Interior Design Careers and Employment

Interior design and related career options are available to the technically minded as well as the artistic.  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 -

Commercial Architectural and Design Firms -
Eppstein Uhen Architects, Inc.
Plunkett Raysich Architects LLP
Kahler Slater Architects
Zimmerman Design Group
HLA Business Interiors
Interior Systems, Inc.

Residential & Home Design -
Lise Lawson Interiors
Jamie Wilkie Interiors
JT Interiors
London By Design
Donna Seeker Interiors
Brenda Kugler Designs
Pegasus

Healthcare Design -
St. Luke’s Hospital (Aurora)
Theiss Business Interiors
Direct Supply Eldercare
Brookdale Senior Living Inc.

Furniture Dealerships -
Building Service, Inc.
Corporate Design Interiors
Creative Business Interiors
Forrer Business Interiors
M&M Office Interiors
Hendricksen & Co., Inc.

In-House/Facilities Design -
Allen Bradley
Cobalt (Blue Cross/ Blue Shield)
Kohler Company
Kohl’s Department Store
M&I Bank
Northwestern Mutual Insurance
Quadgraphics
Walgreens
US Government
Harley Davidson
Hyatt

Specialty/Product Design -
Telesis
Gulfstream Corporate Jets
Marshall Towne Millwork

Lighting Design -
Anne Kustner
Harwood Engineering

Sales/Product -
DesignTex Fabrics
Herman Miller Office
KR Schaetz Associates, Inc.
Koroseal Wallcovering