Career
Interior designers
Design interiors that are useful, safe and beautiful.
$67,190
Median pay
+2.7%
Job growth, 2025–35
7,700
Openings a year
Bachelor's degree
Typical education
4 years
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- 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.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on creation & expression, then objects & tools?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Design plans to be safe and to be compliant with the American Disabilities Act (ADA).”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
4 years of education after high school (bachelor's degree), for a median of $67,190 a year and 7,700 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Design and Applied ArtsSee the degree →
- Healthcare Environment Design/ArchitectureCIP 04.0402
- Interior ArchitectureCIP 04.0501
- Facilities Planning and ManagementCIP 19.0604
- Housing and Human Environments, OtherCIP 19.0699
- Textile ScienceCIP 19.0904
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Commercial and Industrial Designers$83,910 · +2.4%
- Craft Artists$46,080 · +2.0%
- Landscape Architects$79,870 · +4.4%
- Fashion Designers$80,960 · +0.1%
- Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$39,390 · +2.7%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.