Interior Design Careers and Employment

Interior design and related career options are available to the technically minded as well as the artistic. Personal characteristics of interior designers often include:

• self-starter
• creative aptitude
• willingness to use computers
• good interpersonal skills
• attention to detail
• problem solving skills
• good communication and listening skills
• follow through
• good/positive attitude

The large spectrum of career options can satisfy almost every interior designer whether full or part time; corporate or non-profit; specialist or generalist; residential or commercial; small town or large city oriented.

Salaries vary greatly from the beginning designer at about $25,000-$40,000 to junior designer at about $35,000-$55,000 to senior at $45,000-70,000 and design director at about $65,000-$100,000 to firm officer up into six digits. The wide range comes from the make-up of the firm, geography of firm, clients/projects of the firm, opportunities for promotion and personal motivation. These figures are quite general and should be used as broad guidelines only.  A new graduate may begin out of college for a firm at $48,000 while another may begin at $30,000.  A designer with six years of experience may make $123,000 and another makes $45,000.

Sample Alumnae Locations -

• Appleton, WI              
• Boston, MA                
• Chicago, IL
• DePere, WI                 
• Los Angeles, CA         
• Madison, WI
• Miami, FL                   
• Milwaukee, WI           
• Phoenix, AZ
• San Diego, CA            
• Taos, NM                   
• Washington, DC

Sample Alumnae Employers -