No Experience or Degree

• Without any experience or a college degree, it can be difficult to land a job as a stage designer. The lack of experience also means that you are not part of the stagehand union, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, which guarantees a minimum pay rate. Instead, you may need to volunteer your time or intern with a stage designer to learn the ropes. A large number of shows are put on in Las Vegas which offers the opportunity for you to shadow a stage designer. While you will not receive any type of monetary pay, you will be able to enjoy the show at no cost, once it is running and eat from the craft service table with the rest of the crew.
  
  

Four Year Degree or Experience

• With either stagehand experience or a bachelors degree in a related field, you can earn money as a stage designer. Art, theater and interior design are relevant majors. Usually, your experience at this level means that you have not been in any IATSE productions, which means that you are not yet making standard scale. Instead, your wages are dependent upon the budget of the production. If you are working at a community theater in Nevada or a non-union production you may have to do deferred pay, which means you will not get paid until the production makes money. Non-union productions can sometimes offer a set pay rate, such as $500 for the entire project. O*NET OnLine lists a median salary of $45,400 for a stage set designer with a college degree required most of the time.
  
  

Union Productions

• If you are a member of the union, there is a minimum amount of money you will earn as a stage designer. The IATSE calls this amount "scale." You can make more than scale if you are on a production with a larger budget and the scale amount is updated regularly. In Nevada, the current scale amount for a stage designer is $29.12 per hour and this amount is scale through July 30, 2011, rising to $29.70 per hour for the following year. In Las Vegas only, the current scale amount for the lead stage designer is $33.53 per hour through July 30, 2011 and $34.20 per hour for the following 12 month period of July 31, 2011 through July 30, 2012.
  
  

Other Benefits

• Health, annuity and pension are included benefits for IATSE members. Each time you take a union job, the production must pay into your health and pension benefits. Almost all IATSE members receive these benefits, not just members in Nevada. For IATSE members in Las Vegas, there is no annuity benefits. Members in other areas of the state are eligible for the annuity benefit.