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The differences between interior designers and fashion designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an interior designer, becoming a fashion designer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a fashion designer has an average salary of $54,265, which is higher than the $52,482 average annual salary of an interior designer.
The top three skills for an interior designer include revit, space planning and sketch. The most important skills for a fashion designer are fashion design, sketch, and apparel.
| Interior Designer | Fashion Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $52,482 | $54,265 |
| Hourly rate | $25.23 | $26.09 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 48,020 | 49,476 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 42 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
An interior designer helps people decorate their rooms and spaces, creating the most functional and beautiful area as possible. They sit with clients to plan desired goals, visualize the space's functions, and sketch the design plan. Then, they pick and order materials and furnishings needed for the project. Additionally, they create a project timeline, estimate cost, and supervise the construction and installation. They follow-up with clients to guarantee their satisfaction once the project is completed. Interior designers should have an understanding of building and construction as well as public safety and security. They must be flexible in their time since they work to meet client needs.
Fashion designers design and assist with the making of shoes, accessories, and clothing. They identify trends and styles, colors, and trims of a clothing collection. The designers keep an eye on travel shows and read fashion magazines to spot trends and interpret specific patterns, color palettes, and prints for each season. They sketch designs by hand, address buyers as a seasoned marketer, and create technical production drawings. It is part of their responsibilities to collaborate with team members to make edits to lines, select seasonal themes, and create new concepts.
Interior designers and fashion designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Interior Designer | Fashion Designer | |
| Average salary | $52,482 | $54,265 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $78,000 | Between $37,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | Nevada |
| Best paying company | German International School New York | Ralph Lauren |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Retail |
There are a few differences between an interior designer and a fashion designer in terms of educational background:
| Interior Designer | Fashion Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Interior Design | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between interior designers' and fashion designers' demographics:
| Interior Designer | Fashion Designer | |
| Average age | 42 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.0% Female, 79.0% | Male, 17.3% Female, 82.7% |
| 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, 7.3% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 11.6% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 23% | 18% |