Career Overview
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 Known As
- Designer
- Interior Design Consultant
- Interior Design Coordinator
- Interior Designer
Alternate Job Titles
- Bathroom Designer (Bath Designer)
- Certified Kitchen Designer
- Color and Materials Designer
- Commercial Interior Designer
- Decorating Consultant
- Decorator
- Design Consultant
- Designer
- Furniture Arranger
- Home Decorator
- Home Designer
- Home Lighting Advisor
- House Designer
- Interior Decorator
- Interior Design Consultant
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- 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.
- Coordinate with other professionals, such as contractors, architects, engineers, and plumbers, to ensure job success.
- Review and detail shop drawings for construction plans.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Review contractor bids to subcontract fabrication, installation, and arrangement of carpeting, fixtures, accessories, draperies, paint and wall coverings, art work, furniture, and related items.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Design
- Customer and Personal Service
- Building and Construction
- English Language
- Sales and Marketing
- Administration and Management
- Computers and Electronics
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
- Service Orientation
- Writing
- Complex Problem Solving
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Fluency of Ideas
- Originality
- Oral Comprehension
- Visualization
- Oral Expression
- Near Vision
- Written Comprehension
- Speech Recognition
- Visual Color Discrimination
- Speech Clarity
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Innovation
- Dependability
- Cooperation
- Adaptability
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Achievement
- Independence
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
- Recognition
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: 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.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Autodesk Revit
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
Tools & Equipment
- Architects' scales
- Computer aided design CAD multi-unit display graphics cards
- Desktop computers
- Digital camcorders
- Digital cameras
- Digital tape measures
- Drafting scales
- Drafting triangles
- Electronic scales
- Graphics tablets
- Laptop computers
- Personal computers
- Personal digital assistants PDA
- Plotters
- Precision tape measures
Work Environment
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $38,480 |
| Median | $63,490 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $106,090 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 69,580
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Commercial and Industrial Designers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $79,450
Craft Artists
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $38,480
Landscape Architects
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $79,660
Fashion Designers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $80,690
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $37,350
Is This Career Right for You?
Discover your perfect career match with our free comprehensive assessment! Get personalized recommendations based on your interests, skills, and values.
Take the Free Career Assessment →
Want Personalized Guidance?
For customized career recommendations, college selection strategies, and expert application support, explore the MehtA+ Admissions Consulting Program. We help students identify the right opportunities and navigate the path to achieving their academic and career goals.
Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.