How to Become an Interior Designer in Washington, D.C.
If you want to become an interior designer in Washington, D.C., you will have many opportunities within the nation’s capital in addition to surrounding areas in Maryland and Virginia that are thriving with interior design employment prospects.
Interior designers are creative professionals, but they also have a technical background that makes it possible for them to work with architects and contractors as well as kitchen and bath design companies. In addition to the technical knowledge, interior designers must have a deep psychological understanding of people and their behavior in order to create functional and eye-catching spaces that inspire, even in a business setting. Regardless of what the space might be for, interior designers create a plan or blueprint of a room, home or office with purpose.
Requirements for Becoming an Interior Designer in Washington, D.C.
To work as an interior designer in the District of Columbia and use the title you will need to obtain a license. To become a licensed interior designer by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) through the Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ), you will need to satisfy certain education and work requirements.
Those who wish to proceed with further Interior Design education, can expect to learn about the following topics:
- Art history
- Lighting
- Furniture design
- Textiles
- Space planning
To sit for the licensure exam, you will need to acquire a minimum of a two-year associate’s degree in interior design along with four years of work experience under a licensed interior designer or architect. If you attain your bachelor’s degree in interior design, your work experience requirements will be reduced. The more education you have, the less time you will need to work before taking the exam.
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Interior Design Schools in Washington D.C.
The Art Institute of Washington in Arlington, VA, recently closed, but there is one college in the District of Columbia that offers an interior design program that will satisfy NCIDQ and CIDQ requirements. There are also online options for those who want more flexibility as well as a couple of Interior Design programs located in Maryland, not too far from the capital.
- Corcoran School of the Arts & Design. Offering a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Architecture, this program will give students opportunities to push the limits of design as they intellectualize three-dimensional spaces. This program is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) within Washington, D.C. Seventy-three percent of graduates were employed in design-related industries within six months, and 18 percent were accepted and enrolled in graduate programs within six months after graduation.
- Academy of Art University, Online. The Academy of Art University offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Architecture and Design that can be completed online. This degree program utilizes a visually rich online classroom where students can present work with digital documentation. Upon completion of the program, students will qualify to take the NCIDQ exam and start their career as an interior designer.
- Penn Foster College. Penn Foster College offers an online Associate of Science Degree in Interior Design that can be completed in two years or at your own pace. Costing only $79 per credit, Penn Foster offers a flexible and a very affordable interior design degree. Students will study topics such as residential and commercial design, color and its implications for designers, drawing techniques, CAD for interior spaces and more. Upon completion, students will have 45 credits toward meeting the educational requirements for the NCIDQ examination.
- Montgomery College Located in Takoma Park, MD, Montgomery College offers an Associate of Applied Science Degree and a Certificate of Proficiency in Interior Design. Students in this program will get hands-on training with projects that require them to think three dimensionally as well as work with computer-aided design software.
Certification for Interior Designers in Washington D.C.
An associate’s degree in interior design plus four years of full-time work experience is the minimum requirement to take the NCIDQ. If time permits, it is possible for you to intern while in college, reducing your post-graduation work experience requirements
The education and work combinations to qualify include:
- An interior design bachelor’s degree from a CIDA-accredited program plus two years of full-time work experience (3,520 hours under a certified interior designer)
- An interior design bachelor’s degree that is not accredited plus two years of full-time work experience (3,520 hours under a certified interior designer)
- A bachelor’s degree (minimum) in any other major and no less than 60 semester hours of Interior design work and two years of full-time work experience
- An interior design associate degree (60 semester hours) and three years of full-time work experience (5,280 hours under a certified interior designer)
- An interior design associate degree (40 semester hours) plus four years of full-time work experience (7,040 hours under a certified interior designer)
- A Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in Architecture degree with three years of full-time work experience (5,280 hours under a certified interior designer)
The NCIDQ exam is split into three main sections:
- The Interior Design Fundamentals Exam (IDFX)
- The Interior Design Professional Exam (IDPX)
- The Practicum (PRAC) exam.
Once you’re eligible to take the exam, you will activate a timeframe in which you will need to register for and take the three sections mentioned above. The registration fees are $295 for the IDFX exam, $350 for the IDPX exam and $455 for the PRAC exam.
Career Outlook and Salary Expectations
The career outlook for interior designers in the District of Columbia remains highly favorable, with the area not only maintaining its status as a significant hub for interior design jobs but also as one of the top-paying regions in the United States. According to the latest data, interior designers in the District of Columbia enjoy an average annual salary of $80,460, significantly higher than the national average of $61,590. The salary range in the District of Columbia extends from $58,590 for the lowest 10% of earners to an impressive $140,630 for the highest 10%, indicating a broad spectrum of earning potential that can vary based on experience, specialization, and location within the area.
National vs. District of Columbia Salaries for Interior Designers
| Location | Annual Low (10%) | Annual Median | Annual High (90%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $36,610 | $61,590 | $101,550 |
| District of Columbia | $58,590 | $80,460 | $140,630 |
Salaries and Percentiles by Region for Interior Designers in the District of Columbia
| Region | Annual Low (10%) | Annual QL (25%) | Annual Median (50%) | Annual QU (75%) | Annual High (90%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $45,650 | $60,090 | $72,740 | $91,570 | $117,980 |
Interior Designer Trends in Washington, DC
The employment outlook for Interior Designers in the District of Columbia shows a steady growth, with a projected increase of 4% from 2020 to 2030. This growth rate mirrors the national average for the profession, indicating a stable demand for interior designers in the nation’s capital. In 2020, there were 1,000 interior designers employed in the District, and this number is expected to rise to 1,040 by 2030. Annually, there are projected to be 100 job openings in the District of Columbia for interior designers over the decade, which includes new positions due to growth as well as replacements for vacancies created by workers leaving the field. This data underscores the consistent demand for interior designers in the District of Columbia, reflecting the area’s ongoing development and renovation projects.
Employement Trends
| Location | Employment (Start Year) | Projected Employment (End Year) | Projected Growth | Projected Annual Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 1,000 (2020) | 1,040 (2030) | 4% | 100 |
| 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 Washington, DC 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 Washington, DC
Working as an interior designer in the District of Columbia will provide you with a flexible career as well as financial security. Interior designers in Washington, D.C. can be found working as office interior designers, in commercial and residential real estate, with local design firms, architects and more. Some interior designers can be found working as adjunct interior designers at local universities or as project managers with contracting or real estate firms. After building a diverse portfolio, it is also common for interior designers to branch out and build freelance businesses
Washington, D.C. is home to a wide variety of interior design jobs, but there are also a large number just outside the capital in Arlington, Virginia. If you are a creative person who has always enjoyed designing your living spaces, signing up for an interior design program in Washington, D.C. or online is a great idea