CareerGPS

Interior Designers
Summary Occupational Forecast Data for Interior Designers
Employment Employment Change Average Annual Job Openings Wage & Training Levels
2020 2025 Numerical Percent New Jobs Replacement Jobs Total Median Hourly Median Annual Training Levels
935 1,016 82 8.74% 16 105 121 $28.75 $59,791 Bachelor's degree
Description: Plan, design, and furnish interiors of residential, commercial, or industrial buildings. Formulate design which is practical, aesthetic, and conducive to intended purposes, such as raising productivity, selling merchandise, or improving life style. May specialize in a particular field, style, or phase of interior design.
Forecast Data Source: EMSI (4th Quarter 2023)

Occupation Details

The information in this section represents occupational characteristics included in O*NET which defines key features of an occupation as a standardized, measurable set of variables called "descriptors". These distinguishing characteristics of an occupation are described in greater detail in the O*NET Content Model. All items are listed in descending order of importance.

  • Estimate material requirements and costs, and present design to client for approval.
  • Confer with client to determine factors affecting planning interior environments, such as budget, architectural preferences, and purpose and function.
  • Advise client on interior design factors such as space planning, layout and utilization of furnishings or equipment, and color coordination.
  • Select or design, and purchase furnishings, art works, and accessories.
  • Formulate environmental plan to be practical, esthetic, and conducive to intended purposes, such as raising productivity or selling merchandise.
  • Subcontract fabrication, installation, and arrangement of carpeting, fixtures, accessories, draperies, paint and wall coverings, art work, furniture, and related items.
  • Render design ideas in form of paste-ups or drawings.
  • Coordinate with other professionals, such as contractors, architects, engineers, and plumbers, to ensure job success.
  • Review and detail shop drawings for construction plans.
  • Use computer-aided drafting (CAD) and related software to produce construction documents.

Knowledge

93%
Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
82%
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.
79%
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.
76%
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
67%
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.
64%
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.
62%
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.
59%
Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
55%
Fine Arts - Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
54%
Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
54%
Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Skills

78%
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.
72%
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
69%
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
65%
Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
65%
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
62%
Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
62%
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
62%
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
62%
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
60%
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
60%
Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
56%
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
56%
Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
56%
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
56%
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
53%
Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.

Abilities

81%
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
78%
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.
75%
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
72%
Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
69%
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
69%
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
69%
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).
69%
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
62%
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 there is a problem.
62%
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
62%
Visual Color Discrimination - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
62%
Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
62%
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
60%
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
60%
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
60%
Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
53%
Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
50%
Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
50%
Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.

Work Activities

92%
Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
90%
Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
89%
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.
80%
Communicating with Persons Outside 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.
80%
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
79%
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
78%
Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
77%
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
75%
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.
73%
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
73%
Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
71%
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
71%
Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
70%
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.
70%
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
69%
Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
67%
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
66%
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
66%
Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
66%
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.
62%
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
62%
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
61%
Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
60%
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
59%
Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
59%
Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
55%
Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
55%
Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
55%
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
53%
Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
52%
Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
51%
Provide Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
Title Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Overall Experience A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Job Training Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Job Zone Examples Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, sales managers, database administrators, teachers, chemists, environmental engineers, criminal investigators, and special agents.
Education Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Interests

Artistic - Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outsi
Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Work Styles

Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

Work Values

Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.