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Interior design internship vs interior design consultant

The differences between interior design interns and interior 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 an interior design consultant. Additionally, an interior design consultant has an average salary of $61,447, 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 an interior design consultant are customer service, real estate, and window coverings.

Interior design internship vs interior design consultant overview

Interior Design InternshipInterior Design Consultant
Yearly salary$45,975$61,447
Hourly rate$22.10$29.54
Growth rate1%1%
Number of jobs88,15148,894
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 an interior design consultant do?

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.

Interior design internship vs interior design consultant salary

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

Interior Design InternshipInterior Design Consultant
Average salary$45,975$61,447
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $63,000Between $42,000 And $88,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WARoseville, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaNew Mexico
Best paying companyLEO A DALYRH
Best paying industryConstructionConstruction

Differences between interior design internship and interior design consultant education

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

Interior Design InternshipInterior Design 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 interior design consultant demographics

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

Interior Design InternshipInterior Design Consultant
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 11.9% Female, 88.1%Male, 19.1% Female, 80.9%
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 interior 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

Interior design consultant example responsibilities.

  • Manage the integration of multiple demonstration rooms into a comprehensive solution displaying design possibilities, implementation techniques, and corporate capabilities.
  • Create 3D Revit models, construction drawings, and serve as a junior interior design coordinator.
  • Sketch preliminary design plans, including electrical and partition layouts.
  • Manage the integration of multiple demonstration rooms into a comprehensive solution displaying design possibilities, implementation techniques, and corporate capabilities.
  • Experience in HVLP, airless spray painting, tiling and finish carpentry.
  • Input data into point-of-sale (POS) system accurately and in timely manner.
  • Show more

Interior design internship vs interior design consultant skills

Common interior design internship skills
  • Revit, 20%
  • Sketch, 8%
  • Auto CAD, 6%
  • SketchUp, 6%
  • Design Solutions, 5%
  • PowerPoint, 4%
Common interior design consultant skills
  • Customer Service, 50%
  • Real Estate, 26%
  • Window Coverings, 7%
  • Space Planning, 2%
  • Aided Design, 2%
  • Product Knowledge, 1%

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