Set and Exhibit Designers Salary
The median pay for a set and exhibit designers in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL is $76,350/year ($36.71/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $106K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 114.16), so that salary is closer to $66,880 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,436/month, about 45.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $76K get you in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach’s Regional Price Parity (114.16). 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach
Set and exhibit designers pay in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach tracks closely to the national median, $76K locally vs. $75K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,436/month, which is 47.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 14% above the national average (BEA RPP 114.16), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for set and exhibit designers in metros near Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $61K | $61K |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $52K | $52K |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $62K | $61K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $81K | $81K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
Entry-level set and exhibit designers (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $106K or more, a $58K 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
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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a set and exhibit designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 47.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,436/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for set and exhibit designers in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new set and exhibit designers typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,917/month. At HUD’s $2,436/month FMR, rent would take 84% 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $76K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach compare to the national average for set and exhibit designers?
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 114.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — below the national median.
How much do set and exhibit designers make in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL?
The median is $76,350 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,610, and experienced set and exhibit designers can clear $106,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,175/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,436/month, which eats 47.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a set and exhibit designers salary go in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach has a Regional Price Parity of 114.16 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median set and exhibit designers salary is worth about $66,880 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.