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The differences between interior design consultants and design specialists 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 design consultant and a design specialist. Additionally, an interior design consultant has an average salary of $61,447, which is higher than the $56,917 average annual salary of a design specialist.
The top three skills for an interior design consultant include customer service, real estate and window coverings. The most important skills for a design specialist are customer service, sketch, and CAD.
| Interior Design Consultant | Design Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $61,447 | $56,917 |
| Hourly rate | $29.54 | $27.36 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 48,894 | 68,347 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An interior design consultant is responsible for designing the interior space of a client's property according to their specifications and budget requirements. Interior design consultants draft their initial layouts, including the cost forecasting and resources for the operations, to determine the client's approval or revise plans as necessary. They also review the current commercial trends to provide recommendations for their clients. An interior design consultant must have excellent communication and organizational skills, as well as expertise in utilizing software tools and applications for digital designs.
A design specialist is responsible for creating engaging visual images and digital content to improve customers' brand awareness about the organization's products and services. Design specialists may also work for media production, creating graphic animations for viewers depending on production requirements and media demands. A design specialist must have excellent knowledge of utilizing various software tools and programs, coordinating with the whole design team on adjusting plans, improving layouts according to budget limitations, and submitting deliverables within the set deadlines.
Interior design consultants and design specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Interior Design Consultant | Design Specialist | |
| Average salary | $61,447 | $56,917 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $88,000 | Between $35,000 And $91,000 |
| Highest paying City | Roseville, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Mexico | New York |
| Best paying company | RH | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Construction | - |
There are a few differences between an interior design consultant and a design specialist in terms of educational background:
| Interior Design Consultant | Design Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Interior Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between interior design consultants' and design specialists' demographics:
| Interior Design Consultant | Design Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.1% Female, 80.9% | Male, 55.1% Female, 44.9% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 Percentage | 23% | 23% |