Also called: Imagineer, Experience Designer, Attraction Designer
Dreams up and designs theme park rides, lands, and immersive attractions.
A themed entertainment designer sketches a new ride's story, builds scale models, and works with engineers to figure out how a dragon will 'breathe fire' over a roller coaster. Disney calls them Imagineers.
Approximate; Disney, Universal, and design firms pay most.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Degrees in architecture, industrial design, theater design, or engineering; strong portfolio.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Themed Entertainment Design, Architecture, Industrial Design.
Growing faster than average. Theme parks are investing heavily in new lands.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI concept art and simulations speed early design; inventing rides and immersive lands that work in the real world stays human.
Classes: Art, AP Physics, Drafting or CAD CTE, Creative writing.
Official data: O*NET occupation 27-1029.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.