3 rewarding career paths you can follow with an interior design degree

Do you have a degree in interior design but don't know which career path to follow?

Photo by Miltiadis Fragkidis on Unsplash

Let's explore 3 career options across a range of sectors you can choose from!

A residential interior designer could work in several different capacities including:

Interior Decorator

• personalizes living spaces

• chooses home decor based on their clients' preferences

• chooses details such as artwork, furniture, and window coverings

Kitchen Designer

• focuses on the built-in features of the kitchen such as the cabinets, cooking essentials, external features, and countertops

• creates a practical plan utilizing a particular design

• ensures that the room looks appealing while still being practical and effective

Real Estate Stager

• makes the interior of the home for sale aesthetically pleasing for potential buyers

• chooses furniture, artwork, and other items within the budget

• maximizes the space available

• creates an appealing design for website pictures

The average salary of a residential interior designer is:

$65,748 USD

$57, 156 CAD

Photo by Nastuh Abootalebi on Unsplash

A commercial interior designer:

• designs commercial spaces including buildings, co-working spaces, development centers, and research centers

• ensures optimal usage of space throughout the project

• acts as a liaison between each of the professionals working on the project

• ensures that the space will be safe for usage

A typical day as a commercial interior designer includes:

• meeting with clients and tradespeople to discuss the project

• designing and developing models and drawings of the space

• conducting research and creating blueprints, diagrams, or sketches related to the project

• choosing vendors for materials and labor

• providing estimates to the clients

According to Glassdoor, the average salary of a commercial interior designer is:

$74,280 USD

$71,503 CAD

A production designer works in the entertainment industry on:

• TV shows

• Movies

• Plays

A production designer is responsible for:

• the production's visual ideas

• choosing the sets and locations for the production

• designing the costumes

• collaborating with the producer and the director

According to Salary.com, the average salary of a production designer is:

$53,436 USD

$51,946 CAD

Charlie recently graduated with a bachelor's degree in interior design. They're artistic, creative, and have a love for creating fun spaces.

While in college, Charlie completed an internship at a real estate company where they staged homes for sale. They found this job to be a challenge but grew to like it over time.

Growing up, Charlie loved to watch TV shows and movies, not for the plot but to judge the set and costume choices! Charlie loves the idea of seeing all of the moving parts of a play come together into an amazing production.

Their favorite way to spend their free time is to travel to NYC to see Broadway shows.

Are you ready to take your interior design degree and decide on a career path?