Interior design is the art and creativity of modifying or renovating a given space, making it attractive and most usable as per requirement. Interior designers transform interior spaces into functional and safe art pieces by determining space requirements and selecting essential and attractive items.
Clients for interior designers range from homeowners to large corporations, and the spaces are designed to range from austere indoor and outdoor home environments to hotel lobbies and opulent mansions.
The courses in interior design range from majors in undergraduate degrees to master’s degrees and postgraduate doctorate degrees. In addition to degree courses, interior design is also available as short certificate-level courses of less than six months.
Interior designers specialize in a wide range of areas and pursue their careers in various fields. With any degree, interior designing also demands passion and interest to pave the way through creativity.
Suppose you have a passion for interior design. In that case, you can think of having careers in the fields such as commercial design, residential design, healthcare design, kitchen and bath design, universal design, sustainable design, and retail and store planning.
Interior design programs teach students about different principles and elements of design, architectural design and surveying, interior planning, and graphic design techniques. It provides students with creative abilities and technical knowledge and prepares them for a rapidly changing market.
For an average of 45,000 US Dollars, you can study bachelor's degree in interior design at some of the best universities in the USA.
Top Interior Design Universities in the USA: World Ranking
Higher education in the USA has been appreciated and sought by international students worldwide. If you want an interior design degree, the US could still be one of your top preferences.
According to the “QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023: Art & Design”, these are the best interior designing institutes in the USA.
QS World Ranking 2023 |
Universities |
Location |
4 |
The New School |
New York, United States |
3 |
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) |
Providence, United States |
6 |
Pratt Institute |
New York City, United States |
11 |
School of the Art Institute of Chicago |
Chicago, United States |
14 |
Art Center College of Design |
Pasadena, United States |
21 |
School of Visual Arts (SVA) |
New York City, United States |
16 |
Savannah College of Art and Design |
Savannah, United States |
48 |
California College of the Arts |
Oakland, United States |
101-150 |
Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) |
New York City, United States |
151-200 |
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) |
Rochester, United States |
|
Bachelor of Interior Design in the USA: Tuition fees
A bachelor’s degree in interior design is generally of four years duration in the United States. The annual tuition fee for the program ranges from $21,000 to $56,000.
Universities/Colleges |
Courses |
Tuition fees per annum |
Duration/Credits |
The New School |
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Interior Design |
$53,708 ($26,854*2) |
4 years (120 credits) |
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) |
BFA in Interior Studies: Adaptive Reuse |
$56,435 |
4 years |
Pratt Institute |
Interior Design, BFA |
$53,566 |
4 years (126 credits) |
School of the Art Institute of Chicago |
Bachelor of Interior Architecture |
$42,840 ($1785 *24) |
4 years |
Art Center College of Design |
Bachelor of Science in Spatial Experience Design |
$48,942 ($24,471*2) |
4 years (144 credits) |
School of Visual Arts (SVA) |
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design |
$23,400 |
4 years |
Savannah College of Art and Design |
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design |
$39,105 |
180 credits |
California College of the Arts |
BFA Interior Design |
$53,856 |
4 years (120 credits) |
Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) |
Bachelor of Fine Arts , major in Interior Design |
$21,696 ($904*24) |
4 years |
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) |
BFA Interior Design |
$53,720 |
4 years (120 credits) |
Bachelor of Interior Design in the USA: Document Checklist and Entry Requirements
Document checklist
- Academic documents of high school diploma and class 10 (this includes official transcripts, provisional and character certificates)
- Statement of Purpose (SOP)
- Letter of Recommendation (if asked)
- English test score
- Application fees
- Passport
- CV
- Proof of Scholarships if any
- ACT/SAT Scores (if asked)
Academic Requirement:
- Completion of 12 years of education or equivalent
English Language Requirement:
- IELTS: An overall band score of 6.0 to 7.0 with a minimum of 6.0 in each band
- TOEFL: An overall score of 70 to 85, with a minimum of 16 in each field
- PTE: An overall score of 50-65, with a minimum of 50 in each communication skill
- DUOLINGO: A minimum score of 95
Masters of Interior Design in the USA: Tuition Fees
A master's degree in interior design is generally 1 to 2 years in the United States. The tuition fee for the program ranges from $22,000 to $44,000 per year.
Universities/Colleges |
Courses |
Tuition fees per annum |
Duration |
The New School |
Master of Fine Arts, Interior Design |
$55,080 ($27,540*2) |
2 years (60 credits) |
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) |
Master of Design (MDes) in Interior Studies: Interior Architecture |
$65,435 |
75 credits |
Pratt Institute |
Interior Design, MFA |
$57,360 ($1,912.00 per credit) |
2 years (60 credit) |
School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) |
Master of Architecture with an Emphasis in Interior Architecture |
$33,480 ($1860 per credit) |
2 years |
Art Center College of Design |
Master of Science in Spatial Experience Design |
$51,726 ($25,863*2) |
2-3 years |
School of Visual Arts (SVA) |
M.A. in interior design |
$40,050 |
45 hours |
M.F.A. in interior design |
90 hours |
Masters of Interior Design in the USA: Document Checklist and Entry Requirements
Document Checklist
- Academic documents of bachelor's degree, high school diploma and class 10 (this includes official transcripts, provisional and character certificates)
- Statement of Purpose (SOP)
- Letter of Recommendation (if asked)
- English test score
- Application fees
- Passport
- CV
- Proof of Scholarships, if any
- GRE Scores (if asked)
Academic Requirement:
- A Bachelor's degree in related fields like Interior Design, Spatial Design, Interior Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Architecture, Spatial Arts, Theatre Design, Exhibition Design, Service Design, Industrial Design, Experience Design
- A minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA in the last 60 hours of the first bachelor's degree program
- GRE (Graduate Record Exam) may be required
English Language Requirement:
- IELTS: An overall band score of 6.5 to 7.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each band
- TOEFL: An overall score of 90-100, with a minimum of 18 in each field
- PTE: A minimum score of 70
- DUOLINGO: A minimum score of 110
Top Interior Design Universities in the USA: Scholarships
Scholarships in the USA are typically merit-based, which means they are awarded based on desired characteristics such as academic achievement, athletics, or extra-curricular activities. Candidates applying for a bachelor's of interior design can get merit-based scholarships or other bursaries for specific programs.
However, those applying for a master's in interior design may be required to present their work portfolio and concentration of interest. Federal or state governments, institutions, or private or non-profit organizations may award scholarships.
Meanwhile, you might get confused and overwhelmed while researching various scholarship opportunities. Therefore, it would be wise to apply for those you meet the requirements for and stick to the deadlines.
In the table below are some scholarships offered by listed institutes that might fit in with your academic and career profile in interior design.
Universities/Colleges |
Scholarships |
Amount |
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) |
RISD scholarships |
Varies |
Segal Americorps Match |
up to $5,550 |
|
School of the Art Institute of Chicago |
AmCham Charitable Foundation US Studies Scholarship |
Varies |
School of Visual Arts (SVA) |
Silas H. Rhodes Scholarship |
N/A |
Savannah College of Art and Design |
SCAD academic scholarships |
$1,500-$12,000 |
International Student Scholarship |
Varies |
|
Frances Larkin McCommon Scholarship |
Full tuition |
|
California College of the Arts |
Angelo Donghia Foundation Scholarship |
$30,000 |
|
Top Interior Design Universities in the USA: Scope
As you are aware, there are no career limitations in the world of creativity. Against this backdrop, graduates of interior design can work in enormous sectors.
With even an undergraduate degree in interior design, you can have opportunities around architectural practices, interior design practices, construction companies, the design and construction industry, and corporate furniture suppliers, to name a few. While discussing roles, you can get hired as an interior design, design consultant, event designer, furniture designer, etc.
The average salary of a graduate in interior design in the United States is around $64,000 per year.
Top recruiters of the program in the USA are:
- ARExA
- Bentel & Bentel Architects
- Bohn Architecture & Design
- Cleo Design
- Clodagh Design
- Codfish Park Design
- Dai Hyun M&B
- 1100 Architects
- Jeffrey Beers International
- KFR Design
- Kliment Halsband Architects
- M Moser Associates
- Perkins Eastman
- Perkins & Will
- The Phillips Group (TPG)
- TOWN Residential
- TSIG Consulting
- VOA Architecture
In these or many other companies, you can be entitled to different job roles and get exposed to a better earning opportunity.
Job Title |
Range |
Average |
Interior Designer |
$39,000 - $74,000 |
$53,739 |
Senior Interior Designer |
$52,000 - $99,000 |
$69,723 |
Project Manager, Interior Design |
$68,000 - $135,000 |
$95,200 |
CAD Technician |
$35,000 - $59,000 |
$46,169 |
Design Architect |
$36,000 - $72,000 |
$49,558 |
Furniture Designer |
$65,000 - $147,000 |
$91,066 |