6 Best Interior Design Schools in Tampa, FL

The University of South Florida is a large public university with its main campus in Tampa.

Its School of Architecture & Community Design is the strongest university-level option inside the city for students interested in interior architecture, spatial design, adaptive reuse, and the broader built environment.

USF is a better fit for students who want architecture and building-centered design than for those seeking a residential decorating certificate.

Programs Offered

USF is launching a 120-credit Bachelor of Design in Architecture during the 2026-2027 academic year.

The curriculum centers on design studios and includes visual communication, architecture history, theory, technology, urban design, and environmental problem-solving.

Interior design students can develop valuable skills in space planning, building systems, digital modeling, materials, visualization, and architectural documentation.

Students planning to become licensed architects would normally continue into an accredited Master of Architecture program.

Tuition and Cost

For 2026-2027, USF estimates tuition and fees of approximately $5,960 for a Florida resident taking 28 undergraduate credits.

Nonresident tuition and fees are estimated at $18,846.

Architecture students should also budget approximately $1,000 to $3,000 per year for a suitable laptop, software, printing, models, drawing supplies, and portfolio materials.

Program Length

The Bachelor of Design requires 120 credits and is designed to take about 4 years.

Hillsborough College, formerly Hillsborough Community College, is a public college serving Tampa and Hillsborough County.

Its Dale Mabry campus offers one of the city’s most practical and affordable pathways into architectural drafting, CAD, Revit, construction documents, and building design.

The program is technical rather than decorating-focused, making it useful for students who want to work with architects, contractors, builders, kitchen and bath companies, or interior design firms.

Programs Offered

Hillsborough College offers a 66-credit Associate in Science in Architectural Design and Construction Technology.

Students prepare for work as architectural design drafters, construction planners, estimators, and other building-design support professionals.

The college also offers a 24-credit Drafting Certificate covering AutoCAD, Revit, manual drafting, construction materials, and blueprint reading.

A shorter AutoCAD Foundations certificate is available for students who mainly want drafting software skills. Certificate credits can be applied toward the associate degree.

Tuition and Cost

Florida residents can expect the associate degree to cost several thousand dollars in tuition and standard college fees.

Additional expenses may include textbooks, software access, printing, drafting equipment, and computer hardware.

A reasonable extra budget is about $500 to $1,500 per year for technical supplies and software-related costs.

Program Length

The 66-credit associate degree generally takes about 2 years.

The Drafting Certificate may take about 1 year, while the AutoCAD Foundations certificate can be completed more quickly.

St. Petersburg College is a public college with campuses throughout Pinellas County, across Tampa Bay from downtown Tampa.

Its Building Arts programs are useful for students interested in architecture, building design, drafting, construction management, and digital modeling.

Programs Offered

SPC offers an Associate in Science in Building Design and Construction Management.

The curriculum prepares students to design and draft buildings while learning about estimating, construction processes, building systems, and project coordination.

Students can also complete a 24-credit Computer-Aided Design and Drafting Certificate.

The eight-course certificate covers advanced CAD commands, 3D drawings, solid modeling, digital design fundamentals, and industry software.

The technical skills can be applied to floor plans, interior elevations, cabinetry details, and construction documents.

Tuition and Cost

SPC estimates tuition and fees of about $4,679 for a full-time Florida resident academic year.

Books, software, drafting materials, transportation, and computer equipment may increase the total cost.

Program Length

The associate degree generally takes about 2 years.

The 24-credit CAD certificate can often be completed in approximately 2 or 3 semesters.

Pasco-Hernando State College is a public college serving communities north of Tampa.

Its New Port Richey campus is accessible to students living in northern Hillsborough, Pasco, or Hernando counties.

PHSC is a practical choice for students who want affordable computer-aided drafting training with architectural applications.

Programs Offered

PHSC offers an Associate in Science in Computer-Aided Drafting and Design Technology.

Students learn technical drawing, CAD, architectural drafting, building construction, design documentation, and skills used in building and manufacturing industries.

The college also offers a stackable Computer-Aided Design Technical Certificate focused on AutoCAD.

Certificate courses can be applied toward the associate degree.

Students interested specifically in interiors can use the training to create floor plans, elevations, furniture layouts, kitchen drawings, and technical details.

Tuition and Cost

PHSC’s Florida resident rate is about $105.18 per credit for standard associate-level courses.

A roughly 60-credit degree would therefore have base tuition of approximately $6,300 before books, fees, software, and supplies.

Program Length

The associate degree normally takes about 2 years.

The AutoCAD certificate may be completed in about 1 year or less.

State College of Florida has campuses in Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, and Venice.

Its Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch locations are within a reasonable driving distance of southern Tampa, but its residential interior design course is delivered online.

This is a flexible option for beginners, decorators, home stagers, real estate professionals, and career changers who do not need a full college degree.

Programs Offered

SCF offers a Certified Residential Interior Designer course through its online career training division.

Students study residential space planning, furniture, lighting, color, textiles, window treatments, accessories, client communication, and design business practices.

The program is designed to prepare students for the Residential Interior Design Education credential and the Residential Interior Design Qualifying Certification examination.

It should not be confused with a CIDA-accredited professional interior design bachelor’s degree.

Tuition and Cost

The complete online course is listed at approximately $3,995.

The price may include instructional materials, but students should confirm whether design software, exam costs, or optional supplies require additional payment.

Program Length

The course includes approximately 160 instructional hours and is self-paced.

Students commonly receive up to 12 months to complete it.

The University of Florida is a public university in Gainesville, approximately 2 hours north of Tampa.

It is not a daily commuting option, but it is the strongest public university choice in the region for students seeking a direct professional degree in interior design.

Programs Offered

UF offers a 120-credit Bachelor of Design in Interior Design.

The CIDA-accredited curriculum covers design studios, space planning, human-centered research, materials, lighting, building systems, sustainability, emerging media, professional practice, and portfolio development.

The degree meets the educational requirement for eligibility to take the NCIDQ examination, although graduates must also satisfy applicable experience and examination requirements.

UF also offers master’s and doctoral study in interior design.

Tuition and Cost

For 2026-2027, estimated tuition and fees are approximately $6,440 for a Florida resident taking 30 credits.

The estimated nonresident amount is $34,620.

UF estimates another $1,220 for books, course materials, supplies, and equipment, although interior design students may spend more on studio projects, printing, models, and software.

Program Length

The Bachelor of Design requires 120 credits and is normally completed in about 4 years.