Interior Architecture

Types of Degrees Interior Architecture Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many interior architecture graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.

What Interior Architecture Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to interiors were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Interiors Majors

Interiors majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Skills for Interiors Majors

A major in interiors prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• 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.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for Interiors Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a interiors student include the following:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Interior Architecture Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with interiors:

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Interior Architecture?

The major attracts more women than men. About 85% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of interiors majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	11
Black or African American	5
Hispanic or Latino	20
White	71
International Students	47
Other Races/Ethnicities	15

Geographic Diversity

Interiors appeals to people across the globe. About 27.8% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• China
• Saudi Arabia
• South Korea
• India
• Canada

How Much Do Interior Architecture Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that interior architecture students who graduated in 2015-2017 with a master’s degree made a median starting salary of $46,550 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $45,025 (25th percentile) and $48,075 (75th percentile).

It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in interiors, it does not mean that they are working in a job related to their degree.

Salaries According to BLS

Interiors majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $59,120 to $148,970 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Median Salary for an Interior Architecture Major  ( 59120 to 148970 )

0K

250K

Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )

0K

250K

Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )

0K

250K

Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )

0K

250K

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Interior Architecture

Some careers associated with interiors require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for interiors careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	5.5%
Bachelor’s Degree	54.4%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	6.2%
Master’s Degree	18.7%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	4.9%
Doctoral Degree	10.8%

Online Interior Architecture Programs

In the 2018-2019 academic year, 51 schools offered some type of interior architecture program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	1	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	1	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	4	0
Bachelor’s Degree	2	1
Post-Baccalaureate	1	0
Master’s Degree	17	2
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Interior Architecture Worth It?

The median salary for a interiors grad is $99,320 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 149% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,188,400 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Interior Architecture

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to interiors.

Major	Number of Grads
General Architecture	6,145
Architectural Sciences & Technology	5,448
Urban & Regional Planning	2,729
Landscape Architecture	1,177
Environmental Design	717
Real Estate Development	452
Architecture (Other)	268
Architectural History	154

References

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Luis NГєГ±ez under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.