8 Best Interior Design Schools in Austin, TX

The University of Texas at Austin is a major public university located in central Austin.

It is one of the strongest options in the city for students who want a full interior design degree rather than a short decorating certificate or technical CAD program.

The program is housed in the School of Architecture, so it is a good fit for students who want a serious design education connected to architecture, interiors, space planning, and the built environment.

Programs Offered

UT Austin offers a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design.

The program includes design studios, visual communication, drawing, interior design theory, space planning, building systems, design history, materials, furniture, lighting, environmental systems, and professional practice.

Students can expect a studio-heavy curriculum with critiques, projects, presentations, and portfolio development.

The school also offers graduate-level interior design options and an interior design minor.

Students interested in professional certification should ask the department how the curriculum supports NCIDQ exam preparation and Texas interior design registration requirements.

Tuition and Cost

UT Austin costs depend heavily on residency, course load, fees, housing, and financial aid.

Texas resident undergraduates should expect tuition and fees to cost several thousand dollars per semester.

Out-of-state students usually pay much more.

Interior design students should also budget for a laptop, software, printing, studio materials, books, models, and portfolio work, which may add about $1,000 to $3,000 per year.

Program Length

The bachelor’s degree is a 4-year program and requires about 126 credit hours.

Austin Community College is a large public community college serving Austin and the surrounding area.

It is one of the most affordable local options for students who want to start with practical design training before deciding whether to continue toward a longer degree.

ACC is especially useful for beginners who want lower tuition, flexible scheduling, and a local program that does not require immediate university admission.

Programs Offered

ACC Continuing Education offers an Interior Design Institute certificate program.

Students study drafting, design fundamentals, space planning, problem solving, and the history of interior design and architecture.

The program is built around 6 core courses and 1 elective, so it is more structured than a single hobby class but shorter than a full associate or bachelor’s degree.

This is a good fit for students who want to learn the basics of interior design without committing to 4 years of school.

Students looking for licensure or advanced professional credentials should compare this certificate with degree-based programs before enrolling.

Tuition and Cost

ACC’s in-district tuition and fees are commonly about $85 per credit hour for credit programs, while out-of-district students pay more.

Continuing education certificate pricing can vary by course, but students should generally budget from several hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars for the full sequence.

Books, drafting tools, design supplies, printing, and optional software may add about $300 to $1,000.

Program Length

The Interior Design Institute requires 6 core courses and 1 elective.

Many students can complete it in about 1 year, depending on course availability and schedule.

Austin Community College also offers a separate Architectural and Engineering Computer-Aided Design program.

This is not a traditional interior design program, but it is very relevant for students who want technical drawing, drafting, and digital design software skills.

It can be a smart option for students who want to support interior designers, architects, builders, or construction teams with accurate plans and drawings.

Programs Offered

The Architectural and Engineering CAD program teaches computer-aided drafting and design skills using tools such as AutoCAD, Revit, SolidWorks, Cadence, and related software.

Students can learn technical drawing, architectural drafting, engineering drafting, 3D modeling, construction documentation, and digital design communication.

For interior design students, this type of training can be valuable because many design jobs require the ability to understand floor plans, elevations, details, and construction documents.

It is more technical than decorative, but it can strengthen a portfolio and make a student more comfortable with professional design software.

Tuition and Cost

For ACC credit programs, in-district tuition and fees are commonly about $85 per credit hour.

A shorter certificate may cost roughly $1,500 to $4,000 in tuition and fees, while a longer associate-level pathway can cost several thousand dollars more.

Students should also budget for software access, books, a capable computer, and lab or technology fees, usually about $500 to $1,500 per year.

Program Length

Certificate options may take about 1 year.

Associate degree options are usually about 2 years for full-time students.

Texas State University is a public university in San Marcos, about 30 to 40 minutes south of Austin, depending on traffic.

It is one of the best nearby options for Austin students who want a full bachelor’s degree in interior design but are open to commuting or relocating.

The program is part of the School of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Programs Offered

Texas State offers a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences with a major in Interior Design.

The program includes interior design studios, materials, space planning, technical drawing, design communication, lighting, building systems, codes, professional practice, and portfolio development.

Students also study both residential and commercial design topics.

The program is structured with sequenced interior design courses, which means students should plan carefully before transferring.

Students interested in professional credentials should ask how the program supports NCIDQ exam eligibility and Texas registration requirements.

Tuition and Cost

Texas State is a public university, so Texas residents usually pay much less than nonresidents.

In-state students should expect tuition and fees to cost several thousand dollars per semester.

Interior design students should also budget for studio materials, books, software, a laptop, printing, model supplies, and portfolio development, which may add about $1,000 to $2,500 per year.

Program Length

The interior design major requires at least 8 semesters because of course sequencing, so students should expect about 4 years of full-time study.

Texas State University also offers continuing education options that are available online, which can be useful for Austin students who want flexible training without enrolling in a full degree.

This is a better fit for adult learners, career changers, home decorators, real estate professionals, or beginners testing the field.

Programs Offered

Texas State Continuing Education offers a Certified Residential Interior Designer online course.

The program focuses on residential interiors rather than a full commercial interior design degree.

Topics may include space planning, color, materials, furniture, lighting, client communication, design presentations, and residential design business basics.

This is a practical option for students who want a structured online course.

It should not be confused with a bachelor’s degree or a program that automatically qualifies someone for licensure or registration.

Tuition and Cost

Online residential interior design programs commonly cost about $2,000 to $3,000.

Students may also need a computer, internet access, books, and optional materials.

Extra expenses may range from about $100 to $500, depending on the course requirements and whether the student chooses to buy additional design software or supplies.

Program Length

The course is usually self-paced and may take about 6 to 12 months.

A&E CAD Training Center is an Austin-area training provider focused on computer-aided design.

It was created to serve architectural, engineering, and design professionals who need focused CAD instruction.

This can be a useful option for students who already have some design interest but want faster software training than a traditional college semester.

Programs Offered

A&E CAD Training Center offers CAD-related training for architectural and engineering design.

Courses may cover AutoCAD, Revit, 2D drafting, 3D modeling, construction documents, and technical drawing workflows.

For someone interested in interior design, this type of training can help with floor plans, elevations, presentation drawings, and digital documentation.

This is not a complete interior design degree, but it can be useful alongside an interior design certificate or portfolio-building plan.

It may also help students who want to work as CAD technicians in architecture, construction, or design offices.

Tuition and Cost

Short CAD courses and software training programs can vary widely.

Students should expect costs from several hundred dollars for a short course to a few thousand dollars for more complete training.

A strong computer, software access, and practice time are also important.

Extra technology costs may range from about $300 to $1,500.

Program Length

Courses may range from a few days to several weeks, depending on the topic and schedule.

Texas A&M University is located in College Station, about 100 miles from Austin.

It is not in Austin, but it can be relevant for students willing to relocate to a large public university with design, architecture, construction, and environmental design options.

It is better for students who are interested in the broader built environment rather than only residential decorating.

Programs Offered

Texas A&M offers design and architecture-related programs through its College of Architecture.

Depending on the student’s path, coursework may include environmental design, architectural design studios, building systems, digital modeling, visualization, materials, construction methods, and design communication.

This is not the same as a straightforward interior design certificate.

However, it may be useful for students interested in interior architecture, spatial design, adaptive reuse, architectural interiors, or graduate-level design study.

Tuition and Cost

As a public university, Texas A&M costs vary by residency, campus fees, housing, and program.

Texas resident students should expect tuition and fees to cost several thousand dollars per semester.

Studio-based design students should also budget for supplies, printing, models, software, a laptop, and portfolio development, which may add about $1,000 to $3,000 per year.

Program Length

Bachelor ’s-level design or architecture-related study usually takes about 4 years.

Professional architecture routes may require additional graduate study.

The University of Texas at San Antonio is farther from Austin than the other options on this list, but it is still within Central Texas and may be relevant for students willing to relocate or compare public university interior design programs.

It is a good option to consider for students who want a full 4-year interior design degree and are looking beyond Austin itself.

Programs Offered

UTSA offers a Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design.

The program includes studio work, design communication, materials, lighting, building systems, construction documentation, codes, digital design software, and professional practice.

Students can expect a more complete professional design curriculum than they would get from a short online decorating course.

Students who want professional certification should ask the department about NCIDQ preparation, accreditation status, internship expectations, and how the curriculum lines up with Texas registration requirements.

Tuition and Cost

UTSA is a public university, so Texas residents usually pay lower tuition than out-of-state students.

Students should expect tuition and fees to cost several thousand dollars per semester.

Interior design students should also budget about $1,000 to $2,500 per year for books, software, laptop needs, studio supplies, printing, and portfolio materials.

Program Length

The bachelor’s degree is usually a 4-year program.