Set and Exhibit Designers Salary
The median pay for a set and exhibit designers in Memphis, TN-MS-AR is $69,700/year ($33.51/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.18), which stretches that salary to about $75,613 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,274/month, or 26.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $70K get you in Memphis?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Memphis’s Regional Price Parity (92.18). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About set and exhibit designers
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What this looks like in Memphis
Set and exhibit designers pay in Memphis tracks closely to the national median, $70K locally vs. $75K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $1,274/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.18 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for set and exhibit designers in metros near Memphis, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $56K | $59K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $81K | $81K |
| Kansas City | $53K | $58K |
| Richmond | $52K | $53K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Memphis, TN-MS-AR
Entry-level set and exhibit designers (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $70K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Set and Exhibit Designers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Set and Exhibit Designers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $105K | +40% | 2,690 |
| Maryland | $81K | +7% | 420 |
| Washington | $77K | +3% | 170 |
| District of Columbia | $77K | +2% | 190 |
| New Jersey | $76K | +2% | 220 |
| Massachusetts | $75K | -1% | 230 |
| Nebraska | $74K | -2% | 50 |
| Indiana | $72K | -4% | 110 |
| Georgia | $67K | -11% | 310 |
| Minnesota | $66K | -12% | 150 |
| Oregon | $63K | -17% | 280 |
| Florida | $61K | -19% | 740 |
| Connecticut | $61K | -19% | 70 |
| Pennsylvania | $60K | -21% | 120 |
| Virginia | $59K | -22% | 120 |
| Texas | $57K | -24% | 210 |
| Ohio | $55K | -27% | 290 |
| Kentucky | $53K | -29% | 40 |
| Missouri | $52K | -31% | 290 |
| Michigan | $51K | -32% | 140 |
| Nevada | $51K | -32% | 180 |
| Iowa | $51K | -33% | 60 |
| North Carolina | $49K | -34% | N/A |
| Arizona | $46K | -38% | 70 |
| Utah | $45K | -41% | 340 |
| Arkansas | $39K | -49% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 26 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track set and exhibit designers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Memphis numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a set and exhibit designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Memphis?
Yes — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 26.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,274/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for set and exhibit designers in Memphis?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new set and exhibit designers typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,344/month. At HUD’s $1,274/month FMR, rent would take 54% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is set and exhibit designer a high-paying job in Memphis?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $70K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Memphis compare to the national average for set and exhibit designers?
Memphis pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do set and exhibit designers make in Memphis, TN-MS-AR?
The median is $69,700 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,070, and experienced set and exhibit designers can clear $69,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Memphis?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,785/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,274/month, which eats 26.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a set and exhibit designers salary go in Memphis?
Memphis has a Regional Price Parity of 92.18 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median set and exhibit designers salary is worth about $75,613 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do set and exhibit designers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.