All You Need to Know About Studying Interior Design in USA

More experts are required to design living spaces that can house people in small spaces due to rapid urbanization and population growth. Studying interior design in USA can help with that. Interior designers strive to create architecture that complies with contemporary urban ideas as well as environmental and sustainability standards. By using their technical expertise and creativity they refresh a space and make it safe and comfortable. Interior designers naturally multitask; they oversee each project from beginning to end, choosing color schemes, designs, and materials, as well as coordinating with technicians and vendors. They also create blueprints for the interiors. We’ll discuss a variety of interior design courses in this blog post to help you get your design career off to a great start.

Why Study Interior Design in the USA?

By 2027, there will be a 45% increase in demand for interior designers, according to US News. Amidst such a demand if you are thinking to study interior deisgn in USA here are the reasons to do it :

• Students with degrees in interior design are not just limited to working in this industry; they also have a wide range of career options in areas like architectural firms, retail, design consultancies, and construction firms.
• Following the interior design course, you will have the chance to work anywhere with a good salary. Depending on experience, the area of specialization, and other factors, the average annual salary of an interior designer ranges around USD 66,864 (INR 55.23 Lakhs).
• Work with clients from around the world on interior design projects to learn about various industries. Later on, you can advise clients on the design, construction, colour scheme, furniture selection, and finishing touches for their homes.

Skills Required For Interior Designers

For studying interior design in the USA you require these primary skills.

• Good communication skills
• Drawing ability
• Effective client relationship
• Quick decision-making
• Problem-solving
• Ability to multitask
• Eye for creativity and aesthetic
• Ability to understand different materials, colours and textures 

Best Courses to Study Interior Design in USA

The needs and requirements of a wide range of people are catered to by the variety of degree programs that interior design colleges in USA offer.This table provides a clear overview of the various options for pursuing interior design education in the USA:

Course Level	Duration	Focus
Bachelor of Interior Design	3–4 years	Foundations of interior design, communication skills, pattern interpretation, creative thinking.
Master of Interior Design	1–3 years	Advanced research, integration of classical and modern approaches, architecture, and design concepts.
Certificate/Diploma in Interior Designing	6 months – 2 years	Hands-on training in specific areas of interior design, skill development for the workplace.

Top Universities to Study Interior Design USA

Some of the popular universities offering Interior Design in the USA are as follows:

University	Popular Course Name	Course Fee	QS World Ranking 2025
University of Pennsylvania	MSc in Design-Environmental Building Design	USD 45,000	#11
University of California Berkeley	Master of Urban Design	USD 31,500	#12
University of Texas Austin	— BSc in Interior Design — MSc in Urban Design — Master of Interior Design-First — Professional/Post Professional — MSc in the Sustainable Design	USD 33,576	#66
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities	BSc in Interior Design	USD 46,778	#203
Michigan State University	— BA in Interior Design — MA in Environmental Design	USD 42,000	#152
Purdue University – West Lafayette	— BFA in Interior Design (Professional Program) — MFA in Interior Design	USD 30,794	89
University of Colorado Boulder	Bachelor of Interior Design	USD 40,104	#320
Arizona State University	— BSc in Design-Interior Design — BSc in Environmental Design — MSc in Design-Interior Design	USD 31,200	#200

Interior Design USA: Admission Process

Here are the things that you need to keep in mind if you want to apply for admission to Interior Design Courses in the USA. The application process begins months before the start of classes and lasts for a while. For international students to begin their studies, universities have two main intakes known as the fall intake and winter intake.

Interior Design USA: Eligibility Criteria

You can check the eligibility criteria for studying interior design courses in the USA on the basis of the course level mentioned below.

Bachelors

For pursuing a bachelor’s in Interior Design, candidates must fulfil the following eligibility criteria:

• Applicants must have completed their class 12th from a recognised board.
• Although the eligibility criteria vary from university to university so some universities might require a Duolingo test.

Masters

For pursuing a master’s in Interior Design, candidates must fulfil the following eligibility criteria:

• Candidates must have completed their graduation in related disciplines/ fields from a recognized university.
• Candidates must have scored between 6.5 to 7.5 in their IELTS Score.
• Applicants must have scored between 90 and 100 in TOEFL.
• Some universities ask applicants to submit GRE scores as the main requirement criteria and it should be between 155 and 167.

Diploma

For pursuing a diploma course in Interior Design, candidates must fulfil the following eligibility criteria:

• Class 12 from a recognized board is the minimum requirement for undergraduate interior design courses.
• A certain level of math and physics proficiency is required by some colleges.
• Candidates for international universities must submit their IELTS or TOEFL results as proof of their English language proficiency.

English Language Proficiency Test Score Requirements

The IELTS and TOEFL scores are as mentioned below.

Level	IELTS Scores	TOEFL Score
Diploma	Between 6.5 and 7.5	79
Bachelors	Overall Band Score of 6 to 7 with a minimum of 6 in each band	102
Masters	Between 6.5 and 7.5	90-100

Interior Design USA: Application Process

Every individual university in the USA has its separate application forms, which are usually accessible from the university’s website. Here are the steps that you can take to file your application.

• Students must have a prior degree and submit their SAT/GRE/GMAT/IELTS/TOEFL scores, as necessary, to apply to interior design colleges. 
• Applicants must also submit official transcripts, a Statement of Purpose (SOP), and Letters of Recommendation (LOR) as part of the application process to study abroad.
•  These conditions, though, differ depending on the course and the institution.
• Call our specialists at 1800 572 000 to narrow down your top colleges and programs. Apply to multiple universities by starting your application through our single dashboard platform.
• Compile all of your supporting documentation, including essays, certificates, LORs, and test results for the IELTS, TOEFL, GRE, and GMAT, among others.
• Meet all application deadlines and begin the processes for requesting housing, a student visa, and scholarships or loans.
• Accept the offer letter and connect virtually with your professors, classmates, and roommates.
• Get your visa approved and depart for the university of your dreams!

To know the US Application Process in detail, check out this blog

Documents Required to Study Interior Design in USA

There are some documents that students must keep handy if they wish to pursue interior design in USA .Here we have listed them:

• English Proficiency scores IELTS, TOFEL.
• Academic Transcripts
• SAT/ACT Scores
• Statement of Purpose (SOP)
• Letter of Recommendation (LOR)
• Resume/CV
• Admission Essays

Cost of Studying Interior Design in USA

Top universities in the United States typically charge students between 38,010 USD and 70,000 USD in tuition each year to pursue a master’s degree in interior design.For example, in-state students paid an average of USD 6,062 for an undergraduate degree program in the academic year 2021–2022, while out-of-state students paid an average of USD 19,790 (INR 16,35,890.88) in tuition and fees.

Cost of Living in the USA

Whether an international student lives off-campus or on-campus, and what their lifestyle is like, will determine how much it will cost them to live while they are studying in the United States. Your meals, transportation, groceries, supplies, etc. are also included in the cost of living. When all of these costs are combined, your monthly spending amounts to between 1,300 and 2,500 USD

Career Scope After Studying Interior Design in USA

For those aspiring to pursue a career in interior design in the United States, various opportunities of reputable companies like Susan Grant Consultant, Ltd., NDH Search, and The Agency International, LLC opens up.Also after pursuing Interior Design in USA, there are many fields where you can work. Some of these are:

Job Profile	Average Salary
Interior Designer	USD 66,864
Interior Decorators	USD 65,000
Exhibition Designers	USD 52772
Lighting Designers	USD 63,392
Sustainable Designers	USD 67,699

Source: talent.com, payscale.com

FAQs

We hope this blog helps you to know about studying Interior Design courses in the USA. If you are trying to get admission to one of the above-mentioned universities then you should get in touch with Leverage Edu experts! Call us immediately at 1800 572 000 to learn how the application process can be streamlined and expedited.