibit structures.
• Incorporate security systems into exhibit layouts.
• Coordinate the removal of sets, props, and exhibits after productions or events are complete.
• Provide supportive materials for exhibits and displays, such as press kits, advertising, publicity notices, posters, brochures, catalogues, and invitations.
• Submit plans for approval, and adapt plans to serve intended purposes, or to conform to budget or fabrication restrictions.
• Attend rehearsals and production meetings to obtain and share information related to sets.
• Confer with clients and staff to gather information about exhibit space, proposed themes and content, timelines, budgets, materials, or promotion requirements.
• Research architectural and stylistic elements appropriate to the time period to be depicted, consulting experts for information, as necessary.
• Observe sets during rehearsals in order to ensure that set elements do not interfere with performance aspects such as cast movement and camera angles.
• Collaborate with those in charge of lighting and sound so that those production aspects can be coordinated with set designs or exhibit layouts.
• Select set props, such as furniture, pictures, lamps, and rugs.
• Design and build scale models of set designs, or miniature sets used in filming backgrounds or special effects.
• Examine objects to be included in exhibits to plan where and how to display them.
• Assign staff to complete design ideas and prepare sketches, illustrations, and detailed drawings of sets, or graphics and animation.
• Inspect installed exhibits for conformance to specifications and satisfactory operation of special-effects components.
• Estimate set- or exhibit-related costs, including materials, construction, and rental of props or locations.
• Plan for location-specific issues, such as space limitations, traffic flow patterns, and safety concerns.

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