Skip to content

Interior Designers

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media (27-1025)

Plan, design, and furnish the internal space of rooms or buildings. Design interior environments or create physical layouts that are practical, aesthetic, and conducive to the intended purposes. May specialize in a particular field, style, or phase of interior design.

At a Glance

Interior Designers earns a median of $63,490/yr with +3.2% projected growth. Typical entry: Bachelor's degree. Top skills: Design, Thinking Creatively, Making Decisions and Solving Problems.

Median Annual Wage

$63,490/yr

Projected Growth (2024-34)

+3.2%

Annual Openings

8

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree

Skills & Requirements

Skills (12)

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

4.0
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

4.0
Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

4.0
Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

4.0
Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

3.8
Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

3.8
Service Orientation

Actively looking for ways to help people.

3.8
Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

3.6
Complex Problem Solving

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

3.6
Persuasion

Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

3.5
Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

3.5
Time Management

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

3.4

Knowledge (9)

Design

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

4.9
Customer and Personal Service

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

4.5
Building and Construction

Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

4.2
English Language

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

4.1
Sales and Marketing

Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

3.8
Administration and Management

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

3.6
Computers and Electronics

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

3.5
Public Safety and Security

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

3.4
Fine Arts

Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

3.3

Abilities (15)

Fluency of Ideas

The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

4.1
Originality

The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

4.1
Oral Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

4.0
Visualization

The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

4.0
Near Vision

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

4.0
Oral Comprehension

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

4.0
Written Comprehension

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

3.9
Speech Clarity

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

3.8
Speech Recognition

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

3.8
Visual Color Discrimination

The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.

3.8
Problem Sensitivity

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

3.8
Deductive Reasoning

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

3.6
Written Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

3.6
Category Flexibility

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

3.4
Inductive Reasoning

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

3.3

Technology (15)

Trimble SketchUp Pro

Category: Graphics or photo imaging software | Hot Technology

4.5
Microsoft Word

Category: Word processing software | Hot Technology

4.5
Microsoft Project

Category: Project management software | Hot Technology

4.5
Adobe Photoshop

Category: Graphics or photo imaging software | Hot Technology

4.5
Autodesk AutoCAD

Category: Computer aided design CAD software | Hot Technology

4.5
Microsoft Outlook

Category: Electronic mail software | Hot Technology | In Demand

4.5
Microsoft Office software

Category: Office suite software | Hot Technology | In Demand

4.5
Microsoft Excel

Category: Spreadsheet software | Hot Technology | In Demand

4.5
Adobe Creative Cloud software

Category: Graphics or photo imaging software | Hot Technology

4.5
Adobe Illustrator

Category: Graphics or photo imaging software | Hot Technology

4.5
Adobe InDesign

Category: Desktop publishing software | Hot Technology

4.5
Autodesk Revit

Category: Computer aided design CAD software | Hot Technology

4.5
Microsoft PowerPoint

Category: Presentation software | Hot Technology | In Demand

4.5
Adobe Acrobat

Category: Document management software | Hot Technology

4.5
Chaos Enscape

Category: Computer aided design CAD software | In Demand

4.0

Work Activities (29)

Thinking Creatively

Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

4.8
Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

4.7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships

Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

4.5
Working with Computers

Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

4.4
Getting Information

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

4.4
Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment

Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.

4.3
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work

Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

4.3
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

4.3
Communicating with People Outside the Organization

Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

4.3
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards

Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

4.1
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others

Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

4.0
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

4.0
Processing Information

Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

3.9
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

3.9
Selling or Influencing Others

Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

3.9
Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People

Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

3.7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

3.7
Scheduling Work and Activities

Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

3.7
Documenting/Recording Information

Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

3.7
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others

Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

3.7
Developing and Building Teams

Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

3.7
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates

Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

3.6
Providing Consultation and Advice to Others

Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

3.6
Developing Objectives and Strategies

Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

3.5
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information

Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

3.4
Performing Administrative Activities

Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

3.4
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public

Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

3.3
Training and Teaching Others

Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

3.3
Coaching and Developing Others

Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

3.3

Careers with Overlapping Skills

These occupations share the most skills. A career transition between them means many of your skills transfer directly.

Explore Key Skills

Frequently Asked Questions

Want to build these skills?

Sign up to find courses that teach these skills, track your progress, and build a skills passport aligned to Interior Designers.

Get Started Free