Interior designers call upon a number of skills and disciplines to create functional, safe, and attractive interior spaces. Bringing together lighting, furniture, colors, textures, and more, interior designers are experts in spatial planning, perspective, and color. Interior design remains a growing field that rewards the entrepreneurial spirit--as 26 percent of interior designers are self-employed.
Why Earn an Associate's Degree in Interior Design?
Today, earning an interior design associate's degree takes approximately 2-3 years, which can get you started in the field as an assistant interior designer. In turn, the associate's degree can serve as a springboard to a bachelor's degree, the most common educational requirement for employment as an interior designer.
Yet, earning an associate's degree can allow you to start working more quickly and with a number of online education programs available, you should be working on interior spaces in no time. Whether through campus-based or online education programs, typical classes may include:
- Architecture
- Color and fabrics
- Computer-aided design (CAD)
- Ergonomics
- Furniture design
- Perspective
- Spatial planning
Today, many states require interior designers to pass a licensing exam, for which you need two years of posts-econdary education, plus an additional four years of either education or experience in interior design.
Career Outlook at a Glance
- Number of interior designers in US as of 2012: 54,900
- Expected growth during 2012-22: 13%
- Self employed interior designer as of 2012: 25%
- Degree options available: associate, bachelor, and master
- Common job requirements: degree, apprenticeship, license
- Median annual wage as of May 2014: $54,850
- Top 10% earners as of May 2014: More than $89,700
- Highest paying industries: Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services, Furniture and Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
- States with the highest employment: California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois
- Top paying states: District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Utah, Connecticut, New York
Source:
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/interior-designers.htm
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes271025.htm