How to Become an Interior Designer in Arkansas

Interior designers improve architectural spaces aesthetically and functionally. They consider elements like colors, textures, lighting and space. They might work in both private and public venues. As an interior designer, you must be able to design spaces so that they reflect their intended purpose. Interior designers use a combination of creativity and technical skills to perform their jobs. Therefore, most all interior designers have formal training in interior design. Interior designers will often have to draw and interpret sketched or digital blueprints. They will often work alongside architects, builders, engineers, furniture designers and plumbers.

Search Certified Residential Interior Designer Programs

Get information on Certified Residential Interior Designer programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

Sponsored Listings

Requirements for Becoming an Interior Designer in Arkansas

The requirements for working as an interior designer will differ by state, as this profession is not regulated nationally. A degree in interior design is preferred by most employers no matter the state, because of the technical aspects of this job.

Topics covered in an Interior Design program may include:

  • Architectural and furniture history
  • Lighting
  • Space planning
  • Furnishings
  • Materials and finishes
  • Building codes and accessibility standards

Some programs will offer an internship as part of the curriculum, which can give students the chance to gain real-world experience.

Arkansas does not require certification or licensure from someone wanting to work in interior design; however, you do have the option to register as an interior designer within the state and then use the title “registered interior designer. This registration is available through the Arkansas State Board of Architects, Land Architects and Interior Designers (ASBALAID).

Featured School

Penn Foster Career School – Online Interior Decorator Career Diploma

Develop your natural talent for interior design with the Penn Foster’s regionally and nationally accredited Interior Decorator Program and Become Certified in as little as five months! You also receive a paid six-month Certified Interior Decorator (C.I.D.) professional membership upon successful completion of the program and the certification exam. Call 1-800-851-1819 today.

Interior Design Schools in Arkansas

To become nationally certified and register as an interior designer in the state of Arkansas, you must complete an interior design degree program that is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). Arkansas has a couple of colleges that offer accredited programs.

  • Harding University offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program in interior design. This program is typically completed in four years. Students of the program regularly receive awards in commercial, residential and health care design. Sixty percent of students who graduated from this program in 2016 found a job in interior design by January of 2017.
  • University of Arkansas in Fayetteville offers a Bachelor of Interior Design degree program that takes four years to complete. It is offered at the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design on the University of Arkansas campus. As a part of their coursework, third- and fourth-year design students design a website that is viewed by design directors at some of the top architecture and interior design firms across the United States.

National Certification and Registration for Interior Designers in Arkansas

To register as an interior designer in the state of Arkansas, you must hold a degree in interior design that is accredited by the CIDA and pass the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam. The application fee for registration is $250. Renewal is done annually by paying $100 and taking six continuing education credits.

The NCIDQ exam is regulated by the Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ). To apply to take the exam, you must complete one of the following education and work combinations:

  • CIDA-accredited interior design degree (four-year) and two years full-time work experience
  • Non-accredited interior design degree and two years full-time work experience
  • Any other degree plus an interior design degree and two years full-time work experience
  • Interior design associate degree (60 semester hours) and three years full-time work experience
  • Interior design associate degree (40 semester hours) and four years full-time work experience
  • Accredited architecture degree and three years full-time work experience

Three sections make up the NCIDQ exam: the Interior Design Fundamentals Exam (IDFX), the Interior Design Professional Exam (IDPX) and the Practicum (PRAC) exam. You must pay $225 to apply to take all three parts of the exam. Once you have applied and receive permission to take the exam, you will have a 10-exam window in which you must complete all three sections. Registration fees are: $295 for the IDFX exam, $350 for the IDPX exam and $455 for the PRAC exam. A $150 cancellation fee will apply if you cancel an exam. You will receive your certification when you have passed all three parts. A fee of $75 and proof of 10 continued education credits are needed to renew your certification annually.

Career Outlook and Salary Expectations

The employment and salary landscape for interior designers in Arkansas has seen notable updates. Contrary to the previous projection of a decrease in employment, the latest data focuses on salary information, revealing that interior designers in Arkansas now have an average annual salary of $64,240, which is above the national average of $61,590. In Arkansas, the lowest 10% of earners make about $35,740 annually, while the highest 10% can earn up to $109,540, indicating a wide range of earning potential within the state.

National vs. Arkansas Salaries for Interior Designers

Location Annual Low (10%) Annual Median Annual High (90%)
United States $36,610 $61,590 $101,550
Arkansas $35,740 $64,240 $109,540

Salaries and Percentiles by Region in Arkansas for Interior Designers

Region Annual Low (10%) Annual QL (25%) Annual Median (50%) Annual QU (75%) Annual High (90%)
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $31,110 $37,380 $49,250 $61,640 $73,210
Memphis, TN-MS-AR $24,110 $32,170 $41,990 $56,600 $72,680

Interior Designer Trends in Arkansas

The employment outlook for Interior Designers in Arkansas indicates a slight decline over the decade from 2020 to 2030. The state had 830 interior designers employed in 2020, but this number is projected to decrease to 810 by 2030, reflecting a -2% growth rate. Despite this slight decrease, there are still projected to be 70 annual job openings within the state during this period, which includes positions due to growth and replacements. This contrasts with the national trend, where the employment of interior designers is expected to grow by 4% from 2022 to 2032, increasing from 94,900 to 98,700 employees, with an estimated 9,000 annual job openings across the United States.

Employement Trends

Location Employment (Start Year) Projected Employment (End Year) Projected Growth Projected Annual Job Openings
Arkansas 830 (2020) 810 (2030) -2% 70
United States 94,900 (2022) 98,700 (2032) 4% 9,000

Souces of data:

The data provided in the summaries and tables comes from the O*NET Online website, specifically from the pages detailing employment trends and wage information for Interior Designers in Arkansas and nationwide. The employment trend data is sourced from Projections Central and the wage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for the year 2022-2032. These sources are reputable for their comprehensive and up-to-date labor market information, including occupation-specific employment projections and wage statistics across the United States.

Working as an Interior Designer in Arkansas

As an interior designer, you may work in commercial design, exhibition design, healthcare design, hospitality design, residential design or universal design. You could work in remodeling, construction, on model homes, office or health care spaces, with architectural design firms, interior design firms or furniture stores. You could also work independently. In Arkansas, you may find the most work in some of the larger cities like Fayetteville, Jonesboro or Little Rock.

Search Certified Residential Interior Designer Programs

Get information on Certified Residential Interior Designer programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

Sponsored Listings

FAQs

What is the difference between interior design and interior architecture?

Interior architecture focuses more on structural design, with an emphasis on adaptive reuse and the remodeling of existing buildings. Whereas interior design is the practice of creating interior atmospheres – focusing on finishes, furniture and color palettes.

College Listings