How to Become an Interior Designer in Washington (2026)

Q: How much do interior designers earn in Washington?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), interior designers in Washington earned a median annual wage of approximately $76,570. Employment concentration in Washington is roughly 0.81 of the national average, meaning fewer workers per capita than the U.S. as a whole.

Q: What is the job outlook for interior designers in Washington?

Washington currently employs approximately 1,330 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 3.2% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Washington employs about 1,330 interior designers earning a median $76,570 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most interior designers train through an approved program before entering the field in Washington.

Compare Interior Designer Schools in Washington

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Bellevue College	73.6	Contact school for pricing	$64,079	35%	Yes*	58 mi
2	Lake Washington Institute of Technology	68.9	$5,997 - $16,339	$55,891	38%	Yes*	64 mi
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3	Tacoma Community College	68.9	Contact school for pricing	$55,189	32%	Yes*	65 mi
4	Highline College	68.6	$4,772 - $18,812	$59,261	37%	Yes*	58 mi
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5	Clover Park Technical College	63.9	$6,634 - $18,882	$51,699	42%	Yes*	63 mi
6	Renton Technical College	63.3	Contact school for pricing	$56,466	50%	Yes*	56 mi
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7	Green River College	56.8	$4,711 - $22,040	$60,643	40%	—	51 mi
8	Yakima Valley College	55.9	Contact school for pricing	$51,006	31%	—	45 mi
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9	Wenatchee Valley College	54.1	Contact school for pricing	$52,108	41%	—	46 mi
10	South Seattle College	47.7	Contact school for pricing	$50,142	29%	—	65 mi
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Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

Washington employs approximately 1,330 interior designers according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $76,570 ¹. Nationally, interior designer employment is projected to grow 3.2% from 2024 to 2034, with about 7,800 openings per year ². This page covers how to become an Interior Designer in Washington, including requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: trade school or community college
Typical timeline: varies by program; confirm with the school
Median wage (Washington): $76,570 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become an Interior Designer in Washington

How to become an Interior Designer in Washington? Complete a training program or apprenticeship, gain work experience, and meet any state or employer requirements for interior designers in Washington.

How long does it take? interior designer training length in Washington varies by program. Confirm current requirements with the school and the state board before you enroll.

What do interior designers earn in Washington? The median annual wage for interior designers in Washington is $76,570 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $48,050 and experienced professionals can earn $109,820 or more ¹.

How to Become an Interior Designer in Washington

Finish high school or earn a GED. Most Washington training programs require a high school diploma or GED to enroll.
Complete an approved training program. Enroll in an approved interior designer program in Washington that combines classroom instruction with supervised practice.
Gain supervised work experience. Build documented on-the-job hours under a qualified supervisor; confirm the exact total currently required with the licensing board.
Meet state and employer requirements. Confirm any registration, certification, or employer requirements that apply to interior designers in Washington before you start working.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the state board before you apply.

Interior Designer Wages by Metro Area in Washington

Interior Designers Wages by Metro Area in Washington

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), interior designers wages in Washington vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria	1,840	$79,590	$84,650	$46,520	$131,630
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue	970	$78,810	$85,840	$60,540	$124,930
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro	760	$73,700	$78,510	$49,990	$107,060
Spokane-Spokane Valley	120	$61,310	$65,100	$37,590	$93,110
Bellingham	40	$66,810	$74,590	$45,100	$96,730
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard	40	$70,510	$77,240	$49,850	$104,070

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for interior designers in Washington? Washington currently employs approximately 1,330 interior designers ¹. Nationally, interior designer employment is projected to grow 3.2% from 2024 to 2034 ².

What training programs are available in Washington? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Washington.

How much do interior designers earn in Washington compared to the national average? The median annual wage for interior designers in Washington is $76,570, which is $13,080 above the national median of $63,490 according to BLS data ¹.

In Washington

Best Trade Schools in Washington (2026)

Top local programs

Explore More Trades in Washington

Citations

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)