How to become an interior designer
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.
Steps to get there
Most employers expect 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.
What interior designers 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.
- Review and detail shop drawings for construction plans.
- Render design ideas in form of paste-ups or drawings.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Mathematics
Is interior designer a good career?
On the numbers, this job pays above the typical job. Median pay is 32% above the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.
Where it pays most
- District of Columbia $98,450
- Wyoming $96,100
- California $80,230
- Massachusetts $80,110
- Colorado $78,390
Interior Designers salary by state and city
Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.