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Interior Designers
Plan, design, and furnish the internal space of rooms or buildings. Design interior environments or create physical layouts that are practical, aesthetic, and conducive to the intended purposes. May specialize in a particular field, style, or phase of interior design.
Other titles employers use
Certified Kitchen Designer · Color and Materials Designer · Commercial Interior Designer · Decorating Consultant · Designer · Interior Decorator · Interior Design Consultant · Interior Design Coordinator
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Design plans to be safe and to be compliant with the American Disabilities Act (ADA).
- Use computer-aided drafting (CAD) and related software to produce construction documents.
- Research health and safety code requirements to inform design.
- Confer with client to determine factors affecting planning of interior environments, such as budget, architectural preferences, purpose, and function.
- Advise client on interior design factors, such as space planning, layout and use of furnishings or equipment, and color coordination.
- Coordinate with other professionals, such as contractors, architects, engineers, and plumbers, to ensure job success.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to creative, practical and organizing work.
- Creative
- Making, designing, writing, or performing without one set answer
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
Subjects to know
- Design
- Customer and Personal Service
- Building and Construction
- English Language
- Sales and Marketing
Useful strengths
- Fluency of Ideas
- Originality
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Visualization
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.5 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 2.8 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.8 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 2.4 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a bachelor's degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A four-year degree 84%
- A certificate or some college 4%
- A two-year degree 4%
- A master's degree 4%
- A doctorate or professional degree 4%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Electronic mail software
- Document management software
- Desktop publishing software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 14,200
- Job openings each year
- 1,340
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 12.7%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 14,200 | 1,340 | 12.7% |
| Florida | 8,970 | 860 | 15.7% |
| New York | 7,760 | 10 | 1.4% |
| Texas | 7,180 | 700 | 17.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 4,080 | 370 | 3.8% |
| Illinois | 3,930 | 360 | 4.8% |
| Colorado | 3,800 | 370 | 19.1% |
| Georgia | 3,660 | 350 | 11.6% |
| North Carolina | 3,400 | 330 | 14.1% |
| New Jersey | 2,540 | 230 | 4.5% |
| Ohio | 2,510 | 230 | 4.1% |
| Michigan | 2,430 | 220 | 3.0% |
| Arizona | 2,380 | 230 | 13.9% |
| Washington | 2,330 | 240 | 10.4% |
| Virginia | 2,250 | 200 | 2.3% |
| Tennessee | 2,100 | 200 | 15.4% |
| Minnesota | 1,980 | 180 | 5.3% |
| Oregon | 1,710 | 170 | 27.6% |
| Missouri | 1,700 | 160 | 7.6% |
| Utah | 1,550 | 160 | 31.4% |
| Indiana | 1,490 | 140 | 4.9% |
| Maryland | 1,490 | 140 | 8.8% |
| Wisconsin | 1,480 | 140 | 14.7% |
| South Carolina | 1,380 | 130 | 11.3% |
| Arkansas | 1,370 | 130 | 11.4% |
| Connecticut | 1,340 | 130 | 9.8% |
| Alabama | 1,060 | 100 | 7.1% |
| Massachusetts | 880 | 80 | 4.8% |
| Nevada | 830 | 80 | 16.9% |
| District of Columbia | 770 | 70 | 4.1% |
| Nebraska | 710 | 70 | 9.2% |
| Louisiana | 660 | 60 | 6.5% |
| Iowa | 640 | 60 | 8.5% |
| Oklahoma | 640 | 60 | 8.5% |
| Puerto Rico | 590 | 60 | 15.7% |
| Kansas | 530 | 50 | 3.9% |
| Montana | 470 | 50 | 17.5% |
| Idaho | 390 | 40 | 18.2% |
| New Hampshire | 380 | 40 | 15.2% |
| Maine | 300 | 30 | 7.1% |
| South Dakota | 290 | 30 | 11.5% |
| Kentucky | 280 | 30 | 7.7% |
| Mississippi | 270 | 20 | 3.8% |
| New Mexico | 220 | 20 | 10.0% |
| Vermont | 210 | 20 | 10.5% |
| Delaware | 170 | 20 | — |
| North Dakota | 170 | 20 | 13.3% |
| Wyoming | 130 | 10 | 18.2% |
| West Virginia | 90 | 10 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Savannah College of Art and Design
- Degrees each year
- 850
- Admit rate
- 84%
- Annual cost after aid
- $49,000
Fashion Institute of Technology
- Degrees each year
- 702
- Admit rate
- 58%
- Annual cost after aid
- $20,000
Southern New Hampshire University
- Degrees each year
- 662
- Admit rate
- 96%
- Annual cost after aid
- $37,000
The New School
- Degrees each year
- 496
- Admit rate
- 63%
- Annual cost after aid
- $56,000
Pratt Institute-Main
- Degrees each year
- 369
- Admit rate
- 53%
- Annual cost after aid
- $49,000
Virginia Commonwealth University
- Degrees each year
- 322
- Admit rate
- 93%
- Annual cost after aid
- $21,000
Iowa State University
- Degrees each year
- 292
- Admit rate
- 89%
- Annual cost after aid
- $15,000
Auburn University
- Degrees each year
- 269
- Admit rate
- 50%
- Annual cost after aid
- $21,000
Compare every college offering housing and human environments