by Updated on | $ Average Tuition (state residents): $6,060 per year | $ $ Average Tuition (out-of-state): $19,790 per year | $ $ $ Bachelor's Degree (Tuition + Extras): $8,000-$60,000 per year |
When a person enters a room or space, the decoration and disposition of it will make a solid first impression, which can be good or bad, or it can even have a purpose.
In any case, an interior designer is a person in charge of taking an empty room or space and transforming it into a space with a purpose.
Interior design schools give these creative people the necessary tools to learn how to use different factors, like lighting, colors, and other materials, to produce a space that represents their clients’ wants.
What Is An Interior Designer?
Interior design can be described as the art and science of enhancing, upgrading, or magnifying the beauty of a space’s interior.
Then interior designers are the professionals that utilize various tools and techniques to make interior spaces functional and fashionable.
Interior designers work with clients to create aesthetically pleasing interiors and spaces that follow the clients’ ideas and concepts.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statics, the median annual wage for interior designers was $57,060.
What Are The Responsibilities/Duties Of An Interior Designer?
According to CarrerExplorer.com, the major duties and responsibilities of an interior designer include:
- Advertising for new projects.
- Bidding on new projects.
- Sitting with clients to pinpoint project goals.
- Visualizing how spaces will be used.
- Sketching design plans.
- Picking materials and furnishings.
- Placing orders for materials and furnishings.
- Creating project timelines.
- Estimating project costs.
- Overseeing project construction and installation.
- Coordinating with contractors regarding plans and specifications.
- Coordinating with electricians, painters, plumbers, and other professionals.
- Ensuring the client is satisfied after the project is complete.
What Are The Costs For An Interior Design School?
The cost of an interior design school or institute can vary depending on the length of the program, the school if you are an in-state resident or out-state student, and the state the school is located.
According to CollegeTuitionCompare.com, the average tuition costs for interior design schools are $6,060 for state residents and $19,790 for out-of-state students for the academic year; public schools are the ones with the lowest fares.
A bachelor’s degree in interior design is the higher grade to achieve, and the program with the longest duration and highest tuition costs; a bachelor’s degree in interior design can cost between $8,000 to $60,000 annually, including extra expenses like books, stay, and more.
Depending on the state, interior designers may need to be licensed in the state where they work by taking a state exam named the National Council for Interior Design Qualification exam; this article made by ArchitecturalDigest.com explains more deeply about the interior design license.
What Are The Best Schools That Offer Interior Design Programs?
Now that more and more states require interior designers to be licensed, having a strong base and formal education is essential for interior design professionals.
According to ArchitecturalDigest.com, the best interior design schools and programs recognized by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) include:
| School | Location | Degree offered | CIDA accredited | Price |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah | BFA, M.A., and MFA | Yes | $38,340 |
| The New School, Parsons School of Design | New York City | BFA | No | $25,861 |
| Cornell University | Ithaca, New York | B.S. | Yes | $39,466 |
| New York School of Interior Design
|
New York City | AAS, BFA | Yes | $1,095 tuition per credit |
| Syracuse University
|
Syracuse, New York | BFA | Yes | $55,920 |
| Drexel University | Philadelphia | B.S., M.S. | Yes | $17,956–$18,405 (plus $790 per-term fee) |
| Fashion Institute of Technology | New York City | AAS, BFA | Yes | $10,846 out-of-state; $3,585 in-state |
| University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati, Ohio | B.S. | Yes | $13,855 out-of-state; $7,984 in-state per term |
| Rhode Island School of Design
|
Providence, Rhode Island | BFA, M.A., MDes | No | $55,220 |
| Kansas State University
|
Manhattan, Kansas | B.S. | Yes | $25,560 out-of-state; $9,489 in-state |
| Auburn University | Auburn, Alabama | B.S. | Yes | $15,993 out-of-state; $5,913 in-state per semester |
| Virginia Tech | Blacksburg, Virginia | B.S., M.S. Arch | Yes | $33,857 out-of-state; $14,175 in-state |
| Pratt Institute | Brooklyn, New York | BFA, MFA | Yes | $51,754 |
| Florida State University | Tallahassee, Florida | B.S., B.A. | Yes | $18,796 out-of-state; $5,666 in-state |
| Thomas Jefferson University | Philadelphia | B.S., M.S. | Yes | $41,900 |
| School of Visual Arts | New York City | BFA | Yes | $23,400 per semester, plus a $1,150 annual fee |