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Interior decorator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an interior decorator. Interior decorators usually study interior design, business, or fine arts. 54% of interior decorators hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 965 real interior decorator resumes to see exactly what interior decorator education sections show.
The most common colleges for interior decorators are the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Fashion Institute of Technology.
There are also many online interior decorator courses to help get the education required to be an interior decorator.
There are certain interior decorator certifications that you should consider. These interior decorator certifications include Certified Interior Decorator (CID) and Certified Interior Designer (NCIDQ).
What education do you need to become an interior decorator?
What degree do you need to be an interior decorator?
- Bachelor's, 54%
- Associate, 20%
- High School Diploma, 12%
- Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 9%
What should I major in to become an interior decorator?
- Interior Design, 20%
- Business, 18%
- Fine Arts, 8%
- Graphic Design, 6%
- Other Majors, 48%
Most common colleges for interior decorators
| Interior decorator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Fashion Institute of Technology | 13.33% |
| Troy University | 6.67% |
| New York School of Interior Design | 6.67% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 5.33% |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 5.33% |
Best majors for interior decorators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Interior Design | 19.9% |
| 2 | Business | 18.2% |
| 3 | Fine Arts | 8.1% |
| 4 | Graphic Design | 6.4% |
| 5 | Marketing | 5.7% |
Best colleges for interior decorators
The best colleges for interior decorators are University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, and Stanford University.
An interior decorator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for interior decorators. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become interior decorators.
1. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
2. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
3. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
4. Ball State University
Muncie, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,896
Enrollment
15,529
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
6. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
7. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$10,595
Enrollment
30,184
8. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
9. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
20 best online courses for interior decorators
Advertising disclosure
1. Interior Design for your Modern Home: A Room by Room Guide
Learn how to take charge of your home interior design and confidently make the right design decisions...
2. Interior Decorating: An A-Z System For Your Home
Everything You Need to Know to Start Decorating and Designing Your Home Like a Pro...
3. Styling and Staging Interior Spaces
Interior styling and staging is the key to character and interest in interior projects...
4. Mastering Interior Design Styles
Criteria and Characteristics Of Different Interior Design Styles Simplified...
5. How to Work with Interior Design Styles Like a Pro
Interior Design Styles Demystified...
6. How to Use Lighting Design to Transform your Home
Learn How to Use Lighting in your Interior Design Like a Pro...
7. Use Minimalist Interior Design to Live your Best Life
Minimalist Interior Design Deconstructed...
8. How to Use Color Like a Pro
Interior Design Color Schemes Made Easy...
9. How to Design a Room in 10 Easy Steps
Interior Design Made Simple...
10. Materials and Finishes in Interior Design
All You Need To Know About The Materials And Finishes Used In Interior Spaces For Ceiling, Walls And Floors...
11. Create & Design a Modern Interior in Blender
Learn how to design a realistic interior in Blender 3D!...
12. Everything Small Home Design
Small Home Living at its Best...
13. Design your Room Using Sketchup
Learn the principles of interior design and how to use Sketch Up to make a 3D model of a bedroom's layout and décor...
14. Design is in the Details: How to Accessorize Like a Pro
Take your interior design from good to great by focusing on the details...
15. Intro to Interior Design Course
This course will give you good base of knowledge about interior design enough to start designing few project of your own...
16. Use Eco-friendly, Sustainable Design to Improve your Life
Save Money and Live Healthier through Eco-Friendly Interior Design...
17. Complete Blender 3x Interior 3D Modelling & Rendering
Learn 3D Modelling, 3D Lighting & 3D Rendering: Create Photo Realistic Interior Scenes & Detailed 3D Models in Blender 3...
18. Graphic Design Masterclass: Learn Graphic Design in Projects
Graphic design principles, typography, & color mastery using Illustrator, In Design, and Photoshop. For beginners & more!...
19. Graphic Design Theory - Color & Contrast
Use Color And Contrast Masterfully In Your Design Projects...
20. Architectural Design Tools in Blender - 3D Design
Develop your creative and technical skills to create photo realistic architectural scenes and beautiful 3D models...
Top 10 most affordable universities for interior decorators
The most affordable schools for interior decorators are SUNY Farmingdale, fashion institute of technology, and florida international university.
If the best universities for interior decorators are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for interior decorators.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
2. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Cost of attendance
17,864
3. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
4. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
8. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
9. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
10. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for interior decorators
The hardest universities for interior decorators to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for interior decorators are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for interior decorators based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
2. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
5. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
9. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,465
10. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for interior decorators
The easiest schools for interior decorators to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, wayland baptist university, and curry college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an interior decorator without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for interior decorators.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
3. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
4. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
5. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
6. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
7. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
8. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
9. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
10. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
Average interior decorator salary by education level
| Interior decorator education level | Interior decorator salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $52,109 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $48,732 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $43,267 |
Interior decorator education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025