Questions on enrolling? We’re here 9am–8pm ET Mon–Fri
1-800-583-1742

What’s the Difference between an Interior Design Certificate and Degree?

By Laura Amendola on January 13, 2025

Fancy living room.

If you want to become a professional interior designer, it’s important to explore all the educational options available to you, as well as the industry requirements. Most importantly, there is a crucial distinction to be made between interior design certificates and degrees- what they cost, what they’ll teach you, what they can be used for, and how long they take to complete. Depending on your career aspirations, it’s extremely important to comprehend this differentiation before you invest in your education.

What’s included in an interior design certificate course?

When it comes to the curriculum, interior design certificate and degree programs essentially cover the same topics, but there are a few differences you should be aware of.

Interior decorating certificate courses such as New York Institute of Art and Design’s (NYIAD) will teach you to design and decorate any interior space (both residential and commercial) like a pro. You’ll learn fundamental concepts of design such as furniture styles, popular decorating trends and fabrics. You will study designer-client interactions as you learn business skills like how to hold a consultation, ask the right questions, draw up a legitimate contract and bill accordingly. You will apply concepts of measurement and spatial planning as you create actual sketches of physical rooms, then you’ll start the process of decorating those rooms you’ve drawn to scale.

You will learn about all varieties of lighting and window treatments and how to complete every last detail of a room design from start to finish. You will learn to identify different design styles such as Mediterranean or Early American Farmhouse as you grow a comprehensive knowledge of the design industry and its history. The certificate course curriculum will essentially walk you through an entire home design process as you learn how to execute projects in all types of rooms- from bathrooms and kitchens to master bedrooms and home offices. Finally, you will learn concepts of promotion and business management as you make a website, develop a portfolio and a resume, preparing to work with your first real-world clients.

Read more: 2024 Graduate of the Year Finalists

What’s included in an interior design degree program?

A degree program is much longer than a certificate course, and includes all the aforementioned topics and then some. A degree program might include comprehensive, semester-long AutoCAD or Home Staging courses for example, whereas a certificate-granting institution like NYIAD instead offers those two courses as separate, optional programs of their own for designers who are interested. Additionally, students who opt for degree programs might find themselves taking more technology-based courses, spending more time with software programs used for computer-based design.

Read more: 7 Resources for Starting Your Interior Design Career

How quickly can you earn an interior design certification?

Interior design certificates can often be completed in less than a year, while earning an interior design degree generally takes between 2 to 4 years.

Which interior design course is right for you?

At the end of the day, there are fulfilling careers in interior decorating to be found for both certificate and degree graduates.

Asking whether it’s necessary for an interior designer to have a design degree is like asking whether you need a writing degree to become a writer. While investing in a college education in creative writing is no doubt a valuable and rewarding pursuit, it’s also expensive and time consuming- and countless writers have successful, rewarding careers without one.

However, this isn’t the case for say, an architect, who is legally required to earn a degree before working on any legitimate projects. So to answer the question about interior design, we’d have to say that it truly depends on what you want to do with your degree (or lack of one).

Read more: How to Deal with Difficult Clients (3 Tips & Strategies You Can Use Right Away)

Delve deeper into interior design with NYIAD

You absolutely do not need an interior design degree in order to become a professional interior designer, to complete projects for clients, or even to run your own business. Don’t forget that social media is also a helpful tool to help kick your career off the ground.

Lauren Liess, a former NYIAD student (read her grad story), has built an incredible career in interior design. She now runs her own successful interior design website, hosts a show on HGTV, and is a published author of design books. So for aspiring designers who feel like they can’t get into the industry because they can’t afford a degree, NYIAD’s Interior Design Course can be a great alternative. Request more info to see if this route is right for you!

No video selected.