Set and Exhibit Designers Salary
The median pay for a set and exhibit designers in Virginia is $58,650/year ($28.2/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $104K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $61,874 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 42.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $59K get you in Virginia?
About set and exhibit designers
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What this looks like in Virginia
Pay for set and exhibit designers in Virginia runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $75K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 42.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for set and exhibit designerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level set and exhibit designers (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $104K or more, a $62K spread from bottom to top.
Set and Exhibit Designers salary by metro in Virginia
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $52K | -12% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track set and exhibit designers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a set and exhibit designer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 42.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new set and exhibit designers typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,496/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 66% 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 Virginia?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $59K here vs. $75K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for set and exhibit designers?
Virginia pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do set and exhibit designers make in Virginia?
The median is $58,650 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,600, and experienced set and exhibit designers can clear $104,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,859/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 42.7% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $61,874 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.