Average and Range of Wages

• As of 2010, 8,120 set designers nationwide had average hourly wages of $24.81, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For full-time work, this came to an average annual income of $51,600. Wages for designers varied over a wide range, with 10th percentile earnings at $25,580 per year, and 90th percentile earnings at $84,180.
  
  

Largest Employers

• The largest employer of set designers was the motion picture and video industry, according to the 2010 government report. This industry employed 1,490 designers at an average hourly wage of $32.95, or $68,540 per full-time year. Museums and historical sites came in second, with 1,190 designers earning an average of $21.70 per hour, or $45,130 per year. Performing arts companies employed 1,170 designers, paying them an average of $19.11 per year, or $39,740 annually.
  
  

Highest-Paying Employer

• The amusement park and arcade industry paid set designers above the 90th-percentile wage on average. Designers for this industry earned $41.45 per hour on average, or $86,210 annually, according to the 2010 BLS report. However, as of 2010, only 40 set designers worked for this industry, a minuscule 0.03 percent of total employment.
  
  

States with Most Jobs

• Three states had at least 500 jobs for set designers in 2010, according to the BLS. California had the most positions, with 2,330 designers earning an average of $27.76 per hour, or $57,740 per year. New York had 740 designers, earning $28.58 on average, or $59,450 per year. Texas, with 500 designers, paid an average of $20.28 per hour. This came to $42,180 for full-time work all year.
  
  

Major Cities

• Three major American cities employed more than 300 set designers each in 2010, according to the BLS. The greater Los Angeles area employed 1,120 designers at an average annual pay of $64,420 per year. The greater New York city area had 500 designers, with average annual salaries of $59,830. In the greater Washington, D.C., area, 310 designers earned an average of $58,550 per year.
  
  

Working Conditions

• In addition to their creative work, set designers also do hard physical labor. They frequently put in long, irregular hours, working weekends and evenings to complete their preparation for filming or opening night. Beginners often start as volunteers or at low wages and must work their way up. Many set designers work as independent contractors and receive compensation on a per-production basis. Because their training parallels that of other design professionals, set designers frequently cross over into other areas of design.