What They Do: Interior designers make indoor spaces functional, safe, and beautiful by determining space requirements and selecting essential and decorative items.
Work Environment: Many interior designers work in specialized design services or in architectural, engineering, and related services.
How to Become One: Interior designers usually need a bachelor’s degree with a focus on interior design.
Salary: The median annual wage for interior designers is $60,340.
Job Outlook: Employment of interior designers is projected to show little or no change over the next ten years.
Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of interior designers with similar occupations.
Interior designers make interior spaces functional, safe, and beautiful by determining space requirements and selecting decorative items, such as colors, lighting, and materials. They read blueprints and must be aware of building codes and inspection regulations, as well as universal accessibility standards.
Interior designers typically do the following:
Interior designers work closely with architects, civil engineers, mechanical engineers, and construction laborers and helpers to determine how interior spaces will function, look, and be furnished. Interior designers read blueprints and must be aware of building codes and inspection regulations.
Although some sketches or drawings may be freehand, most interior designers use computer-aided design (CAD) software for the majority of their drawings. Throughout the design process, interior designers often use building information modeling (BIM) software to create three-dimensional visualizations that include construction elements such as walls or roofs.
Many designers specialize in particular types of buildings, such as homes, hospitals, or hotels; specific rooms, such as bathrooms or kitchens; or a specific style. Some designers work for home-furnishings stores, providing design services to help customers choose materials and furnishings.
Some interior designers produce designs, plans, and drawings for construction and installation. These may include construction and demolition plans, electrical layouts, and plans needed for building permits. Interior designers may draft the preliminary design into documents that could be as simple as sketches, or as inclusive as construction documents with schedules and attachments.
The following are examples of types of interior designers:
Corporate designers create interior designs for professional workplaces from small office settings to large-scale corporations within high-rise buildings. They focus on creating spaces that are efficient, functional, and safe for employees. They may incorporate design elements that reflect a company's brand in their designs.
Healthcare designers use the evidence-based design process in designing and renovating healthcare centers, clinics, doctors' offices, hospitals, and residential care facilities. They specialize in making design decisions based on credible research to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients, residents, and the facility.
Kitchen and bath designers specialize in kitchens and bathrooms and have expert knowledge of the variety of cabinets, fixtures, appliances, plumbing, and electrical solutions for these rooms.
Sustainable designers use strategies to improve energy and water efficiencies and indoor air quality, and they specify environmentally preferable products, such as bamboo and cork for floors. They may obtain certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) from the U.S. Green Building Council. Such certification indicates expertise in designing buildings and spaces with sustainable practices in mind.
Universal designers renovate spaces in order to make them more accessible. Often, these designs are used to renovate spaces for elderly people and people with special needs; however, universal designs can benefit anyone. For example, an entranceway without steps may be necessary for someone in a wheelchair, but it is also helpful for someone pushing a baby stroller.
Interior designers hold about 93,300 jobs. The largest employers of interior designers are as follows:
| Self-employed workers | 32% |
| Specialized design services | 25% |
| Architectural, engineering, and related services | 13% |
| Furniture stores | 7% |
| Wholesale trade | 4% |
Most interior designers work in offices, but technology has changed the way many designers work. For example, rather than using drafting tables, interior designers now use complex software to create two-dimensional or three-dimensional images.
Interior designers also travel to clients' design sites.
Interior designers may need to adjust their workday to suit their clients' schedules and deadlines, meeting with clients during evening and weekend hours when necessary.
Get the education you need: Find schools for Interior Designers near you!
Interior designers usually need a bachelor's degree with a focus on interior design or interior architecture.
A bachelor's degree is usually required in order to become an interior designer, as are classes in interior design, drawing, and computer-aided design (CAD). A bachelor's degree in any field is acceptable, and interior design programs are available at the associate's, bachelor's, and master's degree levels.
The National Association of Schools of Art and Design accredits about 350 postsecondary colleges, universities, and independent institutes that have programs in art and design. The Council for Interior Design Accreditation accredits more than 180 professional-level (bachelor's or master's degrees) interior design programs.
The National Kitchen & Bath Association accredits kitchen and bath design specialty programs (certificate, associate's degree, and bachelor's degree levels) in more than 40 colleges and universities.
Applicants may be required to submit sketches and other examples of their artistic ability for admission to interior design programs.
Licensure requirements vary by state. In some states, only licensed designers may do interior design work. In other states, both licensed and unlicensed designers may do such work; however, only licensed designers may use the title "interior designer." In still other states, both licensed and unlicensed designers may call themselves interior designers and do interior design work.
In states where laws restrict the use of the title "interior designer," only candidates who pass their state-approved exam, most commonly the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam, may call themselves registered interior designers. Qualifications for eligibility to take the NCIDQ exam include at least a bachelor's degree in interior design and 2 years of work experience.
California requires a different exam, administered by the California Council for Interior Design Certification (CCIDC). Qualifications for eligibility to take the CCIDC exam include a combination of education and experience.
Voluntary certification in an interior design specialty, such as environmental design, allows designers to demonstrate expertise in a particular area of the occupation. Interior designers often specialize to distinguish the type of design work they do and to promote their expertise. Certifications usually are available through professional and trade associations and are independent from the NCIDQ licensing examination.
Artistic ability. Interior designers use their sense of style to develop designs that are aesthetically pleasing.
Creativity. Interior designers need to be imaginative in selecting furnishings and fabrics and in creating spaces that serve the client's needs and fit the client's lifestyle.
Detail oriented. Interior designers need to be precise in measuring interior spaces and creating drawings, so that their drawings can be used by other workers such as engineers or other designers.
Interpersonal skills. Interior designers need to be able to communicate effectively with clients and others. Much of their time is spent soliciting new clients and new work and collaborating with other designers, engineers, and general building contractors on ongoing projects.
Problem-solving skills. Interior designers must address challenges, such as construction delays and the high cost or sudden unavailability of certain materials, while keeping the project on time and within budget.
Visualization. Interior designers need a strong sense of proportion and visual awareness in order to understand how pieces of a design will fit together to create the intended interior environment.
The median annual wage for interior designers is $60,340. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $30,930, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $99,070.
The median annual wages for interior designers in the top industries in which they work are as follows:
| Architectural, engineering, and related services | $63,210 |
| Wholesale trade | $61,820 |
| Specialized design services | $58,840 |
| Furniture stores | $48,790 |
Interior designers may need to adjust their workday to suit their clients' schedules and deadlines, meeting with clients during evening and weekend hours when necessary.
Employment of interior designers is projected to show little or no change over the next ten years.
Despite limited employment growth, about 8,200 openings for interior designers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
As the demand for renovation projects increases, homeowners and companies are expected to need services provided by interior designers to help create safe and functional spaces. A greater focus on building codes, as well as the need to design spaces that meet accessibility standards, may also help to create jobs for these workers.
However, there will be fewer opportunities for self-employed interior designers to renovate existing homes, commercial buildings, and other facilities.
| Occupational Title | Employment, 2021 | Projected Employment, 2031 | Change, 2021-31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | |||
| Interior designers | 93,300 | 94,200 | 1 | 800 |
For more information about interior designers, visit
American Society of Interior Designers
International Interior Design Association
For more information on accredited college degree programs in interior design, visit
National Association of Schools of Art and Design
Council for Interior Design Accreditation
For more information on licensing, visit
National Council for Interior Design Qualification
California Council for Interior Design Certification
For more information on accredited kitchen and bath specialty programs in colleges and universities and on voluntary certification programs in residential kitchen and bath design, visit
A portion of the information on this page is used by permission of the U.S. Department of Labor.