Interior Architecture: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 11 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Interior Architecture pays
Career outlook for Interior Architecture graduates
The job market for the occupations Interior Architecture graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and engineering managers | 212,500 | +3.8% | $167,740 | Bachelor's degree |
| Interior designers | 87,100 | +3.2% | $63,490 | Bachelor's degree |
| Architecture teachers, postsecondary | 11,600 | +2.0% | $101,480 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Interior Architecture vs similar majors
How Interior Architecture stacks up against the closest fields in Architecture on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Interior Architecture Architecture · this major | Real Estate Development | City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | Architectural Sciences and Technology | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 44 D | 80 A | 75 B | 71 B |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $59,535 | $138,981 | $76,705 | $73,875 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $46,004 | $98,810 | $56,633 | $53,845 |
| ROI vs cost | +80% | +851% | +273% | +239% |
| Typical debt | $23,634 | $73,699 | $35,890 | $36,519 |
| Colleges offering it | 11 | 4 | 55 | 14 |
Interior Architecture earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Interior Architecture
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA | Associate's | $67,938 | $16,500 | +829% | Strong return |
| 2 | The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX | Associate's | $58,048 | — | +368% | Strong return |
| 3 | University of North Texas Denton, TX | Associate's | $60,032 | $20,000 | +290% | Strong return |
| 4 | Florida International University Miami, FL | Certificate | $61,013 | $34,618 | +222% | Strong return |
| 5 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA | Associate's | $59,006 | $17,750 | +213% | Strong return |
| 6 | University of Oregon Eugene, OR | Certificate | $71,308 | — | +197% | Strong return |
| 7 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, NE | Associate's | $57,171 | $24,250 | +175% | Strong return |
| 8 | Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX | Associate's | $57,328 | $21,950 | +167% | Strong return |
| 9 | Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia, PA | Associate's | $59,320 | $27,000 | +112% | Strong return |
| 10 | Miami University-Oxford Oxford, OH | Associate's | $54,021 | — | +59% | Break-even |
| 11 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Bowling Green, OH | Associate's | $49,695 | $27,000 | -19% | Poor return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.