Design and Applied Arts at Interior Designers Institute

Interior Designers Institute graduates start strong, earning nearly double what typical associate's-level design program graduates make—$52,768 versus the national median of $27,846. This places the program in the 95th percentile both nationally and among California's 86 design programs. The debt load of $23,814, while higher than the national median, still results in a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45, meaning graduates owe less than half their first-year salary.

The significant caveat here is the earnings trajectory and sample size. Earnings drop 12% by year four, falling to $46,273—though that's still substantially higher than what most associate's-level design graduates earn. The data comes from a small cohort (under 30 graduates), which means a few individual career paths could be skewing these numbers in either direction. Still, even the four-year earnings remain well above both state and national benchmarks.

For parents considering this program, the risk-reward calculation favors enrollment if your student is committed to interior design specifically. The first-year earnings advantage is substantial enough to offset concerns about the declining trajectory, and graduates still out-earn their peers significantly even after four years. Just recognize that the small sample size means actual outcomes could vary more than with larger programs.