Best programs to become an interior designer
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for interior designers. The fields of study that lead most directly to this job are Interior Design; Interior Architecture; and Facilities Planning and Management (IPEDS completions).
7 college programs at 273 schools train interior designers, graduating 6,851 people a year (IPEDS completions). The job pays a median of $67,190 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About 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.
Best programs to study to become an interior designer
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 50.0408 | 5,774 | 84.3% | 231 | $31,611 | $26,000 |
| 2 | Interior Architecturemain feeder CIP 04.0501 | 931 | 13.6% | 45 | $44,811 | $23,250 |
| 3 | CIP 19.0604 | 74 | 1.1% | 7 | $38,637 | $25,683 |
| 4 | Design for Human Healthmain feeder CIP 30.3701 | 31 | 0.5% | 1 | — | — |
| 5 | Healthcare Environment Design/Architecturemain feeder CIP 04.0402 | 21 | 0.3% | 2 | $40,176 | $22,844 |
| 6 | CIP 19.0699 | 16 | 0.2% | 3 | $38,637 | $25,683 |
| 7 | CIP 19.0904 | 4 | 0.1% | 1 | $36,635 | $24,750 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York School of Interior Design New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 139 | Interior Design | 69% | $40,589 | 63% |
| 2 | Pratt Institute - Main Brooklyn, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 135 | Interior Design | 74% | $49,088 | 73% |
| 3 | The New School New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 125 | Interior Design | 69% | $54,185 | 63% |
| 4 | Fashion Institute of Technology New York, NY Public · 1 feeder program | 114 | Interior Design | 81% | — | 60% |
| 5 | Chattahoochee Technical College Marietta, GA Public · 1 feeder program | 100 | Interior Design | 38% | — | — |
| 6 | Seminole State College of Florida Sanford, FL Public · 1 feeder program | 88 | Interior Design | 41% | — | — |
| 7 | Texas State University San Marcos, TX Public · 1 feeder program | 87 | Interior Design | 55% | — | 89% |
| 8 | Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design Lakewood, CO Private for-profit · 1 feeder program | 85 | Interior Design | 32% | $28,500 | — |
| 9 | The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX Public · 3 feeder programs | 78 | Interior Architecture | 53% | — | 87% |
| 10 | Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO Public · 1 feeder program | 75 | Interior Architecture | 67% | — | 89% |
| 11 | Central Piedmont Community College Charlotte, NC Public · 1 feeder program | 71 | Interior Design | 31% | — | — |
| 12 | Houston City College Houston, TX Public · 1 feeder program | 70 | Interior Design | 17% | — | — |
| 13 | Auburn University Auburn, AL Public · 2 feeder programs | 69 | Interior Design | 82% | — | 46% |
| 14 | Santa Monica College Santa Monica, CA Public · 1 feeder program | 66 | Interior Design | 36% | — | — |
| 15 | Century College White Bear Lake, MN Public · 1 feeder program | 65 | Interior Design | 31% | — | — |
| 16 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ Public · 2 feeder programs | 63 | Interior Design | 68% | — | 90% |
| 17 | Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ Public · 1 feeder program | 62 | Interior Design | 61% | — | 90% |
| 18 | The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL Public · 1 feeder program | 62 | Interior Design | 73% | — | 77% |
| 19 | Bellevue College Bellevue, WA Public · 1 feeder program | 61 | Interior Design | 36% | — | — |
| 20 | Iowa State University Ames, IA Public · 1 feeder program | 61 | Interior Design | 75% | — | 89% |
| 21 | Gwinnett Technical College Lawrenceville, GA Public · 1 feeder program | 60 | Interior Design | 32% | — | — |
| 22 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA Public · 1 feeder program | 60 | Interior Design | 50% | — | 96% |
| 23 | Kansas State University Manhattan, KS Public · 2 feeder programs | 58 | Design for Human Health | 71% | — | 82% |
| 24 | Scottsdale Community College Scottsdale, AZ Public · 1 feeder program | 58 | Interior Design | 17% | — | — |
| 25 | Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids, IA Public · 1 feeder program | 56 | Interior Design | 43% | — | — |
| 26 | Tidewater Community College Norfolk, VA Public · 1 feeder program | 56 | Interior Design | 32% | — | — |
| 27 | Saddleback College Mission Viejo, CA Public · 1 feeder program | 55 | Interior Design | 48% | — | — |
| 28 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 54 | Interior Architecture | 56% | — | 94% |
| 29 | Collin County Community College District McKinney, TX Public · 1 feeder program | 53 | Interior Design | 20% | — | — |
| 30 | Cape Fear Community College Wilmington, NC Public · 1 feeder program | 52 | Interior Design | 34% | — | — |
| 31 | Florida State College at Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL Public · 1 feeder program | 52 | Interior Design | 37% | — | — |
| 32 | Johnson County Community College Overland Park, KS Public · 1 feeder program | 52 | Interior Design | 31% | — | — |
| 33 | Orange Coast College Costa Mesa, CA Public · 1 feeder program | 52 | Interior Design | 48% | — | — |
| 34 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA Public · 1 feeder program | 52 | Interior Design | 63% | — | 93% |
| 35 | Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, IN Public · 1 feeder program | 51 | Interior Design | 83% | — | 50% |
| 36 | Canada College Redwood City, CA Public · 1 feeder program | 50 | Interior Design | 47% | — | — |
| 37 | Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, IN Public · 1 feeder program | 50 | Interior Architecture | 80% | — | 78% |
| 38 | Interior Designers Institute Newport Beach, CA Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 50 | Interior Design | — | — | — |
| 39 | The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TN Public · 1 feeder program | 50 | Interior Architecture | 74% | — | 42% |
| 40 | Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Stillwater, OK Public · 1 feeder program | 49 | Interior Design | 68% | — | 75% |
| 41 | Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA Public · 1 feeder program | 48 | Interior Architecture | 55% | — | 88% |
| 42 | Sinclair Community College Dayton, OH Public · 1 feeder program | 48 | Interior Design | 41% | — | — |
| 43 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA Public · 2 feeder programs | 46 | Interior Architecture | 69% | — | 73% |
| 44 | Ensign College Salt Lake City, UT Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 45 | Interior Design | 43% | $11,149 | — |
| 45 | William Rainey Harper College Palatine, IL Public · 1 feeder program | 44 | Interior Design | 48% | — | — |
| 46 | Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH Public · 1 feeder program | 41 | Interior Design | 64% | — | 86% |
| 47 | College of DuPage Glen Ellyn, IL Public · 1 feeder program | 40 | Interior Design | 25% | — | — |
| 48 | Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 40 | Interior Design | 52% | $28,087 | 89% |
| 49 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL Public · 1 feeder program | 39 | Interior Design | 86% | — | 24% |
| 50 | Lanier Technical College Gainesville, GA Public · 1 feeder program | 39 | Interior Design | 34% | — | — |
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
What interior designers earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $80,230 | 8,500 | 1.02× | 31 | 797 |
| New York | $75,580 | 5,340 | 1.20× | 16 | 637 |
| Texas | $65,160 | 6,450 | 1.00× | 20 | 611 |
| North Carolina | $61,400 | 2,610 | 1.15× | 13 | 353 |
| Georgia | $71,760 | 3,050 | 1.36× | 7 | 297 |
| Florida | $60,860 | 7,410 | 1.62× | 10 | 287 |
| Wisconsin | $62,740 | 1,200 | 0.89× | 12 | 220 |
| Colorado | $78,390 | 2,300 | 1.74× | 5 | 217 |
| Arizonamoderate | $61,460 | 1,600 | 1.07× | 4 | 205 |
| Virginia | $62,560 | 1,550 | 0.82× | 6 | 203 |
| Ohio | $61,410 | 2,180 | 0.86× | 9 | 200 |
| Indiana | $62,580 | 1,020 | 0.69× | 7 | 181 |
| Illinois | $76,290 | 2,570 | 0.92× | 8 | 179 |
| Alabamamoderate | $61,050 | 620 | 0.64× | 4 | 168 |
| Michigan | $59,340 | 1,930 | 0.95× | 10 | 166 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,400 | 1,820 | 0.65× | 11 | 165 |
| Tennessee | $63,660 | 1,530 | 1.01× | 8 | 161 |
| Utah | $61,740 | 1,110 | 1.39× | 7 | 157 |
| Kansas | $61,090 | 400 | 0.61× | 5 | 154 |
| Washington | $76,570 | 1,330 | 0.81× | 6 | 145 |
| Minnesota | $73,270 | 1,220 | 0.90× | 5 | 139 |
| Iowamoderate | $58,040 | 510 | 0.72× | 4 | 135 |
| New Jersey | $74,020 | 1,670 | 0.85× | 5 | 111 |
| Massachusetts | $80,110 | 1,580 | 0.95× | 6 | 96 |
| Missouri | $59,610 | 1,010 | 0.74× | 6 | 96 |
| Oklahoma | $68,520 | 490 | 0.62× | 5 | 95 |
| Oregonmoderate | $66,350 | 1,030 | 1.14× | 4 | 83 |
| Louisianamoderate | $60,610 | 350 | 0.40× | 3 | 77 |
| Nebraskamoderate | $64,870 | 430 | 0.91× | 3 | 64 |
| Mississippimoderate | $43,740 | 330 | 0.62× | 4 | 54 |
| Marylandmoderate | $65,070 | 1,440 | 1.13× | 3 | 47 |
| South Carolinamoderate | $63,790 | 940 | 0.89× | 4 | 42 |
| Arkansaslimited | $69,990 | 740 | 1.24× | 2 | 37 |
| Kentuckylimited | $59,240 | 490 | 0.54× | 2 | 34 |
| Connecticutmoderate | $67,330 | 630 | 0.80× | 4 | 32 |
| District of Columbialimited | $98,450 | 620 | 1.92× | 1 | 30 |
| Montanalimited | $61,770 | 290 | 1.24× | 1 | 22 |
| Rhode Islandlimited | $58,100 | 550 | 2.37× | 1 | 20 |
| North Dakotalimited | $59,190 | 160 | 0.79× | 1 | 19 |
| Idaholimited | — | 350 | 0.88× | 1 | 16 |
| Nevadalimited | — | 590 | 0.83× | 1 | 16 |
| South Dakotalimited | $65,220 | 150 | 0.72× | 1 | 12 |
| New Hampshirelimited | $64,140 | 300 | 0.95× | 1 | 9 |
| Hawaiilimited | $63,780 | 270 | 0.95× | 1 | 4 |
Skills and knowledge
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Review and detail shop drawings for construction plans.
- Inspect construction work on site to ensure its adherence to the design plans.
Skills
- Active Listening4.0
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Writing3.6
- Monitoring3.1
- Active Learning3.1
- Mathematics3.0
Knowledge areas
- Design4.9
- Customer and Personal Service4.5
- Building and Construction4.2
- English Language4.1
- Sales and Marketing3.8
- Administration and Management3.6
Abilities
- Fluency of Ideas4.1
- Originality4.1
- Oral Expression4.0
- Oral Comprehension4.0
- Near Vision4.0
- Visualization4.0
Core activities
- Thinking Creatively4.8
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.7
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.5
- Getting Information4.4
- Working with Computers4.4
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.3
How to get in
How to become an interior designer
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 7 majors mapped to Interior Designers7 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 04.0402Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture
- 04.0501Interior Architecture
- 19.0604Facilities Planning and Management
- 19.0699Housing and Human Environments, Other
- 19.0904Textile Science
- 30.3701Design for Human Health
- 50.0408Interior Design
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become an interior designer?+
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for interior designers. The fields of study that lead most directly to this job are Interior Design; Interior Architecture; and Facilities Planning and Management (IPEDS completions).
Which college majors lead to becoming an interior designer?+
The fields of study that lead most directly to this job are Interior Design; Interior Architecture; and Facilities Planning and Management (IPEDS completions). In all, the NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 7 programs to this job, which together graduate about 6,851 people a year.
How much do interior designers earn?+
The median is $67,190 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $41,420 at the 10th percentile to $114,140 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for interior designers growing?+
BLS projects a +3.2% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 7,800 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
273 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 7 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do interior designers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Designer, Interior Designer, Interior Design Consultant, Interior Design Coordinator among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 27-1025.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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