Set designer demographics and statistics in the US
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Set designer demographics by:
Set designer gender statistics
50.5% of set designers are women and 49.5% of set designers are men.
- Female, 50.5%
- Male, 49.5%
Set designer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 50.5% |
| Male | 49.5% |
Set designer gender pay gap
Women earn 91¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$60,512
Female income
$55,286
Set designer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in set designer positions over time. Currently, 50.5% of set designers are female.
Set designer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 41.59% | 58.41% |
| 2011 | 41.84% | 58.16% |
| 2012 | 41.05% | 58.95% |
| 2013 | 43.46% | 56.54% |
| 2014 | 41.30% | 58.70% |
| 2015 | 42.03% | 57.97% |
| 2016 | 40.95% | 59.05% |
| 2017 | 40.01% | 59.99% |
| 2018 | 50.75% | 49.25% |
| 2019 | 49.22% | 50.78% |
| 2020 | 51.52% | 48.48% |
| 2021 | 49.47% | 50.53% |
Set designer related jobs gender ratio
We compared set designers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, exhibit builder and senior industrial designer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Decorating Consultant | 9% | 91% |
| Floral Designer | 11% | 89% |
| Floral Manager | 11% | 89% |
| Set Designer | 49% | 51% |
| Craftsman | 88% | 12% |
| Senior Industrial Designer | 91% | 9% |
| Exhibit Builder | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Set designer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among set designers is White, which makes up 70.6% of all set designers. Comparatively, 11.4% of set designers are Asian and 10.0% of set designers are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 70.6%
- Asian, 11.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 10.0%
- Unknown, 4.7%
- Black or African American, 2.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
Set designer race
| Set designer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 70.6% |
| Asian | 11.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.0% |
| Unknown | 4.7% |
| Black or African American | 2.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% |
Set designer race and ethnicity over time
See how set designer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Set designer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 80.32% | 3.37% | 6.45% | 8.15% |
| 2011 | 79.15% | 3.38% | 7.00% | 8.33% |
| 2012 | 78.60% | 3.42% | 6.69% | 9.26% |
| 2013 | 79.01% | 3.39% | 7.37% | 8.05% |
| 2014 | 78.43% | 3.15% | 7.37% | 8.85% |
| 2015 | 77.58% | 3.31% | 7.11% | 9.89% |
| 2016 | 77.09% | 3.54% | 7.72% | 9.34% |
| 2017 | 77.04% | 3.17% | 8.01% | 9.29% |
| 2018 | 72.75% | 3.56% | 11.27% | 9.77% |
| 2019 | 75.38% | 2.43% | 10.33% | 9.29% |
| 2020 | 71.34% | 3.12% | 10.61% | 9.80% |
| 2021 | 70.65% | 2.79% | 11.38% | 10.03% |
Set designer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian set designers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino set designers have the lowest average salary at $56,320.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $58,765 |
| White | $61,381 |
| Black or African American | $60,409 |
| Asian | $66,114 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $56,320 |
Average set designer age
See how the average age of set designers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Set designer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 45 | 34 |
| White | 43 | 40 |
| Black or African American | 38 | 40 |
| Asian | 39.5 | 35 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 38 | 34 |
Set designer age breakdown
The average age of set designers is 40+ years years old, representing 53% of the set designer population.
Set designer age breakdown
| Set Designer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 53% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Set designer educational attainment
The most common degree for set designers is bachelor's degree, with 68% of set designers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 14% and associate degree degree at 9%.
- Bachelor's, 68%
- Associate, 14%
- Master's, 9%
- High School Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Set designers by degree level
| Set designer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 68% |
| Associate | 14% |
| Master's | 9% |
| High School Diploma | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Set designer jobs you might like
Set designer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, set designers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $65,786 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, set designers earn a median annual income of $61,726 compared to $54,951 for set designers with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $65,786 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $61,726 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $54,951 |
Set designer employment statistics
Most set designers work for a private in the education industry.
Company size where set designers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where set designers work.
Set designer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 15% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 23% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 21% |
| > 10,000 employees | 12% |
Set designer jobs by company type
Employees with the set designer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most set designers prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Set designer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 37% |
| Public | 10% |
| Private | 51% |
| Government | 1% |
Set designer jobs by industry
The most common industries for set designers are education, media and retail.
Set designer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 32% |
| Media | 21% |
| Retail | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Real Estate | 3% |
| Internet | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
Set designer turnover and employment statistics
Set designer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for set designers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Set designer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Set designer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 9.84% |
| 2011 | 7.82% |
| 2012 | 7.12% |
| 2013 | 5.32% |
| 2014 | 4.78% |
| 2015 | 4.60% |
| 2016 | 4.15% |
| 2017 | 3.61% |
| 2018 | 3.16% |
| 2019 | 3.10% |
| 2020 | 6.45% |
| 2021 | 6.58% |
Average set designer tenure
The average set designer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,161 set designers resumes in Zippia's database.
Set designer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 34% |
| 1-2 years | 26% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Set designer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of set designers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Animated Cartoons Painter | 11.32% | 4,007 |
| Set Designer | 12.35% | - |
| Graphic Engineer | 13.05% | 31,387 |
| Floral Assistant | 14.26% | 444 |
| Senior Merchandiser | 16.91% | 65,852 |
| Shoe Designer | 17.98% | 43,835 |
| Design Consultant | 22.51% | 59,470 |
Similar set designer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Animated Cartoons Painter | 11.32% | 4,007 |
| Graphic Engineer | 13.05% | 31,387 |
| Floral Assistant | 14.26% | 444 |
| Senior Merchandiser | 16.91% | 65,852 |
| Shoe Designer | 17.98% | 43,835 |
| Design Consultant | 22.51% | 59,470 |
Foreign languages spoken by set designers
The most common foreign language among set designers is Spanish at 40.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 12.2% and German is the third-most popular at 7.3%.
- Spanish, 40.2%
- French, 12.2%
- German, 7.3%
- Italian, 6.1%
- Portuguese, 4.9%
- Other, 29.3%
Set designer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 40.2% |
| French | 12.2% |
| German | 7.3% |
| Italian | 6.1% |
| Portuguese | 4.9% |
| Other | 29.3% |
