Set and Exhibit Designers Salary
The median pay for a set and exhibit designers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is $76,900/year ($36.97/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $122K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.89), so that salary is closer to $68,728 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,001/month, about 59.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $77K actually covers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad’s Regional Price Parity (111.89). 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Set and exhibit designers pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad tracks closely to the national median, $77K locally vs. $75K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,001/month, which is 60.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 12% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.89), 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $107K | $94K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $109K | $94K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $59K | $56K |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $63K | $60K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Entry-level set and exhibit designers (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $122K or more, a $71K 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a set and exhibit designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 60.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,001/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new set and exhibit designers typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,488/month. At HUD’s $3,001/month FMR, rent would take 86% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $77K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad compare to the national average for set and exhibit designers?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — below the national median.
How much do set and exhibit designers make in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?
The median is $76,900 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,260, and experienced set and exhibit designers can clear $122,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,933/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,001/month, which eats 60.8% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad has a Regional Price Parity of 111.89 (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 $68,728 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.