Career comparison
Producer and Director vs. Set Designer
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Producer and directors earn more at the median ($90,360 vs. $75,240), while producer and directors usually get to work faster (Years of production experience of training). Producer and directors bring films, shows, plays and videos to life from idea to final cut. Set designers design sets for theater, film, TV and events.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Producer and Director | Set Designer | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $90,360 ($43.44/hr) | $75,240 ($36.17/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $45,780 – $198,540 | $41,750 – $135,410 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +4.0% (about as fast as average) | +1.4% (slower than average) |
| Openings per year | 12,100 | 2,200 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | Years of production experience | Degree plus assisting experience |
| Key credential | Film degree | BFA or MFA |
| Work setting | Producers and directors work on sets, stages, studios and offices.. | Designers work in studios, scene shops, stages and sets.. |
What each job does
Producer and Director
- Develop projects
- Raise funding
- Hire cast and crew
- Manage budgets
- Direct actors
Set Designer
- Read scripts
- Research styles
- Sketch and model sets
- Create drawings
- Budget sets
How they’re similar
Both careers involve creative work, a fast pace, teamwork, and high-pay. Both are part of the arts, media & design field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose producer and director if…
- I love telling stories
- I can lead creative teams
- I make quick decisions
Choose set designer if…
- I love theater or film
- I like drawing and building models
- I collaborate well
Still torn? Take the Producer and Director fit quiz and the Set Designer fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, producer and director or set designer?
Producer and Directors earn more at the median: $90,360 versus $75,240 for set designers, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Producer and Directors typically train faster (Years of production experience) than set designers (Degree plus assisting experience).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects producer and directors to grow +4.0% from 2025–35, compared with +1.4% for set designers.