Interior designers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $41,420 | $19.91 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $67,190 | $32.31 |
| Mean (average) | $74,540 | $35.84 |
| 90th percentile | $114,140 | $54.87 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Interior designers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $61,050 | $32,560 | $103,030 | 620 | 0.64 |
| Alaska | $63,320 | $44,980 | $114,740 | 40 | 0.27 |
| Arizona | $61,460 | $48,380 | $97,850 | 1,600 | 1.07 |
| Arkansas | $69,990 | $45,390 | $137,160 | 740 | 1.24 |
| California | $80,230 | $50,940 | $131,770 | 8,500 | 1.02 |
| Colorado | $78,390 | $48,830 | $133,810 | 2,300 | 1.74 |
| Connecticut | $67,330 | $44,320 | $117,610 | 630 | 0.8 |
| Delaware | $60,360 | $48,770 | $86,890 | 190 | 0.84 |
| District of Columbia | $98,450 | $66,930 | $140,870 | 620 | 1.92 |
| Florida | $60,860 | $39,050 | $96,930 | 7,410 | 1.62 |
| Georgia | $71,760 | $45,190 | $123,820 | 3,050 | 1.36 |
| Hawaii | $63,780 | $45,930 | $121,480 | 270 | 0.95 |
| Idaho | Data unavailable | 350 | 0.88 | ||
| Illinois | $76,290 | $44,620 | $131,990 | 2,570 | 0.92 |
| Indiana | $62,580 | $40,860 | $94,750 | 1,020 | 0.69 |
| Iowa | $58,040 | $39,510 | $118,770 | 510 | 0.72 |
| Kansas | $61,090 | $43,040 | $94,380 | 400 | 0.61 |
| Kentucky | $59,240 | $38,690 | $97,470 | 490 | 0.54 |
| Louisiana | $60,610 | $37,500 | $81,280 | 350 | 0.4 |
| Maine | $63,830 | $34,280 | $93,840 | 230 | 0.78 |
| Maryland | $65,070 | $45,850 | $99,330 | 1,440 | 1.13 |
| Massachusetts | $80,110 | $52,230 | $123,100 | 1,580 | 0.95 |
| Michigan | $59,340 | $32,800 | $97,400 | 1,930 | 0.95 |
| Minnesota | $73,270 | $41,280 | $103,010 | 1,220 | 0.9 |
| Mississippi | $43,740 | $31,660 | $88,710 | 330 | 0.62 |
| Missouri | $59,610 | $44,360 | $103,440 | 1,010 | 0.74 |
| Montana | $61,770 | $31,540 | $86,070 | 290 | 1.24 |
| Nebraska | $64,870 | $43,840 | $100,200 | 430 | 0.91 |
| Nevada | Data unavailable | 590 | 0.83 | ||
| New Hampshire | $64,140 | $38,330 | $97,070 | 300 | 0.95 |
| New Jersey | $74,020 | $46,890 | $134,780 | 1,670 | 0.85 |
| New Mexico | $60,850 | $41,480 | $90,540 | 90 | 0.23 |
| New York | $75,580 | $35,990 | $125,620 | 5,340 | 1.2 |
| North Carolina | $61,400 | $39,870 | $100,450 | 2,610 | 1.15 |
| North Dakota | $59,190 | $39,100 | $84,960 | 160 | 0.79 |
| Ohio | $61,410 | $47,080 | $103,530 | 2,180 | 0.86 |
| Oklahoma | $68,520 | $38,460 | $105,380 | 490 | 0.62 |
| Oregon | $66,350 | $48,570 | $104,040 | 1,030 | 1.14 |
| Pennsylvania | $62,400 | $44,470 | $97,820 | 1,820 | 0.65 |
| Puerto Rico | $32,150 | $27,650 | $46,520 | 130 | 0.3 |
| Rhode Island | $58,100 | $50,270 | $99,990 | 550 | 2.37 |
| South Carolina | $63,790 | $40,720 | $101,360 | 940 | 0.89 |
| South Dakota | $65,220 | $46,650 | $124,490 | 150 | 0.72 |
| Tennessee | $63,660 | $40,240 | $101,460 | 1,530 | 1.01 |
| Texas | $65,160 | $39,430 | $103,850 | 6,450 | 1 |
| Utah | $61,740 | $48,130 | $96,590 | 1,110 | 1.39 |
| Vermont | $63,870 | $43,600 | $136,150 | 110 | 0.76 |
| Virginia | $62,560 | $43,230 | $100,030 | 1,550 | 0.82 |
| Washington | $76,570 | $48,050 | $109,820 | 1,330 | 0.81 |
| West Virginia | $49,800 | $38,130 | $77,510 | 90 | 0.28 |
| Wisconsin | $62,740 | $35,740 | $99,940 | 1,200 | 0.89 |
| Wyoming | $96,100 | $21,290 | $145,600 | 90 | 0.72 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for interior designers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 7,700. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 26.4%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for interior designers
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Healthcare Environment Design/Architecture CIP 04.0402
- Interior Architecture CIP 04.0501
- Facilities Planning and Management CIP 19.0604
- Housing and Human Environments, Other CIP 19.0699
- Textile Science CIP 19.0904
- Design for Human Health CIP 30.3701
- Interior Design CIP 50.0408
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Design plans to be safe and to be compliant with the American Disabilities Act (ADA).
- Use computer-aided drafting (CAD) and related software to produce construction documents.
- Research health and safety code requirements to inform design.
- Confer with client to determine factors affecting planning of interior environments, such as budget, architectural preferences, purpose, and function.
- Advise client on interior design factors, such as space planning, layout and use of furnishings or equipment, and color coordination.
- Coordinate with other professionals, such as contractors, architects, engineers, and plumbers, to ensure job success.
- Review and detail shop drawings for construction plans.
- Inspect construction work on site to ensure its adherence to the design plans.
Technology skills
- Adobe Creative Cloud software (in demand)
- Adobe Illustrator (in demand)
- Adobe InDesign (in demand)
- Adobe Photoshop (in demand)
- Autodesk AutoCAD (in demand)
- Autodesk Revit (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Trimble SketchUp Pro (in demand)
- Chaos Enscape (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- 20-20 Technologies 20-20 Design
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving, Persuasion, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Certified Kitchen Designer, Color and Materials Designer, Commercial Interior Designer, Decorating Consultant, Designer, Interior Decorator, Interior Design Consultant, Interior Design Coordinator, Interior Designer, Registered Interior Designer.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do interior designers make?
The national median annual wage for interior designers was $67,190 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $41,420 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $114,140. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do interior designers need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is interior designers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of interior designers to change +2.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 7,700 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay interior designers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($98,450), Wyoming ($96,100), California ($80,230). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.