Career Specializations

• Commercial/Residential Design: Many designers choose to design only in residential spaces or for larger commercial projects.
• Ergonomic Design: Interior designers specializing in ergonomic design look over workspaces and fit them to be more healthy for those using the space.
• Sustainable Design: Sustainable designers use green principles in their designs, utilize renewable materials, and engineer the space to be more energy efficient.
• Elder Design: Elder design focuses on arranging a space to be the safest and most accessible for those with mobility issues.
• Other Design Areas: Interior designers can specialize in just about any particular aspect of interior design, from kitchen and bath design to acoustic design.

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Available Degree Levels

• Associate Degree: 2 years to complete
• Bachelor's Degree: 4 years to complete
• Master's Degree: 1.5-2 years to complete
• Doctoral Degree: 3-5 years to complete

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Education & Certification Requirements

There are degrees available for interior designers at every educational level. Each degree opens up new career possibilities and job opportunities. When considering an educational program, see if it has accreditation from The Council for Interior Design Accreditation or The National Association of Schools of Art and Design. These accrediting bodies ensure the rigor of an interior design degree, and their seal of approval may be necessary in order to pursue certain graduate programs in interior design.

The associate's degree in interior design takes around two years to complete, and may be offered by art and design institutes, junior colleges, or traditional universities. These degrees introduce students to design basics, through courses in residential and commercial design, drafting, and design theory. Graduates with this degree may go on to a career as an interior design assistant, though they may advance with experience and continuing education.

Students who are interested in launching into a full blown design career may be more interested in pursuing a bachelor's degree in interior design. This four-year degree is usually the requirement to enter a formal apprenticeship with an interior designer—professional experience that prepares graduates for a staff-level design job. Students take courses in art theory, computer aided design, building systems, design concepts, building codes, materials, and professional skills.

A master's degree or doctoral degree in interior design is the minimum education prerequisite to take the National Council for Interior Design Qualification exam, in order to qualify for state licensure, in some states. Licensure is required to order to offer your design services directly to the public. Master's degrees may offer a general course work, or they may let students specialize in a particular design area such as sustainable design, bath and kitchen design, or historic preservation. Some design schools are now offering doctorate degrees in interior design as well, which require the student to do significant new research into an area of the built environment. These programs prepare students for advanced positions in design firms, or for a career in academia. (BLS)

Some states license interior designers, and require them to take the National Council for Interior Design Qualification exam before they can independently offer their services directly to the public. To be eligible to sit for the exam, designers need a combined total of 6 years of professional experience and education.

Designers specializing in a particular area of design may sit for voluntary certifications offered by trade groups. The National Kitchen and Bath Association, for example, offers three levels of certification to kitchen and bath designers. (BLS)

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Salary Information

What you can earn as an interior designer depends on your education level, professional experience, and where you are employed.

Those with an associate's degree or bachelor's degree can expect earnings on the lower end of the scale, when seeking out entry level positions. The lowest 10-25% of interior designers earn $27,000-35,000 a year. Those with larger architectural firms and specialized design services earn the most. Many interior designers are self employed, and charge an hourly consulting fee, along with a percentage of the total project costs. Those who are self-employed have more irregular earnings.

Designers with a master's degree or bachelor's degree and some professional experience can earn $45,000-62,000 a year. After years of professional experience, designers at design firms can move into supervisory roles or become head of the department, and advance to the highest earnings bracket of $83,000 and up, earned by the top 10% of interior designers. (BLS)

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Job Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts strong, above-average job growth for interior designers in the next few years. The caveat on this growth, however, is that job competition will still be tough, since the field tends to have an over-supply of talented designers. Also, the use of design services fluctuates with the economy, and designers can expect a hit in work during times of economic recession.

The designers with the best chances at landing a job will have formal education, and a specialization in one of the in-demand design areas. Sustainable design, ergonomic design, kitchen and bath design, and technological design are all growing in demand. Designers who distinguish their expertise in a niche area can earn the business of these growing markets. (BLS)

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Related Careers

Interior design is an interdisciplinary job, combining art, architecture, and technical skills, and thus has a number of related careers. A career in architecture is related in that architects are also engineering the built environment, and considering the users of the building when creating their design. Architects require more technical expertise, however, and a bachelor's degree in civil engineering or architecture from an accredited school. (BLS)

Commercial designers are also similar to interior designers; both careers apply art and creativity to functional design. While interior designers apply their aesthetic eye to the spaces within buildings, commercial designers shape the many tools we use in our everyday lives, such as cars and chairs. Commercial designers are required to have more engineering skills, and must usually have a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, product design, industrial design, or architecture. (BLS)

A career as an artist is another occupation that includes aspects of interior design. Both interior designers and artists must have an eye for color, composition, and layout. Most art isn't "functional" in the same 3-D way that interior design is functional, however; much commercial art, such as graphic design and web design, focuses on using art to convey information in the best way possible. (BLS)

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