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Interior decorator vs exterior designer

The differences between interior decorators and exterior designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an interior decorator and an exterior designer. Additionally, an exterior designer has an average salary of $93,819, which is higher than the $47,169 average annual salary of an interior decorator.

The top three skills for an interior decorator include customer service, in-home and space planning. The most important skills for an exterior designer are CAD, design concepts, and photoshop.

Interior decorator vs exterior designer overview

Interior DecoratorExterior Designer
Yearly salary$47,169$93,819
Hourly rate$22.68$45.11
Growth rate1%-
Number of jobs11,19443,807
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 54%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age4244
Years of experience44

Interior decorator vs exterior designer salary

Interior decorators and exterior designers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Interior DecoratorExterior Designer
Average salary$47,169$93,819
Salary rangeBetween $32,000 And $68,000Between $58,000 And $150,000
Highest paying City-Sacramento, CA
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-Tesla
Best paying industry-Automotive

Differences between interior decorator and exterior designer education

There are a few differences between an interior decorator and an exterior designer in terms of educational background:

Interior DecoratorExterior Designer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 54%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common majorInterior DesignBusiness
Most common collegeCornell UniversityCornell University

Interior decorator vs exterior designer demographics

Here are the differences between interior decorators' and exterior designers' demographics:

Interior DecoratorExterior Designer
Average age4244
Gender ratioMale, 17.1% Female, 82.9%Male, 72.1% Female, 27.9%
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, 0.4% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 5.8% Asian, 5.2% White, 85.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage23%13%

Differences between interior decorator and exterior designer duties and responsibilities

Interior decorator example responsibilities.

  • Manage Pinterest, Facebook, and Houzz profiles by responding to questions and updating photos.
  • Conduct in-home design and custom window treatment consultations and sales.
  • Demonstrate skillful communication and negotiation skills.
  • Design, modele and render graphically intensive exteriors and interior environments and animations utilizing the latest in visualization technology.
  • Design, modele and render graphically intensive exteriors and interior environments and animations utilizing the latest in visualization technology.

Exterior designer example responsibilities.

  • Develop customized user interaction models using object-orient prototyping.
  • Issue mass production drawings for various parts and vehicles.
  • Assist with cost and weight reports for the Acura MDX.
  • Create structural concepts, base on style data and underbody negotiation, and develop them into mass production parts.
  • Optimize production processes reducing unnecessary part cost without losing functionality and performance by designing new shapes or alterations for manufacturing.

Interior decorator vs exterior designer skills

Common interior decorator skills
  • Customer Service, 23%
  • In-Home, 11%
  • Space Planning, 8%
  • Custom Furniture, 8%
  • Trade Shows, 5%
  • Design Projects, 4%
Common exterior designer skills
  • CAD, 51%
  • Design Concepts, 28%
  • Photoshop, 17%
  • Design Presentations, 4%

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