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Stage set designer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a stage set designer. Stage set designers usually study graphic design, fine arts, or drafting and design. 72% of stage set designers hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 141 real stage set designer resumes to see exactly what stage set designer education sections show.
The most common colleges for stage set designers are the Pennsylvania State University and the Pennsylvania State University.
There are also many online stage set designer courses to help get the education required to be a stage set designer.
What education do you need to become a stage set designer?
What degree do you need to be a stage set designer?
- Bachelor's, 72%
- Master's, 11%
- Associate, 8%
- High School Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a stage set designer?
- Graphic Design, 11%
- Fine Arts, 10%
- Other Majors, 61%
Most common colleges for stage set designers
| Stage set designer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University | 13.04% |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | 8.70% |
| University of Southern Maine | 4.35% |
| Florida Institute of Technology | 4.35% |
| The Art Institute of Houston | 4.35% |
Best majors for stage set designers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graphic Design | 11.4% |
| 2 | Fine Arts | 10.0% |
| 3 | Drafting And Design | 8.6% |
| 4 | Electrical Engineering | 8.6% |
| 5 | Business | 7.1% |
Best colleges for stage set designers
The best colleges for stage set designers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Yale University.
A stage set designer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for stage set designers. 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 stage set designers.
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. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
5. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
7. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$53,430
Enrollment
5,963
8. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
20 best online courses for stage set designers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for stage set designers
The most affordable schools for stage set designers are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and suny farmingdale.
If the best universities for stage set designers 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 stage set designers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
6. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
7. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
10. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for stage set designers
The hardest universities for stage set designers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Yale University.
Some great schools for stage set designers 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 stage set designers 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. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
5. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
6. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
8. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
10. University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN • Private
Admissions rate
18%
SAT average
1,502
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for stage set designers
The easiest schools for stage set designers to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, mount saint mary's university, and wayland baptist university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a stage set designer 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 stage set designers.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
4. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
5. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
6. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
7. Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,068
8. Pennsylvania State University - Altoona
Altoona, PA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,094
9. California University of Pennsylvania
California, PA • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,007
10. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
Average stage set designer salary by education level
| Stage set designer education level | Stage set designer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $73,606 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $68,619 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $60,371 |
Stage set designer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025