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DATA PROFILE · 2024

Set and Exhibit Designers salary in New York

Median, range, employment, and 10-year outlook from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, with skills and task data from O*NET. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities.

Adrian Serafin, founder and editor of RateOrchardBy Adrian SerafinFounderUpdated April 27, 2026

2024 wage data not published for set and exhibit designers in New York

The Bureau of Labor Statistics suppresses wage estimates when the surveyed cell has too few employers to publish a figure without revealing individual firm pay. The privacy redaction happens upstream, before the data reaches us.

BLS still reports an estimated 1,250 workers in this role in New York in 2024.

Use national figures and adjacent states below as a reference, or check BLS confidentiality rules for context.

Salary distribution

Where New York set and exhibit designers fall on the wage curve.

Distribution not available

The Bureau of Labor Statistics suppresses wage percentiles for this occupation and state when the surveyed cell has too few employers to publish without revealing individual firm pay. National figures and adjacent states below remain a useful reference.

Real disclosed salaries

Set and Exhibit Designers in New York: actual employer-disclosed pay

Public records from 7 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $70,000. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.

By DOL wage level

DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.

LevelFilingsMedian offer
Level I — entry1$52,000
Level II — qualified3$58,698
Level III — experienced1$72,800
Level IV — fully competent1$90,000

Top employers filing for this role

Companies with the most certified filings for Set and Exhibit Designers in New York. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.

EmployerMost-filed titleFilingsMedian
Chanel, Inc.Senior Manager, Design & Production1$124,388
Moey Inc.Exhibit Designer1$72,800
Upstate Scenic, Inc.Team Member, Set and Exhibit Production1$52,000
WHITE ELEPHANT THINKTANK INCSet & Spatial Designer1$58,698
Sparks Marketing LLCASSOCIATE ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGNER1$70,000
MATTE FINISH LLCSenior Experiential Designer1$90,000
Open Avenues FoundationDesign Fellow1$58,698

Recent sample filings

A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.

  • Senior Manager, Design & Production at Chanel, Inc.
    $124,388
    New YorkDecided Dec 23, 2025I-202-25350-488241
  • Exhibit Designer at Moey Inc.
    $72,800
    BrooklynWage Level IIIDecided Jun 5, 2025I-203-25149-030135
  • Team Member, Set and Exhibit Production at Upstate Scenic, Inc.
    $52,000
    ChathamWage Level IDecided May 29, 2025I-200-25141-003130
  • Set & Spatial Designer at WHITE ELEPHANT THINKTANK INC
    $58,698
    Long Island CityWage Level IIDecided May 12, 2025I-200-25125-937322
  • ASSOCIATE ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGNER at Sparks Marketing LLC
    $70,000
    New YorkWage Level IIDecided Apr 30, 2025I-200-25113-894129
  • Senior Experiential Designer at MATTE FINISH LLC
    $90,000
    NEW YORKWage Level IVDecided Mar 19, 2025I-203-25071-769602
  • Design Fellow at Open Avenues Foundation
    $58,698
    Staten IslandWage Level IIDecided Dec 31, 2024I-200-24355-564012

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.

By seniority

Set and Exhibit Designers pay by experience level in New York

Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.

Pay by industry

Set and Exhibit Designers in New York, by industry

Median offered wage across 7 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $71,400.

IndustryLargest employerFilingsMedian offer
Professional servicesMoey Inc.4$71,400
ManufacturingChanel, Inc.2$88,194
Nonprofit and civicOpen Avenues Foundation1$58,698

Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.

Wage trend

Median annual wage in New York over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.

Not enough history to render a trend yet. Check back after the next refresh.

Typical entry

  • Education

    Bachelor's degree

  • Experience

    None

  • On-the-job training

    None

Top skills (O*NET)

  • Fine Arts

    Knowledge

    5.0 / 5
  • Design

    Knowledge

    4.9 / 5
  • Fluency of Ideas

    Ability

    4.1 / 5
  • Oral Comprehension

    Ability

    4.0 / 5
  • Visualization

    Ability

    4.0 / 5
  • Reading Comprehension

    Basic skill

    3.9 / 5
  • Written Comprehension

    Ability

    3.9 / 5
  • Active Listening

    Basic skill

    3.9 / 5

Common tasks (O*NET)

  1. 01

    Develop set designs, based on evaluation of scripts, budgets, research information, and available locations.

  2. 02

    Prepare rough drafts and scale working drawings of sets, including floor plans, scenery, and properties to be constructed.

  3. 03

    Prepare preliminary renderings of proposed exhibits, including detailed construction, layout, and material specifications, and diagrams relating to aspects such as special effects or lighting.

  4. 04

    Read scripts to determine location, set, and design requirements.

  5. 05

    Submit plans for approval, and adapt plans to serve intended purposes, or to conform to budget or fabrication restrictions.

  6. 06

    Attend rehearsals and production meetings to obtain and share information related to sets.

  7. 07

    Confer with clients and staff to gather information about exhibit space, proposed themes and content, timelines, budgets, materials, or promotion requirements.

  8. 08

    Research architectural and stylistic elements appropriate to the time period to be depicted, consulting experts for information, as necessary.

10-year outlook

Growth 2024 → 2034

+2.2%

Projected annual openings

BLS outlook

Average growth

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 20242034 cycle.

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Top metros in New York

Metro-level salary data for set and exhibit designers in major New York metropolitan areas.

Compare Set and Exhibit Designers pay across nearby states

Frequently asked questions

Is Set and Exhibit Designers a growing field?
BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 2.2% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
What education is required for Set and Exhibit Designers?
BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Disclaimer

Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.