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Interior design internship vs design consultant

The differences between interior design interns and design consultants 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 internship and a design consultant. Additionally, a design consultant has an average salary of $77,803, which is higher than the $45,975 average annual salary of an interior design internship.

The top three skills for an interior design internship include revit, sketch and auto cad. The most important skills for a design consultant are product knowledge, java, and design process.

Interior design internship vs design consultant overview

Interior Design InternshipDesign Consultant
Yearly salary$45,975$77,803
Hourly rate$22.10$37.41
Growth rate1%1%
Number of jobs88,15159,470
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

What does an interior design internship do?

When it comes to interior design internship, interns are typically responsible for performing support tasks and gaining industry insights while under the supervision of managers or senior designers. They often participate in designing spaces, responding to clients' calls and correspondence, answering inquiries, and preparing conceptual presentations for clients. They may also run errands and perform clerical tasks such as preparing progress reports and documentation, create proposals, and even schedule appointments. Moreover, as an intern, it is essential to understand and adhere to the company's policies and regulations.

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.

Interior design internship vs design consultant salary

Interior design interns and design consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Interior Design InternshipDesign Consultant
Average salary$45,975$77,803
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $63,000Between $50,000 And $119,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaPennsylvania
Best paying companyLEO A DALYSlalom
Best paying industryConstructionTechnology

Differences between interior design internship and design consultant education

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

Interior Design InternshipDesign Consultant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Most common majorInterior DesignInterior Design
Most common collegeCornell UniversityCornell University

Interior design internship vs design consultant demographics

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

Interior Design InternshipDesign Consultant
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 11.9% Female, 88.1%Male, 48.1% Female, 51.9%
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, 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 interior design internship and design consultant duties and responsibilities

Interior design internship example responsibilities.

  • Manage the website and twitter page, write the blog posts and attend numerous fashion shows and sample sale rooms.
  • Work primarily with AutoCAD, SketchUp, and materials selection.
  • Conduct concept sketch, research materials and select furniture for these projects.
  • Create an initial design concept on sketch plans and as an online model.
  • Create finish board layouts and develop 3-D SketchUp renderings to assist presentations of finishes and interior features to clients.
  • Create client meeting PowerPoint presentation.
  • Show more

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 internship vs design consultant skills

Common interior design internship skills
  • Revit, 20%
  • Sketch, 8%
  • Auto CAD, 6%
  • SketchUp, 6%
  • Design Solutions, 5%
  • PowerPoint, 4%
Common design consultant skills
  • Product Knowledge, 9%
  • Java, 8%
  • Design Process, 8%
  • Design Services, 7%
  • Design Solutions, 6%
  • Leveraged, 5%

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