How long does it take to become an interior designer?

Typically about four years for the degree. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do interior designers make?

The US median is $67,190 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree to become an interior designer?

Yes — a degree is the usual way in.

Where can you train to become an interior designer?

282 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

🎓 My University View

Home › Careers › Interior designers

How to become an interior designer

Arts, design, media & film · SOC 27-1025

$67,190US median pay, 2025

+2.7%Projected growth, 2025–35

7,700Openings per year

DegreeUsual way in

How you get in

A degree is the usual way in.

Bachelor's degree
Work as an interior designer

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

Program	Code	Schools
Interior Design	CIP 50.0408	240
Interior Architecture	CIP 04.0501	45
Facilities Planning and Management	CIP 19.0604	9
Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture	CIP 04.0402	2
Housing and Human Environments, Other	CIP 19.0699	2
Textile Science	CIP 19.0904	1
Design for Human Health	CIP 30.3701	0

See the 282 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does it take to become an interior designer?: Typically about four years for the degree. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do interior designers make?: The US median is $67,190 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree to become an interior designer?: Yes — a degree is the usual way in.
Where can you train to become an interior designer?: 282 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

Related careers in Arts, design, media & film

Coaches and scouts · Public relations specialists · Musicians and singers · Merchandise displayers and window trimmers · Graphic designers · Art directors · Producers and directors · Writers and authors