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Interior Architecture

Instructional content is defined in code 04.0501.

Types of Degrees Interior Architecture Majors Are Earning

Those studying Interior Architecture can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	18
Bachelor’s Degree	637
Master’s Degree	101

What Interior Architecture Majors Need to Know

Studies in Interior Architecture build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Interior Architecture graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Interior Architecture emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Building and Construction — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Interior Architecture program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Interior Architecture careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Interior Architecture graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7
Communicating with People Outside the Organization	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Interior Architecture professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Adobe Illustrator	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Autodesk Revit	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Interior Architecture graduates include:

• Landscape Architecture Teacher
• Lecturer
• Faculty Member
• Architectural Design Professor
• Interior Design Professor
• College Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Assistant Professor
• Landscape Architecture Professor
• Architecture Professor
• Architecture Instructor
• Architectural Drafting Instructor
• Professor
• College Faculty Member
• Interior Design Faculty Member

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Interior Architecture graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	43.6%
Master’s degree	18.0%
Doctoral degree	16.6%
First professional degree	9.8%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	6.1%
Post-master’s certificate	1.8%
Postsecondary certificate	1.6%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.0%
Some college courses	0.6%
Post-doctoral training	0.5%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.4%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Interior Architecture?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 89.9% of Interior Architecture degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	680	89.9%
Men	76	10.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Interior Architecture graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	484	64.0%
Asian	45	6.0%
Hispanic or Latino	95	12.6%
Black or African American	42	5.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native	2	0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.1%
Two or More Races	22	2.9%
Race Unknown	16	2.1%
International Students	49	6.5%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Interior Architecture Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Interior Architecture graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$45,062
4 years	$55,703
5 years	$59,597

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $59,597 — roughly 32% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Interior Architecture Programs

Fully online options are documented by IPEDS for Interior Architecture. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	1	2

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Interior Architecture Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Interior Architecture graduates earn a median of $55,703 four years after completion — roughly 47% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Architecture and Related Services	20,162
Architectural Sciences and Technology	9,814
Architecture	4,594
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning	2,362
Landscape Architecture	1,050
Environmental Design	714
Real Estate Development	555
Architecture and Related Services, Other	166
Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation	151
ARCHITECTURE AND RELATED SERVICES	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.