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.
Also called: Bathroom Designer (Bath Designer), Certified Kitchen Designer, Color and Materials Designer, Commercial Interior Designer, Decorating Consultant, Decorator
Median pay
$67,190
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$41,420 – $114,140
People employed
71,500
Holland code
ARC
Artistic · Realistic · Conventional
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you OK with hours that change?
- 2.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Interior Designers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (48 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What interior designers do
- 01Design plans to be safe and to be compliant with the American Disabilities Act (ADA).
- 02Use computer-aided drafting (CAD) and related software to produce construction documents.
- 03Research health and safety code requirements to inform design.
- 04Confer with client to determine factors affecting planning of interior environments, such as budget, architectural preferences, purpose, and function.
- 05Advise client on interior design factors, such as space planning, layout and use of furnishings or equipment, and color coordination.
- 06Coordinate with other professionals, such as contractors, architects, engineers, and plumbers, to ensure job success.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- Design
- Customer and Personal Service
- Building and Construction
- English Language
- Sales and Marketing
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Innovation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from interior designers
- Landscape Architects83% · +19%
- Architectural and Civil Drafters77% · −2%
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval72% · +48%
- Film and Video Editors67% · +12%
- Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance67% · +45%
Change into interior designers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Landscape Architects73% · $79,870
- Architectural and Civil Drafters68% · $66,150
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval67% · $99,280
- Film and Video Editors67% · $75,420
- Music Directors and Composers66% · $73,710
Majors that lead here
- Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture
- Interior Architecture
- Facilities Planning and Management
- Housing and Human Environments, Other
- Textile Science
- Design for Human Health
- Interior Design
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.