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Set decorator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a set decorator. Set decorators usually study photography, interior design, or fine arts. 73% of set decorators hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 261 real set decorator resumes to see exactly what set decorator education sections show.
The most common colleges for set decorators are the Columbia College Chicago and the Columbia College Chicago.
There are also many online set decorator courses to help get the education required to be a set decorator.
What education do you need to become a set decorator?
What degree do you need to be a set decorator?
- Bachelor's, 73%
- Associate, 14%
- Master's, 7%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a set decorator?
- Photography, 28%
- Interior Design, 12%
- Fine Arts, 11%
- Graphic Design, 9%
- Other Majors, 40%
Most common colleges for set decorators
| Set decorator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Columbia College Chicago | 12.28% |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | 8.77% |
| Emerson College | 8.77% |
| New York University | 7.02% |
| Full Sail University | 7.02% |
Best majors for set decorators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Photography | 28.4% |
| 2 | Interior Design | 12.1% |
| 3 | Fine Arts | 11.3% |
| 4 | Graphic Design | 8.5% |
| 5 | Communication | 7.8% |
Best colleges for set decorators
The best colleges for set decorators are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
A set decorator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for set decorators. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become set decorators.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
4. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$53,430
Enrollment
5,963
5. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
7. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
8. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
9. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$58,230
Enrollment
6,600
10. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
20 best online courses for set decorators
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Top 10 most affordable universities for set decorators
The most affordable schools for set decorators are California State University - Long Beach, queens college of the city university of new york, and florida state university.
If the best universities for set decorators are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for set decorators.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
2. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
3. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
6. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
8. California State University - Northridge
Northridge, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,893
Cost of attendance
18,870
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
10. California State University - Sacramento
Sacramento, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,310
Cost of attendance
19,807
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for set decorators
The hardest universities for set decorators to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
Some great schools for set decorators are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for set decorators based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
4. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
8. University of Chicago
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,520
9. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
10. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for set decorators
The easiest schools for set decorators to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, notre dame de namur university, and wayland baptist university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a set decorator without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for set decorators.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
4. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
5. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
6. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
7. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
8. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
9. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
10. Centenary University
Hackettstown, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
67%
SAT average
987
Average set decorator salary by education level
| Set decorator education level | Set decorator salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $67,884 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $62,976 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $54,915 |
Set decorator education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025