Best degree programs for Set and Exhibit Designers, ranked by enrollment
3 college programs and 424 schools train Set and Exhibit Designers. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $75,240 median wage, 10,630 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
3 college programs at 424 schools train set and exhibit designers, graduating 11,107 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Design and Visual Communications, General. The job pays a median of $75,240 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About set and exhibit designers
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.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
3 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 50.0401 | 6,709 | 60.4% | 249 | $31,611 | $26,000 |
| 2 | CIP 50.0410 | 3,166 | 28.5% | 68 | $31,611 | $26,000 |
| 3 | CIP 50.0502 | 1,232 | 11.1% | 158 | $20,667 | $24,994 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah Valley University Orem, UT Public · 1 feeder programs | 1,008 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 45% | — | — |
| 2 | Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, GA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 576 | Illustration | 69% | $44,902 | 83% |
| 3 | School of Visual Arts New York, NY Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 288 | Illustration | 76% | $58,518 | 93% |
| 4 | University of California - Davis Davis, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 277 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 86% | — | 42% |
| 5 | Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN Public · 1 feeder programs | 239 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 40% | — | — |
| 6 | Fashion Institute of Technology New York, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 222 | Illustration | 81% | — | 60% |
| 7 | Full Sail University Winter Park, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 175 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 44% | $32,163 | — |
| 8 | Chattahoochee Technical College Marietta, GA Public · 1 feeder programs | 167 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 38% | — | — |
| 9 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA Public · 2 feeder programs | 156 | Illustration | 63% | — | 93% |
| 10 | Ringling College of Art and Design Sarasota, FL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 145 | Illustration | 72% | $54,693 | 70% |
| 11 | Art Center College of Design Pasadena, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 141 | Illustration | 79% | $48,578 | 75% |
| 12 | Dallas College Dallas, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 134 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 32% | — | — |
| 13 | Rhode Island School of Design Providence, RI Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 131 | Illustration | 89% | $41,764 | 19% |
| 14 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 128 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 65% | $28,911 | 99% |
| 15 | Maryland Institute College of Art Baltimore, MD Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 127 | Illustration | 72% | $37,659 | 77% |
| 16 | Columbus State Community College Columbus, OH Public · 1 feeder programs | 118 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 28% | — | — |
| 17 | Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH Public · 2 feeder programs | 118 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 64% | — | 86% |
| 18 | The New School New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 110 | Illustration | 69% | $54,185 | 63% |
| 19 | Valencia College Orlando, FL Public · 1 feeder programs | 106 | Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology | 48% | — | — |
| 20 | University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OH Public · 2 feeder programs | 104 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 75% | — | 85% |
| 21 | Austin Community College District Austin, TX Public · 2 feeder programs | 101 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 20% | — | — |
| 22 | Texas State University San Marcos, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 98 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 55% | — | 89% |
| 23 | Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Milwaukee, WI Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 94 | Illustration | 67% | $26,078 | 61% |
| 24 | Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design Lakewood, CO Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 90 | Illustration | 32% | $28,500 | — |
| 25 | Moorpark College Moorpark, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 87 | Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology | 44% | — | — |
| 26 | University of Kansas Lawrence, KS Public · 1 feeder programs | 87 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 69% | — | 93% |
| 27 | CUNY New York City College of Technology Brooklyn, NY Public · 2 feeder programs | 86 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 21% | — | 80% |
| 28 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design Boston, MA Public · 1 feeder programs | 79 | Illustration | 69% | — | 76% |
| 29 | Minneapolis Community and Technical College Minneapolis, MN Public · 1 feeder programs | 79 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 20% | — | — |
| 30 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 79 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 50% | — | 96% |
| 31 | Academy of Art University San Francisco, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 78 | Illustration | 34% | $40,294 | — |
| 32 | Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 75 | Illustration | 52% | $28,087 | 89% |
| 33 | University of North Texas Denton, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 74 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 61% | — | 72% |
| 34 | University of North Carolina School of the Arts Winston Salem, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 73 | Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology | 78% | — | 30% |
| 35 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 71 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 89% | — | 27% |
| 36 | Miami Ad School - New York Astoria, NY Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 69 | Design and Visual Communications, General | — | — | — |
| 37 | Atlanta Technical College Atlanta, GA Public · 1 feeder programs | 66 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 49% | — | — |
| 38 | Syracuse University Syracuse, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 65 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 84% | $28,851 | 46% |
| 39 | Augusta Technical College Augusta, GA Public · 1 feeder programs | 64 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 31% | — | — |
| 40 | Columbus College of Art & Design Columbus, OH Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 64 | Illustration | 56% | $30,330 | 68% |
| 41 | California College of the Arts San Francisco, CA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 59 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 61% | $40,041 | 91% |
| 42 | SUNY Adirondack Queensbury, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 59 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 37% | — | — |
| 43 | University of Oklahoma - Norman Campus Norman, OK Public · 1 feeder programs | 56 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 75% | — | 77% |
| 44 | San Antonio College San Antonio, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 55 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 26% | — | — |
| 45 | Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 54 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 94% | $14,126 | 12% |
| 46 | Minneapolis College of Art and Design Minneapolis, MN Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 52 | Illustration | 51% | $24,998 | 48% |
| 47 | Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 50 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 53% | — | 63% |
| 48 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 50 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 92% | $26,873 | 10% |
| 49 | Yale University New Haven, CT Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 50 | Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology | 96% | $27,025 | 4% |
| 50 | Auburn University Auburn, AL Public · 1 feeder programs | 48 | Design and Visual Communications, General | 82% | — | 46% |
What set and exhibit designers earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $105,030 | 2,690 | 2.16× | 57 | 1,225 |
| New York | — | 1,690 | 2.55× | 30 | 1,213 |
| Utah | $44,540 | 340 | 2.84× | 8 | 1,150 |
| Georgia | $67,210 | 310 | 0.92× | 16 | 1,091 |
| Texas | $56,930 | 210 | 0.21× | 16 | 661 |
| Ohio | $54,560 | 290 | 0.77× | 22 | 634 |
| Florida | $60,750 | 740 | 1.09× | 14 | 539 |
| Virginia | $58,650 | 120 | 0.43× | 17 | 478 |
| Indiana | $72,200 | 110 | 0.51× | 13 | 374 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,670 | 120 | 0.29× | 28 | 304 |
| Washington | $77,230 | 170 | 0.69× | 12 | 249 |
| Maryland | $80,540 | 420 | 2.20× | 9 | 245 |
| Massachusetts | $74,540 | 230 | 0.91× | 13 | 241 |
| Illinois | — | 330 | 0.79× | 18 | 229 |
| Wisconsin | — | 50 | 0.27× | 7 | 185 |
| Minnesota | $66,090 | 150 | 0.73× | 9 | 176 |
| Missouri | $51,610 | 290 | 1.46× | 6 | 174 |
| Arizona | $46,280 | 70 | 0.30× | 12 | 156 |
| Connecticutmoderate | $60,680 | 70 | 0.56× | 4 | 136 |
| New Jersey | $76,380 | 220 | 0.74× | 8 | 127 |
| Colorado | — | 170 | 0.87× | 6 | 126 |
| North Carolinamoderate | $49,410 | — | — | 4 | 115 |
| Michigan | $50,910 | 140 | 0.47× | 15 | 110 |
| Oklahoma | — | 50 | 0.39× | 5 | 107 |
| Oregon | $62,770 | 280 | 2.06× | 8 | 100 |
| South Carolina | — | 50 | 0.34× | 7 | 81 |
| Iowa | $50,640 | 60 | 0.61× | 6 | 65 |
| Tennessee | — | 230 | 1.02× | 5 | 55 |
| Arkansasmoderate | $38,700 | 50 | 0.53× | 4 | 52 |
| Nevada | $50,860 | 180 | 1.74× | 5 | 38 |
| Kentuckylimited | $53,260 | 40 | 0.32× | 2 | 14 |
| District of Columbialimited | $76,900 | 190 | 3.93× | 1 | 4 |
| New Mexicolimited | — | 70 | 1.24× | 1 | 4 |
| Nebraskalimited | $73,980 | 50 | 0.68× | 1 | 1 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- 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.
Skills
- Active Listening3.9
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Speaking3.8
- Writing3.3
- Monitoring3.1
- Active Learning3.1
- Mathematics3.0
Knowledge areas
- Fine Arts5.0
- Design4.9
- Computers and Electronics3.8
- Building and Construction3.5
- History and Archeology3.4
- English Language3.2
Abilities
- Fluency of Ideas4.1
- Visualization4.0
- Oral Comprehension4.0
- Originality3.9
- Problem Sensitivity3.9
- Written Comprehension3.9
Core activities
- Thinking Creatively4.8
- Getting Information4.7
- Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment4.5
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.4
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.3
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.3
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Set
Job zone 5 of 5 · SVP 8.0 and above- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 3 majors mapped to Set and Exhibit Designers3 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 50.0401Design and Visual Communications, General
- 50.0410Illustration
- 50.0502Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Set?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Design and Visual Communications, General, which awarded 6,709 degrees in 2024-25, 60.4% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Set?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 3 programs to this occupation. The largest are Design and Applied Arts, Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft. Together they graduate about 11,107 people a year.
How much do set and exhibit designers earn?+
The median is $75,240 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $41,750 at the 10th percentile to $135,410 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for set and exhibit designers growing?+
BLS projects a +2.3% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 2,500 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
424 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 3 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do set and exhibit designers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Set Designer, Scenic Designer, Exhibit Designer, Display Coordinator among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 27-1027.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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