The first step to take when looking for a new job is to look at the salary of interior decorator. Most of us don’t just wake up and decide to become interior decorators, we consider how much money we’ll be making when taking on the job.
Are you thinking about being an Interior Decorator? There is a lot of work to be done when looking for good designs for the house. Interior designers make sure that every inch of a home will be perfect in terms of design. Working as an interior designer can be your dream job but it will take you long years to do this and because of this, people face a lot of problems while looking for the right services. It may seem hard but we have learned to find some good ways to make the best out of things and here is how you can get the right service:
How much does an interior decorator make?
The average salary of an interior decorator is $47,000. However, the salary can vary widely depending on experience, location, and type of work being done. For example, an interior decorator working as an independent contractor or in a small firm with few staff members would probably earn less than one working as a salaried employee at a large firm.
In addition to salary information, we have provided other relevant facts about this career on the following page: [link]
An interior decorator is a professional who is in charge of designing and planning the interior design of homes and other buildings. They work with clients to ensure that their designs are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
The average salary for an interior decorator is $49,000 per year, according to PayScale.com. This figure varies by region, however; the median wage in Chicago is $47,000 per year and $44,000 per year in New York City.
Salary for interior decorator
Interior decorators can work in a variety of industries. Let’s face it – anything can be decorated, and it takes a true professional to be able to transform a plain office space or unfinished basement into a cozy space.
So what can you expect to earn as you begin your career as an interior decorator? Follow along to see how much you should be earning, and how you can grow your clientele (and income)!
Year 1
In your first year in the interior decorating game, you’ll focus on building your experiences and client base. Advertise your decorating services to your friends, family, and colleagues. They’re around to support you in your journey to becoming a interior decorator—every beginner needs their guinea pigs!
Don’t discount your early experiences, though. You may have strong personal relationships with your loved ones, but you also need experience building professional relationships. In many ways, building professional relationships with personal friends is a great exercise. You’ll learn how to separate your personal habits from professional practice.
You may feel obliged to offer discounts to friends and acquaintances. This rings true for every professional, and especially when you don’t have many high-profile jobs under your belt. But don’t be so quick to undervalue your skills! It’s a slippery slope from offering a discount to your friend to having them recommend you because of your “low prices”.
A reasonable salary for a new interior decorator would be anywhere from $30-45,000. You may be entry-level, but that doesn’t mean you’re not qualified for the job! You have the know-how and creativity to build beautiful designs, so you should be compensated appropriately.
This also means that your salary has the potential to grow a lot as you gain more experience.
Years 2-5
These are the years for priming your career path. You’ll be looking for stepping stones to the jobs you really want as an interior decorator. From day one, you should be spreading the word about your decorating business – which means networking and promoting yourself online! If people don’t know who you are, it will be way more difficult to get hired (and gain the experience you need!).
By your fifth year as a professional interior decorator, you should be earning an average of $20-30 per hour. Now, this depends on how much you work per week, and how much you’re charging for your decorating services. For example, it’s way easier to make $30/hour while working as an interior decorator for a film set or a big corporation than it is working for local boutiques or restaurants. It’s not impossible to make this much working locally, but you’ll really need to stick to your prices!
Years 6-8
By now, you’ve probably dipped your toes into a variety of different specialized gigs. You should be able to start picking and choosing the interior decorating jobs you want. This means you need to decide which branch of the design industry you want to stick with and which ones you don’t enjoy as much.
We highly recommend being trained in other specialities before you start offering new services. You can absolutely specialize in more than one field in the interior decorating industry. But some bright-eyed designers try to take on too much before they’ve secured their hold on the industry. Find your niche and stick to your guns before you start expanding your design services!
Realistically, you should be at the high end of an interior decorator’s salary prior to embarking on new design specializations. So, if you’re a residential interior decorator, you should be earning approximately $50-65,000 per year – possibly more if you land some higher-end clients or work extra hours!
Years 9+
Your professional portfolio is probably brimming with too many projects to feature! What’s next for you?
It’s time to branch out! The number one rule of any career is to never stop learning. Take as many seminars and design courses as you can. What other design paths tickle your fancy? Have you dreamed about working with celebrities? How about becoming a color consultant for companies and big name brands? The world is your oyster, and you should aim for top-level jobs.
With multiple certifications and an extensive career history, you’ll be able to impress any client that comes your way. We can’t stress enough how important it is to get your name out there – attend conferences and national expos, and promote yourself on social media as much as possible. The more people see your name, the more you’ll be talked about.
Once you get your name and designs in front of a high-profile client, the rest will be history! Your annual income as an interior decorator can top $70,000. This won’t come without hard work, but your creativity and talent will put you on the map.
