Information Provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook
Keen competition is expected for jobs in interior design because many talented individuals are attracted to careers as interior designers. Individuals with little or no formal training in interior design, as well as those lacking creativity and perseverance, will find it very difficult to establish and maintain a career in this occupation. About 3 out of 10 are self-employed. Postsecondary educationespecially a bachelor's degreeis recommended for entry-level positions in interior design; licensure is required in 23 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
On average, Interior Designers earn $ 42,260 per year.
Job Opportunities for Interior Designers are expected to:
Increase as fast as the average.
Interior designers draw upon many disciplines to enhance the function, safety, and aesthetics of interior spaces. Their main concerns are with how different colors, textures, furniture, lighting, and space work together to meet the needs of a buildings occupants. Designers plan interior spaces of almost every type of building, including offices, airport terminals, theaters, shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals, and private residences.
Postsecondary education, especially a bachelors degree, is recommended for entry-level positions in interior design. Training programs are available from professional design schools or from colleges and universities and usually take 2 to 4 years to complete. Graduates of 2-year or 3-year programs are awarded certificates or associate degrees in interior design and normally qualify as assistants to interior designers upon graduation.
Interior designers held about 72,000 jobs in 2006. Approximately 26 percent were self-employed. About 26 percent of interior designers worked in specialized design services. The rest of the interior designers provided design services in architectural and landscape architectural services, furniture and home-furnishing stores, building material and supplies dealers, and residential building construction companies.
