Set and Exhibit Designers pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $53,950 a year or less, while the top 10% make $170,660 or more. The middle half of set and exhibit designers in San Francisco earn between $77,570 and $127,350.
- $54K10th
- $78K25th
- $109KMedian
- $127K75th
- $171K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $112,660 | $9,388 | $54.16 |
| Median | $109,120 | $9,093 | $52.46 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $77,570 | $6,464 | $37.29 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $127,350 | $10,612 | $61.23 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Set and Exhibit Designers pay in San Francisco vs. California and the U.S.
Set and exhibit designers in San Francisco earn 7% more than the California average ($105,350) and 35% more than the U.S. average ($83,160). At the median the gap is +45% against the U.S. median of $75,240.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $112,660 | $109,120 | $53,950 | $170,660 | 290 |
| California | $105,350 | $105,030 | $47,400 | $162,820 | 2,690 |
| United States | $83,160 | $75,240 | $41,750 | $135,410 | 10,630 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Set and Exhibit Designers salary after taxes in San Francisco
On the average salary of $112,660, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $81,701 a year, or $6,808 a month and $3,142 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Francisco a good place for set and exhibit designers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $112,660 buys what about $97,446 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 10.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Set and Exhibit Designers salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 2nd of 4 California metro areas for this job; Los Angeles pays the most ($113,990).
- Los Angeles$113,990
- San Francisco$112,660
- San Diego$80,880
- Riverside$71,330
Highest-paying cities for set and exhibit designers
Los Angeles, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($113,990).
- Los Angeles, CA$113,990
- San Francisco, CA$112,660
- New York, NY$102,670
- Seattle, WA$95,590
- Washington, DC$84,350
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Set and Exhibit Designers salary in San Francisco: questions
How much do set and exhibit designers make an hour in San Francisco?
$54.16 an hour on average, and $52.46 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level set and exhibit designers salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $53,950 a year and the 25th percentile is $77,570, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the set and exhibit designers take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $81,701 a year ($6,808 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $112,660. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do set and exhibit designers earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 35% more than the U.S. average for this job ($83,160).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 27-1027; area San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.7%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.76, this job is 1.8 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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