Interior Designer Career Guide: Pathways and Salary Overview

Interior designers specialize in transforming rooms into beautiful, functional spaces using creativity, design skills, and a bit of business savvy.

Before enrolling in an interior design program, it’s important to think about your strengths and goals. The field requires strong creativity and an artistic sense. You’ll also need a bit of business sense to land clients and complete projects. If this sounds like you, a career in interior design might be a great fit.

So how do you break into the field, and what does an interior designer actually do? This guide covers everything from education and experience to career tips and pathways.

The interior design field is about more than style, fashion, and fabric. Interior design shapes how people experience all sorts of spaces, such as homes, businesses, and hospitals. Interior designers select furnishings, lighting arrangements, and layouts for indoor spaces.

Unlike interior decorating, which focuses exclusively on furnishings, interior designers consider the whole space, and they integrate architectural features into their designs. And unlike architects, who design the structure of buildings, interior designers focus on a space’s look and feel.

Interior designers work closely with clients to create practical and beautiful indoor spaces. They analyze blueprints and work within building codes to design welcoming spaces. Interior designers choose the color scheme for a residence or building, determine the lighting needs, and select furnishings.

At the beginning of a project, interior designers meet with clients to understand their needs. Then, they create sketches for their design. With an approved design, these artistic professionals source materials like flooring, wall finishes, furniture, and fixtures.

Interior designers also coordinate with contractors and architects and ensure that their projects are completed within strict timelines and budgets.

Interior designers work in design firms, architectural offices, and their own firms. Some interior designers also work in wholesale trade or furniture stores.

The work setting affects the designer’s schedule and responsibilities. Freelance interior designers set their own hours, but they must also recruit clients. Designers employed by a design firm can benefit from more stability.

Many interior designers work in offices while making on-site visits. Because they work closely with clients and devote time to sourcing unique furnishings, interior designers often travel as part of their job. The career may also require evening and weekend hours to meet with clients.

Interior designers need a mix of soft skills and hard skills. As a designer, you need a strong artistic eye and a creative approach to design. Clients also look for design professionals with solid communication and interpersonal skills. An important part of the job is interacting with clients and collaborating with architects, designers, and engineers.

Hard skills — like knowledge of design software programs and computer-aided design — help you earn your license. The career also requires strong project management skills and business knowledge. Many interior designers launch their own firms, which requires training in negotiation, finance, and business.

If you’re wondering how to become an interior designer, you should start with this step-by-step guide. From earning a degree to gaining work experience to taking an interior design exam, each step moves you closer to becoming an interior designer.

An interior design degree trains you in architecture, design theory, and business. Classes also introduce you to fabrics, textiles, color palettes, lighting, and furnishings.

Interior designers typically hold a bachelor’s degree in the fine arts or a related field. Earning a certificate can also strengthen your qualification. However, even with a degree and certificate, you will need relevant work experience to qualify for a license.If you hold a bachelor’s degree in an unrelated field, completing a certificate program can serve as a starting point for the training required for licensure.

You should only earn an interior design certificate or degree from an accredited program. The Council for Interior Design Accreditation grants accreditation to interior design programs.

Before working as an interior designer, you must gain professional experience. You should complete a supervised interior design internship so that you may begin logging work hours that count toward your licensure and certification requirements. Work experience requirements vary depending on your education.

The National Council for Interior Design Certification (NCIDQ) exam requires at least two years of full-time work experience for candidates with a bachelor’s in interior design or a bachelor’s degree in another field with an interior design certificate.

If your highest level of education is an associate degree, high school diploma, or certificate, you must complete three years of full-time work before taking the exam.

Most interior designers need to take an exam to qualify for a state license and earn certification as an interior designer. The NCIDQ exam tests you on design development, bidding, and project completion. In some states, only candidates who pass the NCIDQ exam can use the title “Interior Designer.”

Requirements vary depending on the state. For example, rather than using the NCIDQ exam, California requires a different exam called the IDEX California exam. As a result, you should research the requirements in your state.

Landing a job as an interior designer requires a strong design portfolio. Most designers begin the process as students. During an interior design program, you should add projects and assignments to your portfolio. Continue to do so as you complete your internship and gain professional experience.

An interior design portfolio should express your design vision and approach to potential employers or clients. Sketches, moodboards, and photos help bring that vision to life. Established interior designers continue to add to their portfolios throughout their careers.

Interior designers work in a variety of settings. More than 40% work for specialized design services, while another 20% work for architectural or engineering organizations. Finally, around 30% start their own firm and work as self-employed designers.

Each career path offers benefits and drawbacks. Interior designers who start their own firm benefit from flexibility, but this path can lead to unstable hours and requires a significant amount of time to attract clients. No matter where you choose to work, you must network to grow your career.

Careers in art and design offer a range of earning potentials. Interior design salaries fall at the lower end in the field of art and design, with these professionals earning a median annual salary of $63,490 in 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That’s about $15,000 less than the median salary for fashion designers, who earned $80,690.However, as with many creative occupations, interior designers can increase their salary through experience, a robust portfolio, or specialized certifications. Location and industry also affect interior design salaries.

Interior designers can earn significantly more depending on their industry. BLS data shows that some sectors, including land subdivision and federal agencies, offer higher salaries and unique opportunities for specialized design work.

Where you live can also impact your earning potential as an interior designer. Washington D.C. and California offer some of the highest average salaries in the field, while New Mexico and West Virginia have some of the lowest, according to the BLS.

Some states offer strong wages and employ large numbers of interior designers. California, Texas, and Florida top the list for number of interior design professionals.

If you’re interested in interior design, consider similar creative careers like fashion design, art directing, or graphic design.

Interior designer assistants work closely with designers, helping create concepts, sourcing materials, and coordinating with vendors. They also manage schedules and budgets, help prepare presentations, and visit sites to check if projects are following design plans.

A fashion designer creates clothing and accessories using both creativity and technical skills. They research trends, design concepts, choose materials, oversee production, and collaborate with others to ensure their designs meet market demands and quality standards.

Art directors oversee the visual style of media like magazines, advertisements, websites, movies, and television shows. They lead design teams, approve visual styles, manage budgets, and ensure creative projects align with a client’s vision, message, and timeline.

Graphic designers create visual content that communicates ideas, typically by hand or computer software. They design layouts for advertisements, websites, and print materials, using images and text to inform and engage audiences across various media platforms.