Why a Degree in Interior Design is a Good Career Idea

For several good reasons, an interior design career depends on starting with an interior design degree.

by Joe Cooper
joe.cooper@interior-design-schools-search.com
Interior Design School Search Columnist

An interior design degree serves as the foundation of an interior design career. You need skills to match your instincts, qualifications to match job descriptions, and a portfolio based on may interior design projects (which starts, of course, with an interior design degree).

Designing Isn’t Just an Instinct

True, you need good style and space instincts to be an interior designer. But that’s not all. You also need CAD (computer-aided design) skills. You need to know spatial planning. You need to know material selection, lighting design, and design styles (residential, commercial, restaurant, etc.). You can’t just “pick up” these things along the way. An interior design degree program will teach you the much needed basics of interior design.

Jobs are Based on the Degree

“Interior design degree required.”

“Architecture or interior design degree required.”

Where can these phrases be found? From actual interior design job listings. Interior design jobs, whether entry-level or senior positions, require an interior design degree. Some can be found that require only an interior design certificate (which is also a goods idea), but for designers interested in more significant and project-heavy interior design jobs, you’ve got to have the degree.

Interior Design Careers are Based on the Degree

In order to establish a longtime interior design career, you will need years of experience. In order to gain experience, you need that first interior design job. And to get that…. You can see where this is going.

The highest ten percent of interior designers earned more than $71,000 two years ago. This number has surely increased, as have the number of competitors out there. In order to make a significant salary as an interior designer ($71,000 is well above the national average salary, by the way) you’ve got to be educated.

Sources

US Bureau of Labor Statistics

About the Author

Joe Cooper writes home services and design articles and edits medical literature. He holds a bachelor’s in American Literature from UCLA.

Posted on May 9, 2007 at 10:09 AM

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