Interior designers shape the spaces where people work, live, and gather, and HR decisions determine how that work is supported—from hiring and leadership representation to learning and retention. Across the United States, the workforce is influenced by demographics, DEI programs in 67% of design firms, and professional development budgets offered by 62% of firms. This page connects those factors to tenure, turnover, and employment trends through 2032.
Key Takeaways
- The median annual wage for interior designers was $62,510 in May 2023
- Interior designers in the top 10% earned more than $104,030 annually in 2023
- Lowest 10% of interior designers earned less than $39,080 in 2023
- Women hold 78% of junior interior design roles 2023
- Ethnic minorities: 18% of interior design leadership 2023
- DEI programs implemented in 67% of design firms 2023
- In 2022, there were approximately 48,700 interior designers employed in the United States
- The interior design industry employed over 100,000 professionals including support staff in 2023 across the US
- Employment of interior designers is projected to grow 4% from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations
- Annual turnover rate in interior design: 18.5% in 2023
- Voluntary turnover: 12% among interior designers 2023
- Average tenure: 4.2 years for interior designers 2023
- 76% of interior designers are female as of 2023 surveys
- Average age of interior designers: 42 years in 2023
- 24% of interior designers hold bachelor's degrees only, 15% master's
Interior design careers offer pay ranging from under $39,080 to over $104,030, with 4% projected growth.
Related reading
01 · Category
Compensation And Benefits25 stats
01
The median annual wage for interior designers was $62,510in May 2023
02
Interior designers in the top 10% earned more than $104,030 annually in 2023
03
Lowest 10% of interior designers earned less than $39,080 in 2023
04
Average salary for interior designers in New York: $78,500in 2023
05
California interior designer average pay: $72,100in 2023
06
Entry-level interior designer salary averaged $48,000in 2023 US
07
Senior interior designer average salary: $85,200in 2023
08
Interior design managers earn median $95,000annually in 2023
09
68% of interior design firms offer health insurance benefits in 2023
10
Average bonus for interior designers: 5.2% of salary in 2023
11
401(k) matching provided by 55% of interior design employers 2023
12
Paid time off averages 15 days per year for interior designers
13
Commission structures in residential design average 10% of project value
14
HR directors in design firms earn $120,000median 2023
15
Overtime pay eligibility: 72% of junior designers qualify in 2023
16
Average raise rate in interior design: 3.8% annually 2023
17
Remote interior designers earn 2% less on average than in-office
18
Gender pay gap in interior design: women earn 92 cents to men's dollar 2023
19
Commercial interior designers average $68,400salary 2023
20
Residential designers median pay $60,200in 2023
21
Benefits package value averages $12,500per employee in design firms 2023
22
Stock options offered to 18% of senior design staff 2023
23
Tuition reimbursement for design certifications: 62% of firms
24
Wellness benefits in 45% of interior design companies 2023
25
Average HR salary in interior design firms: $92,000in 2023
Interpretation
Compensation And Benefits Interpretation
In the interior design industry, pay is notably polarized within compensation and benefits, with the median annual wage at $62,510 in May 2023 while the top 10% earn over $104,030 and the lowest 10% make under $39,080.
02 · Category
Diversity And Inclusion21 stats
01
Women hold 78% of junior interior design roles 2023
02
Ethnic minorities: 18% of interior design leadership 2023
03
DEI programs implemented in 67% of design firms 2023
04
Black/African American interior designers: 4% of workforce 2023
05
Firms with gender diversity policies: 72% in 2023
06
Inclusive hiring practices adopted by 58% of interior design HR 2023
07
LGBTQ+ employee resource groups in 22% of firms 2023
08
Disability representation: 3% self-identified in surveys 2023
09
Mentorship programs for underrepresented groups: 49% participation 2023
10
Bias training conducted in 61% of design companies 2023
11
Women in executive roles: 42% increase since 2018 to 2023
12
Multicultural teams report 15% higher innovation 2023 study
13
55% of firms track diversity metrics in HR 2023
14
Indigenous representation: 1.2% in workforce 2023
15
Pay equity audits: 38% of firms annually 2023
16
Supplier diversity programs: 29% adoption 2023
17
Neurodiversity hiring initiatives: 12% of large firms 2023
18
Age diversity policies: 34% of HR practices 2023
19
Veteran hiring goals met by 25% of firms 2023
20
Intersectional DEI training: 41% coverage 2023
21
Employee affinity groups: 35% prevalence 2023
Interpretation
Diversity And Inclusion Interpretation
In 2023, although women make up 78% of junior interior design roles and 72% of firms have gender diversity policies, only 18% of leadership is held by ethnic minorities, showing that Diversity and Inclusion progress is stronger at entry levels than in top decision making.
03 · Category
Employment Trends29 stats
01
In 2022, there were approximately 48,700 interior designers employed in the United States
02
The interior design industry employed over 100,000 professionals including support staff in 2023 across the US
03
Employment of interior designers is projected to grow 4% from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations
04
In 2023, California had the highest employment level of interior designers with 5,890 jobs
05
New York employed 4,200 interior designers in 2023, ranking second nationally
06
Florida's interior design employment reached 3,760 in 2023
07
Texas had 3,510 interior designer jobs in 2023
08
The number of interior design firms in the US grew by 2.1% annually from 2018-2023
09
About 45% of interior designers work in architectural, engineering, and related services in 2022
10
24% of interior designers were employed by specialized design services firms in 2022
11
Wholesale and retail trade accounted for 12% of interior designer employment in 2022
12
Self-employed interior designers make up about 14% of the workforce as of 2022
13
The interior design staffing industry saw a 3% increase in job openings in Q1 2024
14
Over 30,000 new interior design jobs were added globally from 2020-2023
15
US interior design employment density is highest in New York with 20.5 per 1,000 workers
16
Midwest region saw slowest employment growth at 1.2% annually for interior designers 2018-2023
17
65% of interior design positions require on-site presence post-2023
18
Remote work in interior design HR roles increased by 15% since 2022
19
Entry-level interior design jobs grew 5% YoY in 2023
20
Senior interior designer roles saw 2,500 openings in 2023 US
21
Interior design apprenticeships numbered 1,200 in 2023 across US firms
22
Contract interior design employment rose 8% in commercial sector 2022-2023
23
Hospitality sector added 1,800 interior design jobs in 2023
24
Residential interior design employment stable at 28% of total workforce 2023
25
Government sector employs 4% of interior designers as of 2022
26
Education sector interior design jobs: 3% of total in 2022
27
Healthcare design roles grew 6% in employment 2022-2023
28
Average annual job openings for interior designers: 6,300 from 2022-2032
29
Pacific region location quotient for interior designers: 1.25 in 2023
Interpretation
Employment Trends Interpretation
Employment in interior design is projected to grow 4% from 2022 to 2032, and with the field employing about 48,700 designers in 2022 and over 100,000 professionals including support staff in 2023 across the US, the Employment Trends picture shows steady, broadly distributed demand rather than a quick surge in just a few places.
More related reading
04 · Category
Retention And Development22 stats
01
Annual turnover rate in interior design: 18.5% in 2023
02
Voluntary turnover: 12% among interior designers 2023
03
Average tenure: 4.2 years for interior designers 2023
04
62% of firms offer professional development budgets 2023
05
Leadership training participation: 45% of mid-level staff 2023
06
Certification rates (NCIDQ): 65% of professionals 2023
07
Onboarding programs reduce turnover by 20% per 2023 study
08
Exit interviews conducted by 78% of firms 2023
09
Employee engagement scores average 72/100 in design 2023
10
Succession planning in 52% of interior design companies 2023
11
Flexible hours retain 25% more millennials 2023 data
12
Mentorship programs linked to 15% lower turnover 2023
13
Performance reviews annual in 89% of firms 2023
14
Upskilling budgets average $2,500per employee 2023
15
Remote work retention boost: 18% higher 2023 survey
16
Burnout cited in 28% of voluntary exits 2023
17
Career pathing offered to 67% staff 2023
18
360-degree feedback in 41% firms improves retention 2023
19
Wellness programs cut turnover 10% in 2023 studies
20
Internal promotions: 35% of senior roles filled 2023
21
HR tech adoption for retention: 55% in 2023
22
Post-pandemic retention challenges: 22% higher turnover 2023
Interpretation
Retention And Development Interpretation
With an average tenure of 4.2 years and voluntary turnover at 12% in 2023, the relatively higher 62% of firms funding professional development and 45% of mid level staff participating in leadership training suggest retention and development efforts are making a measurable impact in the interior design industry.
05 · Category
Workforce Demographics22 stats
01
76% of interior designers are female as of 2023 surveys
02
Average age of interior designers: 42 years in 2023
03
24% of interior designers hold bachelor's degrees only, 15% master's
04
Millennials comprise 52% of interior design workforce 2023
05
Gen Z entering interior design: 12% of workforce in 2023
06
Baby boomers represent 8% of active interior designers 2023
07
Urban areas house 68% of interior design professionals 2023
08
82% of interior designers are white/Caucasian per 2023 data
09
Asian Americans: 9% of interior design workforce 2023
10
Hispanic/Latino interior designers: 6% in 2023 US
11
Full-time workers: 85% of interior design employment 2023
12
Part-time interior designers: 15% primarily women-led 2023
13
35-44 age group largest at 28% of workforce 2023
14
Veterans in interior design: 4% of total workforce 2023
15
LGBTQ+ identification: 11% among interior designers 2023 survey
16
Married interior designers: 62% in 2023 demographics
17
Parents in workforce: 48% have children under 18
18
10+ years experience: 45% of interior designers 2023
19
Recent graduates (0-2 years): 18% of workforce 2023
20
Northeast region: 25% of national interior design workforce 2023
21
South region: 30% of interior design professionals 2023
22
92% of interior designers have postsecondary education 2023
Interpretation
Workforce Demographics Interpretation
As of 2023, workforce demographics in interior design show a strongly female field with 76% women and a youthful tilt with Millennials making up 52% and Gen Z already at 12%, indicating the industry is being shaped by the next generation while still averaging 42 years overall.
report visual · Breakdown
Compensation benchmarks and benefits prevalence in interior design (2023)
Compensation varies by role tier while benefits like health insurance and 401(k) matching are offered by a majority of firms.
55%
401(k) matching provided by 55% of interior design employers 2023
45%
Wellness benefits in 45% of interior design companies 2023
report visual · Comparison
Diversity & inclusion uptake across interior design HR (2023)
Most firms report adopting key DEI practices, while representation of specific underrepresented groups remains low.
Firms with gender diversity policies: 72% in 202372%
DEI programs implemented in 67% of design firms 202367%
Bias training conducted in 61% of design companies 202361%
Inclusive hiring practices adopted by 58% of interior design HR 202358%
Pay equity audits: 38% of firms annually 202338%
Black/African American interior designers: 4% of workforce 20234%
report visual · Key figures
Employment trends for interior designers (2022–2032)
Projected growth points to steady job demand over the next decade.
48,700
In 2022, there were approximately 48,700 interior designers employed in the United States
4%
Employment of interior designers is projected to grow 4% from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupat
100,000
The interior design industry employed over 100,000 professionals including support staff in 2023 across the US
report visual · Key figures
Retention & Development Signals in Interior Design (2023)
Training and structured HR practices are widely used, while turnover remains a measurable challenge.
18.5%
Annual turnover rate in interior design: 18.5% in 2023
62%
62% of firms offer professional development budgets 2023
45%
Leadership training participation: 45% of mid-level staff 2023
78%
Exit interviews conducted by 78% of firms 2023
28%
Burnout cited in 28% of voluntary exits 2023
22%
Post-pandemic retention challenges: 22% higher turnover 2023
report visual · Comparison
Workforce demographics snapshot (2023)
The interior design workforce is majority female, concentrated in urban areas, and heavily postsecondary educated, with Millennials forming the largest generation share.
92% of interior designers have postsecondary education 202392%
76% of interior designers are female as of 2023 surveys
76%
Urban areas house 68% of interior design professionals 2023
68%
Millennials comprise 52% of interior design workforce 2023
52%
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Alexander Schmidt. (2026, February 13). HR In The Interior Design Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-interior-design-industry-statistics
MLA
Alexander Schmidt. "HR In The Interior Design Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-interior-design-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Alexander Schmidt. 2026. "HR In The Interior Design Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-interior-design-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
20 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level