by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, interior design was the 150th most popular major nationwide with 5,840 degrees awarded. This represents a 2.5% increase in interior design degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 5,693.
Our 2023 Best Interior Design Schools ranking analyzes 155 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for interior design students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of interior design programs later in this article.
A major in interior design prepares you for careers in which understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents is crucial. Required skills include talking to others to convey information effectively and giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. Specific interior design careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.
There are many different interior design degree levels. You can get anything from a in interior design to the highest interior design degree, a . Different interior design degrees vary in how long they take.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to interior design, with approximately 50.0% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for interior design workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 51.5% |
| Doctoral Degree | 22.0% |
| First Professional Degree | 10.0% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 9.5% |
| Master’s Degree | 5.0% |
90.6% of interior design workers have at least a bachelor's. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in interior design careers have.
This of course varies depending on which interior design career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your interior design degree? Interior Design careers are expected to grow 5.3% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to interior design.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Interior Designers | 69,500 | 4.5% |
| Architecture Professors | 10,500 | 10.5% |
As you might expect, salaries for interior design graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for interior design graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers interior design grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Architecture Professors | $99,320 |
| Interior Designers | $59,120 |
With over 472 different interior design degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased interior design school rankings to help you with this.
Interior Design is one of 9 different types of Design & Applied Arts programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Graphic Design | 8,710 |
| Visual Communications | 5,765 |
| Commercial & Advertising Art | 3,597 |
| Fashion Design | 3,103 |
| Game & Interactive Media Design | 2,692 |
