How to Become a Lighting Designer?
Are you thinking of becoming a Lighting Designer or already started your career and planning the next step? Learn how to become a Lighting Designer, what skills you need to succeed, how to advance your career and get promoted, and what levels of pay to expect at each step on your career path. Explore new Lighting Designer job openings and options for career transitions into related roles.
Steps to Become a Lighting Designer
If you're considering starting your Lighting Designer career path, it's important to note the skills, qualifications, and time it takes to become a professional Lighting Designer and how to advance your career path. Below are the steps generally required to begin and advance your Lighting Designer career.Contents
1
Earn a Degree
To begin your Lighting Designer career path, a Bachelor's Degree in Other or a related field is usually necessary in order to remain a competitive option for employers. Focus on industry-specific skill development during your education in order to be properly equipped when applying for entry-level positions and entering the job force. A Lighting Designer internship may be required to earn your Bachelor's Degree and acquire necessary on-the-job skills before entering the workforce.What type of degree should you pursue to become a Lighting Designer?
100% of people working as a Lighting Designer earned a Bachelor's Degree
What skills do you need to be a Lighting Designer?
- Indesign Photoshop
- Revit
- AutoCAD
- LEED
- bacnet
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Protocols
- Microsoft Office
2
Choose a Specialty in Your Field
As an Lighting Designer, you may be required to choose a specialty within your field. Determine which part of the Lighting Designer field you feel strongest in, and continue taking active steps toward growing in your chosen Lighting Designer specialty.3
Get an Entry-Level Position as a Lighting Designer
Once you've acquired a Bachelor's Degree in Other or a related field, you'll typically begin your career as an entry-level Lighting Designer. In general, you can become a Lighting Designer after completing your 4 year Bachelor's Degree in a related discipline. Depending on the type of Lighting Designer role you’re pursuing, you may want to explore certification in .4
Advance in Your Lighting Designer Career
Following entry-level, there are several Lighting Designer career path levels to advance into. It can take 2 years as an entry-level Lighting Designer to progress to the senior lighting designer position. Each advanced Lighting Designer position requires approximately 2 years of experience at each level to advance in your Lighting Designer career path. It may be necessary to receive additional education, an advanced degree such as a Master's Degree in a related field, or special certifications in order to advance your Lighting Designer career path.5
Continued Education for Your Lighting Designer Career Path
Not all industries and companies require continued education to advance your Lighting Designer career path. However, earning this degree may help you advance to higher-earning positions more quickly. Earning a Bachelor's Degree in Other can take 4 years to complete. People that have earned their Bachelor's Degree typically make $83,567 compared to $43,329 for those without that type of degree.Lighting Designer Career Path
Lighting Designer
2 - 4Years of Experience
$43K - $74K /yrMost Likely Range
30% advanced to
Senior Lighting Designer
2 - 4Years of Experience
$51K - $80K /yrMost Likely Range
14% advanced to
Lead Lighting Designer
No Years of Experience Reports
$45K - $70K /yrMost Likely Range
Total Pay Trajectory
Lighting Designer Career Path
Junior Lighting Designer
Lighting Designer
Senior Lighting Designer
Lead Lighting Designer
$30K
$42K
$54K
$66K
$90K
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Related Careers in the Arts & Design Industry
Interested in other Arts & Design careers? Below are occupations that have high affinity with Lighting Designer skills. Discover some of the most common Lighting Designer career transitions, along with skills overlap.