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Design consultant vs interior design assistant

The differences between design consultants and interior design assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a design consultant and an interior design assistant. Additionally, a design consultant has an average salary of $77,803, which is higher than the $47,621 average annual salary of an interior design assistant.

The top three skills for a design consultant include product knowledge, java and design process. The most important skills for an interior design assistant are space planning, in-home, and revit.

Design consultant vs interior design assistant overview

Design ConsultantInterior Design Assistant
Yearly salary$77,803$47,621
Hourly rate$37.41$22.89
Growth rate1%1%
Number of jobs59,47046,701
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 68%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

What does a design consultant do?

A design consultant is an individual who provides expertise incorporating functionality and aesthetics to a space or product based on the evaluation of the needs of customers or clients. Design consultants may collaborate with other professionals such as architects, graphic designers, or fashion designers to cater to the needs of their customers. They assist in improving existing designs, either in interior designs, fashions, or graphics. Design consultants may also work in different work settings like retail stores, architectural companies, or graphic design firms.

What does an interior design assistant do?

Interior design assistants are professionals who are responsible for providing direct administrative support while assisting interior designers with various tasks. These assistants are required to run errands and contact clients through phones to obtain important information. They are required to visit stores or shop online to obtain a multitude of materials when working on a project. They must assist interior designers in moving furniture and taking photographs of spaces while measuring rooms and items. Interior design assistants must also manage important projects and ensure they are completed on time.

Design consultant vs interior design assistant salary

Design consultants and interior design assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Design ConsultantInterior Design Assistant
Average salary$77,803$47,621
Salary rangeBetween $50,000 And $119,000Between $34,000 And $66,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CA-
Highest paying statePennsylvania-
Best paying companySlalom-
Best paying industryTechnology-

Differences between design consultant and interior design assistant education

There are a few differences between a design consultant and an interior design assistant in terms of educational background:

Design ConsultantInterior Design Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 68%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common majorInterior DesignInterior Design
Most common collegeCornell UniversityCornell University

Design consultant vs interior design assistant demographics

Here are the differences between design consultants' and interior design assistants' demographics:

Design ConsultantInterior Design Assistant
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 48.1% Female, 51.9%Male, 17.9% Female, 82.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 1.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 4.6% White, 82.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 1.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 4.6% White, 82.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage23%23%

Differences between design consultant and interior design assistant duties and responsibilities

Design consultant example responsibilities.

  • Manage a CMS website and WordPress blog.
  • Lead 5 country assessment of SME constraints and opportunities in order to program $2 million of donor funds.
  • Manage team of design, engineering, DBA, and QA members to implement wine club subscription e-commerce services.
  • Develop construction drawings using AutoCAD; coordinate bid process and vendor selection; and manage construction process through final punch list.
  • Manage the integration of multiple demonstration rooms into a comprehensive solution displaying design possibilities, implementation techniques, and corporate capabilities.
  • Specialize in RF telemetry circuits.
  • Show more

Interior design assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage the website and twitter page, write the blog posts and attend numerous fashion shows and sample sale rooms.
  • Create a presentation or sketch mapping out the space.
  • Work extensively on AutoCad, powerpoint, Microsoft suite.
  • Organize and make weekly PowerPoint presentations to local realtors.
  • Review and reply to RFI resulting in delivering successful projects.
  • Create digital 3D render spaces of client projects using Google SketchUp.
  • Show more

Design consultant vs interior design assistant skills

Common design consultant skills
  • Product Knowledge, 9%
  • Java, 8%
  • Design Process, 8%
  • Design Services, 7%
  • Design Solutions, 6%
  • Leveraged, 5%
Common interior design assistant skills
  • Space Planning, 9%
  • In-Home, 8%
  • Revit, 8%
  • Auto CAD, 8%
  • Administrative Tasks, 7%
  • Design Concepts, 6%

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