Interior Design Major

• What is Interior Design?
• What Kinds of Students Major in Interior Design?
• What Courses Do Interior Design Majors Take?
• List of Interior Design Jobs
• What is the Median Salary Range for Interior Design Careers?
• College and University Departments to Consider

What is Interior Design?

The interior design major prepares students for the profession of interior design by developing the skills necessary: identity, research, and creatively solve problems pertaining to the function and quality of the interior environment. They perform services related to interior spaces, including programming, design analysis, space planning, and aesthetics, using specialized knowledge of interior construction, building codes, equipment, materials, and furnishings. They also prepare drawings and documents in relation to the design of interior spaces in order to enhance and protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. Students learn basic architectural principles and how interior spaces function within an architectural context. They also explore the relationships between people and space, as they learn how to design commercial, institutional, recreational and residential facilities. Students develop competency in specific interior design subject areas such as graphic communication, theory, lighting, environmental technology, interior materials, and interior construction systems as they learn how to creatively solve interior design problems.

top

What Kinds of Students Major in Interior Design?

Interior design is a profession in which the satisfaction and safety of the customer are central. New ideas are often developed by these designers and turned into reality for many companies, mostly under a deadline and a strict budget. These individuals must be able to maintain a creative and motivated attitude at all times to be the best they can be at their current assignment. Themes like culture, heritage, generation, and intended surroundings are also applied in order to create the environment needed for a variety of companies for a variety of different and often vast needs and purposes.

Is Interior Design the right major for you?
Take the MyMajors Quiz and find out if it is one of your top recommended majors!

What Courses Do Interior Design Majors Take?

The required and elective courses you would take for Interior Design majors vary considerably among institutions. Courses are listed here that are illustrative of the breadth of topics you are likely to experience were you to major in this field.

Computer Aided Drafting and Design	Contract Interior Design
History of Interiors and Furniture	Interior Design
Interior Design Graphics	Interior Design Professional Practice
Interior Lighting Design	Interior Structures and Materials
Residential Interior Design	Space Planning

top

List of Potential Jobs in Interior Design

These professions and professional organizations illustrate the types of positions you might qualify for if you complete this major. Some majors are more directly related to employment than others, however. You should consider the likelihood of employment after graduation carefully, if you do not plan to go on for graduate work in a field. Even with the completion of graduate work in some fields, however, employment is difficult, so you should determine what the prospects are for this or any major. Employment possibilities are often enhanced by the selecting employment-related courses and by the enrollment in second major or in a minor.

Business and Office Interior Designer	Home Interior Designer

top

What is the Median Salary Range for Interior Design Careers?

U.S. Median Salary(starting):$35,700

U.S. Median Salary(mid-career):$59,900

Note: These numbers are national averages so you could make more or less than these amounts. Actual expected salaries will vary depending on your chosen career path, experience, and even your geographic location. Are you interested in detailed information about the forecasted demand for a particular profession? Are you interested in the estimated salaries such positions are likely to pay? This government Web site allows you to search on a particular job, whether listed here or not, to give you this information.

Bureau of Labor Statistics

top

Colleges and Universities offering majors in Interior Design

MyMajors complete list has 401 schools in the USA with a major in Interior Design.
-View the national listing!

top

For information on options available to campuses wishing to see their programs listed on MyMajors, contact for details.