Career comparison
Costume Attendant vs. Set Designer
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Set designers earn more at the median ($75,240 vs. $50,400), while costume attendants usually get to work faster (A few weeks on the job of training). Costume attendants care for costumes and help performers change during shows and shoots. Set designers design sets for theater, film, TV and events.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Costume Attendant | Set Designer | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $50,400 ($24.23/hr) | $75,240 ($36.17/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $32,150 – $109,520 | $41,750 – $135,410 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +5.9% (faster than average) | +1.4% (slower than average) |
| Openings per year | 1,700 | 2,200 |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | A few weeks on the job | Degree plus assisting experience |
| Key credential | IATSE wardrobe union | BFA or MFA |
| Work setting | Attendants work backstage, on sets and in wardrobe shops.. | Designers work in studios, scene shops, stages and sets.. |
What each job does
Costume Attendant
- Fit costumes
- Do quick changes
- Repair costumes
- Launder and press
- Track continuity
Set Designer
- Read scripts
- Research styles
- Sketch and model sets
- Create drawings
- Budget sets
How they’re similar
Both careers involve hands-on work, creative work, a fast pace, and teamwork. Both are part of the arts, media & design field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose costume attendant if…
- I love theater or film
- I can sew
- I stay calm under pressure
Choose set designer if…
- I love theater or film
- I like drawing and building models
- I collaborate well
Still torn? Take the Costume Attendant fit quiz and the Set Designer fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, costume attendant or set designer?
Set Designers earn more at the median: $75,240 versus $50,400 for costume attendants, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Costume Attendants typically train faster (A few weeks on the job) than set designers (Degree plus assisting experience).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects costume attendants to grow +5.9% from 2025–35, compared with +1.4% for set designers.