Interior Design Associate's Degree
Read about the courses you'd take in an interior design associate's degree program, and find out what skills you'd learn. Explore the job outlook and salary potential for interior designers, and learn more about what these professionals do on the job.
Interior Design Associate's Degree
In this Associate's Degree Program, you will learn how to use various colors, designs, and accessories such as furniture to put together an attractive room or office. This program may be for you if you have ever walked into an office or a store and been attracted to or turned off of the product or job simply because of the appearance of the room. As products are marketed with pretty packages, so can services be marketed with nice buildings or rooms, and you will be the one preparing the 'packaging' with a degree in interior design.
| Topics Covered | Interior design programs cover topics like using colors and accessories to put together well-designed rooms or offices |
| Salary* | Interior design assistants can expect to earn around $39,865 annually, while visual merchandisers earn around $44,184 annually |
| Job Outlook** | Jobs in art and design, including interior design assistants and visual merchandisers, are expected to grow around 4 percent from 2016 to 2026 |
| Courses | Course topics include 3D design, history of interior design and design fundamentals |
| Job Skills | Interior designers learn to design living spaces and floor plans and how to make those spaces attractive and welcoming for clients |
Sources: *PayScale.com and **U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Career Opportunities
Typical Careers for Holders of Associate's Degrees in Interior Design
An associate degree is not typically enough to begin a career as a professional interior designer, though it may prepare you for work as an assistant or other related positions in the industry. Careers as assistants in interior design earn around $39,865 annually according to PayScale.com, while visual merchandisers, a related career, can be expected to earn around $44,184 annually.
Career Outlook
According to the U. S. Bureau for Labor Statistics, bls.gov, jobs classified as art and design workers, including these entry-level interior design jobs, are expected to grow about 4 percent from 2016 to 2026, which is considered slower than average. Even with the anticipated growth in demand, competition is still expected to be tough.
Degree Specifics
Typical Coursework for an Associate's Degree in Interior Design
Typical classes for an Associate's Degree program in Interior Design may include 3-D Design, Design Process, Residential Design, Contract Design, History of Interior Design and Architecture, Universal Design, and Fundamentals of Design.
Interior Design Skills You Will Learn
Upon completion of an Associate's Degree in Interior Design, you should be able to take a drab space and make it trendy and attractive, even if your client doesn't give you full reign over his or her space. You will learn how to design buildings and floor plans and fill those spaces with the right furniture to make them comfortable, inviting, and stylish.