InteriorDesignSchools.org - Directory of Interior Design Schools and Degrees

Search Interior Design Schools by City, State or Country

Choose a City: No Preference Atlanta Austin Charleston Charlotte Chicago Cincinnati Colorado Springs Dallas Denver Fort Lauderdale Houston Indianapolis Kansas city Las Vegas Los Angeles Miami Minneapolis Nashville New York city Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Portland Sacramento Salt Lake city San Antonio San Bernardino San Diego San Francisco Seattle St. Louis Tampa Tucson Vancouver Washington, D.C. OR State: No Preference Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas British Columbia (Canada) California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming OR Region / Country: No Preference - Help w/ Regions - Central Mid Atlantic Mid South Mid West North East Pacific West South East West - Countries - Canada Italy United Kingdom

Top Interior Design Schools

Interior Design Careers, Jobs & Salaries

Take a look around the room you are in this very minute. What kind of physical space is it? What kind of mood does the space inspire in you? Does it energize or drain you?

Every interior space, whether it is the inside of an adobe hut or the lobby of some expansive public building, is the result of some plan or design. While it is true that some "designs" may be the result of nothing more than the incidental outcome of a structure's overall construction, most habitations are built with some kind of sympathy towards the needs of its occupants. Environment affects how we feel about ourselves and about what we are doing, and it is the task of the interior designer to enhance those feelings as much as possible.

The Job

There are two main divisions of interior design: residential and commercial. These two divisions can be further subdivided into various subcategories. Some commercial subcategories may include restaurant design or hotel lobby design.

Residential interior designers may specialize in any room in the house, from living rooms to kitchens. But all interior designers must take into account many of the same variables when creating a space.

Interior designers must understand the ultimate purpose of the spaces they are designing. They must incorporate knowledge of local building codes. And they need to take into account the tastes, cultures and physical limitations of the end users.

In addition to considering issues of functionality, designers must familiarize themselves with what the physical environment already has on hand -- from the material the builder is using to construct the room to light source to temperatures and seasons.

An interior space can be made to blend and meld with the larger interior and exterior spaces surrounding the room or it can be made to contrast it and offer an escape.

Interior designers, like other types of designers, must be able to blend the artistic with the pragmatic. As artists, they should be knowledgeable about artistic trends and fashions. They should be able to draw and to use graphical programs on computers to create renderings of their ideas. As business persons, they need to be familiar with the costs and availabilities of materials they wish to use and how those materials will hold up overtime and how they will interact together. They must also marshal the skills needed to manage a business.

Most interior designers are self-employed, which means they will have to be organized and self motivated.

Education, Licensing and Certification

Interior designers are often certified. In the United States, the certifying body is the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ). But while approximately half the states have some certification requirement, the educational requirements vary drastically. Some states require absolutely no formal education criteria whatsoever -- providing that the applicant meets NCIDQ requirements. Other states look for certificate holders to have a four-year interior design degree.

If you are looking at a career in interior design, you should familiarize yourself with the laws pertaining to the locality you plan to work. However, even places that don't have specific educational criteria do require certificate holders to be knowledgeable and experienced.

See more about interior design licensing.

Outlook

The outlook for graduates is very promising. Jobs for interior designers are expected to increase 19% through the end of the 2018. Competition will be strong, however.

The average salary for interior designers is $51,020. The middle 50 percent earned between $34,620 and $61,880. The top 10 percent make over $82,750.

Interior design is a career that will allow you to express your creativity in both monumental and subtle ways. It will challenge your ability to design not just beautiful environments, but also useful ones. A career in interior design will afford you the privilege and the responsibility of creating spaces that will affect how people feel and act every time they are within them.

Related Career Information

Interior Design Statistics

Career Specialties

Top 10 Qualities of a Great Interior Designer