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What You Need to Know About Interior Designer

Interior Designer Job Description Plan, design, and furnish interiors of residential, commercial, or industrial buildings. Formulate design which is practical, aesthetic, and conducive to intended purposes, such as raising productivity, selling merchandise, or improving life style. May specialize in a particular field, style, or phase of interior design.

Life As an Interior Designer: What Do They Do?

  • Advise client on interior design factors such as space planning, layout and use of furnishings or equipment, and color coordination.
  • Design plans to be safe and to be compliant with the American Disabilities Act (ADA).
  • Inspect construction work on site to ensure its adherence to the design plans.
  • Formulate environmental plan to be practical, esthetic, and conducive to intended purposes, such as raising productivity or selling merchandise.
  • Design spaces to be environmentally friendly, using sustainable, recycled materials when feasible.
  • Select or design, and purchase furnishings, art works, and accessories.

Skills Needed to be an Interior Designer

When polled, Interior Designers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Active Listening: 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.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Types of Interior Designer Jobs

  • Interior Design Principal
  • Furniture Arranger
  • Lighting Designer
  • Room Designer
  • Interior Design Project Manager

Job Opportunities for Interior Designers

In the United States, there were 66,500 jobs for Interior Designer in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 4.5% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 3,000 new jobs for Interior Designer by 2026. The BLS estimates 6,500 yearly job openings in this field.

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The states with the most job growth for Interior Designer are Utah, Oregon, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Mississippi, Pennsylvania, or Wyoming. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Interior Designer Average Salary

The salary for Interior Designers ranges between about $29,970 and $94,130 a year.

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Interior Designers who work in District of Columbia, Alaska, or Rhode Island, make the highest salaries.

How much do Interior Designers make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $57,780
Alaska $71,150
Arkansas $66,840
California $68,440
Colorado $58,580
Delaware $59,240
District of Columbia $79,230
Florida $50,410
Georgia $53,800
Hawaii $65,300
Idaho $54,380
Illinois $52,150
Indiana $42,610
Iowa $44,800
Kansas $54,630
Kentucky $52,590
Louisiana $42,210
Maine $46,180
Maryland $66,140
Massachusetts $66,250
Michigan $51,030
Minnesota $61,220
Mississippi $56,960
Missouri $60,570
Montana $58,550
Nebraska $45,200
Nevada $56,520
New Hampshire $54,020
New Jersey $57,980
New Mexico $52,370
New York $66,790
North Carolina $54,650
North Dakota $48,960
Ohio $55,230
Oklahoma $47,630
Oregon $57,100
Pennsylvania $57,730
Rhode Island $75,110
South Carolina $47,680
South Dakota $57,620
Tennessee $49,590
Texas $56,430
Utah $62,220
Vermont $53,720
Virginia $52,670
Washington $63,480
West Virginia $52,490
Wisconsin $47,580
Wyoming $60,550

What Tools & Technology do Interior Designers Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Interior Designers:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Web browser software
  • Email software
  • Microsoft Project
  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
  • IBM Notes
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
  • Autodesk Revit
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Trimble SketchUp Pro
  • Computer aided design and drafting software CADD
  • McNeel Rhino software
  • Autodesk 3ds Max
  • MAXON CINEMA 4D

Becoming an Interior Designer

What kind of Interior Designer requirements are there?

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How Long Does it Take to Become an Interior Designer?

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Where Interior Designers Are Employed

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The table below shows the approximate number of Interior Designers employed by various industries.

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Other Jobs You May be Interested In

Those interested in being an Interior Designer may also be interested in:

Career changers with experience as an Interior Designer sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

References:

Image Credit: Szilas in the Budapest Museum of Applied Arts via Public domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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