Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers
Plan and erect commercial displays, such as those in windows and interiors of retail stores and at trade exhibitions.
Also called: Decorator, Display Associate, Display Decorator, Display Specialist, In-Store Marketing Associate, Merchandiser
- Median pay in Greater Boston
- $44,070
- $21.19/hr
- Jobs in Greater Boston
- 2,260
- Massachusetts 2024–2034
- +1.1%
- 440 openings a year
- Typical U.S. entry requirement
- High school diploma or equivalent
- plus Short-term on-the-job training
Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.
Pay range in Greater Boston
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $32,900 | $37,230 | $44,070 | $55,680 | $74,350 |
10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.
What you’d do
- Plan commercial displays to entice and appeal to customers.
- Arrange properties, furniture, merchandise, backdrops, or other accessories, as shown in prepared sketches.
- Change or rotate window displays, interior display areas, or signage to reflect changes in inventory or promotion.
- Place prices or descriptive signs on backdrops, fixtures, merchandise, or floor.
- Consult with store managers, buyers, sales associates, housekeeping staff, or engineering staff to determine appropriate placement of displays or products.
- Maintain props, products, or mannequins, inspecting them for imperfections, doing touch-ups, cleaning up after customers, or applying preservative coatings as necessary.
AI and this job
AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.
Lower exposure29 of 100
The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:
- AIOE 16
- Language-model AIOE 26
- GPTs-are-GPTs 45
Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)
This job has lower AI exposure, and observed AI use is little or none. AI tools might help with brainstorming display ideas or drafting signs, but most of the work is physical. People still arrange props, furniture, and merchandise by hand, swap out displays, and work face to face with store staff.
Likely to change
- Brainstorming display ideas and sketches
- Drafting signs and promotional text
Still relies on people
- Arranging props and merchandise by hand
- Consulting with store managers and sales staff
Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.
Next steps from here
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Training near Boston
College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).
No college programs near Boston map to this job. Many people enter through on-the-job training or apprenticeship.
Talk to a career coach at the Office of Workforce Development about apprenticeships and City partner programs.
Related occupations
Talk to a career coach
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