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Best states for a set designer
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Set designer opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for set designers, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for set designers.In order to help you decide which state is the best for set designers, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for set designer jobs.
The median salary for set designers in Massachusetts is $72,269. Compare that to the median salary in Alabama of $42,918, which ranked worst for set designers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.Massachusetts is the best state, and Englewood is the city with the highest pay for set designers.
10 best states for set designers in 2025
1. Massachusetts
Total set designer jobs: 663 Average annual salary: $72,269 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $117,000 Location Quotient: 1.16
2. New York
Total set designer jobs: 1,176 Average annual salary: $72,934 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000 Location Quotient: 1.47
3. Michigan
Total set designer jobs: 460 Average annual salary: $68,401 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
4. New Jersey
Total set designer jobs: 352 Average annual salary: $74,183 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $121,000 Location Quotient: 0.71
5. Utah
Total set designer jobs: 242 Average annual salary: $61,868 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 1.22
6. Texas
Total set designer jobs: 1,196 Average annual salary: $63,734 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
7. New Mexico
Total set designer jobs: 81 Average annual salary: $68,634 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000 Location Quotient: 0.66
8. Illinois
Total set designer jobs: 665 Average annual salary: $63,549 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 0.89
9. California
Total set designer jobs: 3,044 Average annual salary: $63,776 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location Quotient: 1.67
10. Georgia
Total set designer jobs: 688 Average annual salary: $60,664 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
Set designer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a set designer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a set designer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $72,269 | $44,000 | 6,859,819 | 663 |
| 2 | New York | $72,934 | $44,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,176 |
| 3 | Michigan | $68,401 | $45,000 | 9,962,311 | 460 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $74,183 | $45,000 | 9,005,644 | 352 |
| 5 | Utah | $61,868 | $41,000 | 3,101,833 | 242 |
| 6 | Texas | $63,734 | $39,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,196 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $68,634 | $43,000 | 2,088,070 | 81 |
| 8 | Illinois | $63,549 | $43,000 | 12,802,023 | 665 |
| 9 | California | $63,776 | $39,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,044 |
| 10 | Georgia | $60,664 | $37,000 | 10,429,379 | 688 |
| 11 | Oregon | $60,077 | $38,000 | 4,142,776 | 426 |
| 12 | Arkansas | $61,651 | $40,000 | 3,004,279 | 114 |
| 13 | Kansas | $61,652 | $42,000 | 2,913,123 | 135 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $62,306 | $39,000 | 6,715,984 | 249 |
| 15 | Iowa | $62,760 | $44,000 | 3,145,711 | 145 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | $62,566 | $41,000 | 3,930,864 | 114 |
| 17 | Ohio | $58,148 | $37,000 | 11,658,609 | 480 |
| 18 | Maryland | $61,687 | $37,000 | 6,052,177 | 336 |
| 19 | Washington | $55,764 | $36,000 | 7,405,743 | 769 |
| 20 | Colorado | $56,800 | $39,000 | 5,607,154 | 373 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $53,245 | $32,000 | 1,059,639 | 79 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $55,121 | $39,000 | 1,920,076 | 119 |
| 23 | Alaska | $61,810 | $47,000 | 739,795 | 30 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $57,931 | $36,000 | 1,815,857 | 50 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $52,221 | $32,000 | 12,805,537 | 612 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $55,796 | $41,000 | 869,666 | 43 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $52,916 | $32,000 | 3,588,184 | 205 |
| 28 | Nevada | $54,385 | $33,000 | 2,998,039 | 89 |
| 29 | Montana | $57,324 | $42,000 | 1,050,493 | 44 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $51,310 | $31,000 | 1,342,795 | 120 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $54,747 | $35,000 | 4,454,189 | 144 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $52,109 | $32,000 | 5,024,369 | 215 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $55,415 | $42,000 | 755,393 | 35 |
| 34 | Maine | $50,929 | $32,000 | 1,335,907 | 75 |
| 35 | Missouri | $54,097 | $36,000 | 6,113,532 | 245 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $53,478 | $33,000 | 4,684,333 | 106 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | $48,844 | $29,000 | 693,972 | 193 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $52,736 | $33,000 | 2,984,100 | 74 |
| 39 | Idaho | $52,344 | $35,000 | 1,716,943 | 67 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $46,680 | $32,000 | 5,795,483 | 355 |
| 41 | Virginia | $48,203 | $29,000 | 8,470,020 | 673 |
| 42 | Vermont | $49,463 | $31,000 | 623,657 | 43 |
| 43 | Minnesota | $45,987 | $34,000 | 5,576,606 | 386 |
| 44 | Delaware | $50,444 | $30,000 | 961,939 | 57 |
| 45 | Arizona | $48,882 | $31,000 | 7,016,270 | 307 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $47,026 | $34,000 | 579,315 | 26 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $44,786 | $27,000 | 10,273,419 | 535 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $52,274 | $40,000 | 1,427,538 | 23 |
| 49 | Indiana | $45,910 | $30,000 | 6,666,818 | 265 |
| 50 | Florida | $44,975 | $27,000 | 20,984,400 | 696 |
| 51 | Alabama | $42,918 | $26,000 | 4,874,747 | 194 |
Highest paying states for set designers
| Rank | State | Avg. Set Designer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $72,269 |
| 2 | New York | $72,934 |
| 3 | Michigan | $68,401 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $74,183 |
| 5 | Utah | $61,868 |
| 6 | Texas | $63,734 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $68,634 |
| 8 | Illinois | $63,549 |
| 9 | California | $63,776 |
| 10 | Georgia | $60,664 |
| 11 | Oregon | $60,077 |
| 12 | Arkansas | $61,651 |
| 13 | Kansas | $61,652 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $62,306 |
| 15 | Iowa | $62,760 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | $62,566 |
| 17 | Ohio | $58,148 |
| 18 | Maryland | $61,687 |
| 19 | Washington | $55,764 |
| 20 | Colorado | $56,800 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $53,245 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $55,121 |
| 23 | Alaska | $61,810 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $57,931 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $52,221 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $55,796 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $52,916 |
| 28 | Nevada | $54,385 |
| 29 | Montana | $57,324 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $51,310 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $54,747 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $52,109 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $55,415 |
| 34 | Maine | $50,929 |
| 35 | Missouri | $54,097 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $53,478 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | $48,844 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $52,736 |
| 39 | Idaho | $52,344 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $46,680 |
| 41 | Virginia | $48,203 |
| 42 | Vermont | $49,463 |
| 43 | Minnesota | $45,987 |
| 44 | Delaware | $50,444 |
| 45 | Arizona | $48,882 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $47,026 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $44,786 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $52,274 |
| 49 | Indiana | $45,910 |
| 50 | Florida | $44,975 |
| 51 | Alabama | $42,918 |
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Updated January 8, 2025