How to Become an Interior Designer in Virginia
It takes a talented individual to work as an interior designer. While having a creative eye is an important piece of the puzzle, interior designers must also have the technical know-how to improve the function, safety and aesthetics of a space. Due to their technical background, interior designers are often found working with architectural firms and building companies, as well as commercial and residential real estate companies.
Virginia is home to many employment opportunities in the industry, but before you can use the title “interior designer you will need to obtain your interior design licensure through the Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ) by taking the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) examination.
Requirements for Becoming an Interior Designer in Virginia
Becoming a nationally licensed or certified interior designer in Virginia requires a combination of formal education and work experience, with the minimum being an associate’s degree in the field along with four years of full-time work experience. Work experience must be completed under a licensed interior designer or architect, but the length of your required work experience can be decreased by a couple of years if you pursue a bachelor’s degree or higher. All of the above must be completed before you can sit for the NCIDQ examination.
Obtaining a higher education will greatly increase your chances of employment in Virginia, as some employers require that their interior designers possess a bachelor’s degree. You can expect some of the following topics to be covered in an interior design program:
- Space planning
- Three dimensional drawing
- Lighting
- Materials and textiles
- Business management
- Computer aided design (CAD)
- Design history
- Color theory and psychology
- Furniture design and placement
Depending on the school you attend, you may even be able to specialize in kitchen/bath design, architectural drafting or green/sustainable design.
Interior Design Schools in Virginia
The interior design industry continues to grow with a wide range of employment opportunities across the United States. Virginia is home to quite a few colleges and universities that offer either an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree in the field, or higher.
- Marymount University, Arlington. Located in Arlington, Virginia, just outside the nation’s capital, Marymount University offers a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interior Design in addition to a Master’s Degree in Interior Design. Each degree program is designed to integrate aesthetic theory, architectural principles, human-behavior concepts and psychology, technology and business practices with sustainable design.
- Tidewater Community College, Norfolk. TCC is the only college in southern Virginia that offers an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Interior Design. After completing the degree program, students can choose to either work full-time under a licensed interior designer or transfer to a four-year college.
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond. VCU offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Design. The curriculum focuses on the study of space, form, color and light in collaboration with the pragmatic investigation of building codes, materials, finishes, construction methods and business practices. While there is a heavy focus on design throughout the program, understanding the relationship between human behavior and the built environment is also important, as well as analytical and creative thinking
Certification for Interior Designers in Virginia
To become a nationally certified interior designer you will need to, at minimum, attain an associate’s degree in interior design plus four years of full-time work experience in the field under an interior designer or architect. There are several combinations of work and education that can be used to qualify to take the NCIDQ exam, including:
- 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 the following sections:
- The Interior Design Fundamentals Exam (IDFX)
- The Interior Design Professional Exam (IDPX)
- The Practicum (PRAC) exam.
The registration fees for each of these are as follows: $295 for the IDFX exam, $350 for the IDPX exam and $455 for the PRAC exam. There is a penalty of $150 for each cancelled exam.
Career Opportunities and Salary Expectations
The salary data for interior designers in Virginia, as compared to the national average, offers a detailed view of the profession’s earning potential within the state. In Virginia, interior designers earn an average annual salary of $60,360, which is slightly below the national average of $61,590. The salary range in Virginia extends from $32,720 at the 10th percentile to $96,050 at the 90th percentile, indicating a broad range of earning potential based on experience, specialization, and other factors.
National vs. Virginia Salaries for Interior Designers
National vs. Virginia Salaries for Interior Designers
| Location | Annual Low (10%) | Annual Median | Annual High (90%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $36,610 | $61,590 | $101,550 |
| Virginia | $32,720 | $60,360 | $96,050 |
Salaries by Region in Virginia for Interior Designers
| Region | Annual Low (10%) | Annual Median | Annual High (90%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VA | $23,160 | $56,900 | $83,090 |
| Richmond, VA | $36,480 | $60,050 | $105,360 |
| Roanoke, VA | $31,540 | $55,870 | $82,490 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | $34,230 | $56,320 | $88,420 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $45,650 | $72,740 | $117,980 |
Interior Designer Trends in Virginia
In Virginia, the employment outlook for Interior Designers (27-1025.00) is set for a modest increase, with a projected growth of 3% from 2020 to 2030. The number of interior designers in the state is expected to rise from 1,470 employees in 2020 to 1,510 employees by 2030. Annually, there are projected to be 140 job openings for interior designers in Virginia during this period, which includes openings due to both industry growth and the need to replace workers leaving the profession. This growth rate is slightly below the national average of 4% for the same period, indicating a steady but modest demand for interior designers within the state.
Employement Trends
| Aspect | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Employment (2020 for VA, 2022 for US) | 1,470 employees | 94,900 employees |
| Projected Employment (2030 for VA, 2032 for US) | 1,510 employees | 98,700 employees |
| Projected Growth | 3% | 4% |
| Projected Annual Job Openings (2020-2030 for VA, 2022-2032 for US) | 140 | 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 Virginia 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 Virginia
Employment opportunities in the interior design field in Virginia are plentiful. You can find a large number of job openings in the cities of Arlington, near Washington, D.C., as well as Richmond, Norfolk, Fairfax, Reston and Falls Church, but there are plenty of prospects throughout the state.
Interior designers in Virginia can be found working as an adjunct professor at a local university, in high-end furniture stores such as Ethan Allen, with architectural firms or real estate agencies. Many interior designers also decide to build up their portfolios and branch out as freelancers due to the flexible nature of running your own business. No matter what you decide to specialize in, though, as long as you use your creativity and technical skills you will likely have an enjoyable career as an interior designer.
FAQs
What is the most important thing in interior design?
The most important element of interior design would be a functional space. Functional space acts as the base of the entire interior design. Therefore, it is essential that the user and designer both are well aware of the space availability and purpose of each individual space.