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What is a lighting designer and how to become one
Lighting Designers are responsible for developing and implementing electrical and lighting systems. They are responsible for conducting site assessment and analysis, liaise with clients and engineers to determine technical specifications, design lighting plans, create budget reports for a project initiated, track progress targets, install electrical and lighting systems and ensures installation adheres to local energy regulation as well as building codes. Lighting designers work in commercial, industrial, or residential spaces and must demonstrate computer software proficiency such as AutoCAD and Adobe Creative Suites.
Avg. Salary $53,542
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 3%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.38%
Asian 10.07%
Black or African American 1.12%
Hispanic or Latino 7.28%
Unknown 4.48%
White 76.67%
Genderfemale 35.00%
male 65.00%
Age - 38American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 38Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Lighting designer career paths
Key steps to become a lighting designer
Explore lighting designer education requirements
Start to develop specific lighting designer skills
Skills Percentages Revit 20.91% Photoshop 14.28% Light Fixtures 7.27% Leed 6.34% AGI 5.43% Complete relevant lighting designer training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New lighting designers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a lighting designer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real lighting designer resumes.Research lighting designer duties and responsibilities
- Develop marketing and brand awareness initiatives through social media outlets; create and manage company Facebook and Houzz profiles.
- Attend various IES, IALD and W.I.N.D.
- Involve with leer certified projects.
- Set up, run and troubleshoot audio/visual/lighting equipment.
Prepare your lighting designer resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your lighting designer resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a lighting designer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable lighting designer resume templates
Build a professional lighting designer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your lighting designer resume.
Apply for lighting designer jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a lighting designer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first lighting designer job
Are you a lighting designer?
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Average lighting designer salary
The average lighting designer salary in the United States is $53,542 per year or $26 per hour. Lighting designer salaries range between $34,000 and $83,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do lighting designers rate their job?
Lighting designer reviews
What I like the most about working as a Lighting Specialist is to help people with their residential or commercial lighting needs and have as a result a drastic positive change by applying a smart and efficient lighting design to their specific project.
There is nothing I do not like about this position.
Updated January 8, 2025
