California · Interior Architecture

Best colleges for Interior Architecture in California

Ranked by graduate earnings

California State University - Sacramento, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona and Interior Designers Institute award the most Interior Architecture degrees and certificates in California: 52, 5 and 5 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 3 California colleges offer Interior Architecture and award 62 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Interior Architecture program focuses on the design of interior spaces, emphasizing the creation and adaptation of environments that are functional, aesthetic, and sustainable. This program is ideal for students interested in…

Institutions
3
offering CIP 04.05
States offered
25
with a program page
Degrees / yr
62
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$50,108
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
1
College Scorecard
Median net price
—
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
62%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Interior Designers
$89,740
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top institution, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1California State University - Sacramento
Sacramento Public · Bachelor's degree
$50,1085256%—$16,500

Colleges awarding the most Interior Architecture degrees in California

Top 3 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1California State University - Sacramento
Sacramento Public
52$50,108
2California State Polytechnic University - Pomona
Pomona Public
5Not reported
3Interior Designers Institute
Newport Beach Private for-profit
5Not reported

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Interior Designers (SOC 27-1025).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+3.2%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~7,800
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$63,490
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Critical ThinkingActive ListeningSpeakingReading ComprehensionWritingMonitoring

What Interior Designers earn in California

Jobs in California
8,500
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$89,740
median $80,230
Best-paying metro
$100,980
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

Related careers

Interior Designers
$89,740 avg · 8,500 jobs
Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary
$113,170 avg · 530 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Interior Architecture programs in California.

Which California colleges award the most Interior Architecture degrees?+

California State University - Sacramento (52 graduates a year), California State Polytechnic University - Pomona (5 graduates a year) and Interior Designers Institute (5 graduates a year) award the most Interior Architecture degrees and certificates in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 3 California colleges offer Interior Architecture.

Which Interior Architecture program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, California State University - Sacramento tops the list at $50,108. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Interior Designers earn in California?+

The average annual wage for Interior Designers in California is $89,740 (median $80,230), across about 8,500 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Interior Architecture program?+

The Interior Architecture program focuses on the design of interior spaces, emphasizing the creation and adaptation of environments that are functional, aesthetic, and sustainable. This program is ideal for students interested in…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop critical thinking, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Interior Designers?+

The national job outlook is about +3.2% growth with around 7,800 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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