Interior Decorator

Career Diploma 9 months

Interior Decorating Classes

If you're creative and passionate about design, our online Interior Decorator Career Diploma can help you prepare to take the next steps toward starting a career you love. With self-paced interior decorating classes, you can earn your diploma from home on your schedules.

  • Learn the basics of interior decorating, from furniture selection and color, to lighting and accessories. 
  • Can help prepare students to find a job in the field or start their own interior decorating business.
  • Students enrolled in our online Interior Decorator courses are also eligible to receive discounts on all EZ-Decorator™ systems, supplements, grids, and furniture and room planners.
  • Our online programs are flexible enough for you to finish them at a pace that works for you, based on how much time you can dedicate to your coursework each week.
Accredited
Online
Self Paced

Save up to $300 Ends 6/14/2022

Cost of Program

$899

$1,199 Save $300

or

$59/month, Start for as low as $1

Enroll Now Request Info

800-275-4410 (9AM - 9PM EST)

See full program cost & payment options
interior decorator placing blanket on sofa.

What You Will Learn

  1. How to identify clients’ needs by recognizing their basic physical and psychological needs, understanding the clients’ goals along with their budgets and priorities, and determining a client’s preferences in regard to furniture styles, colors, fabrics, textures, and patterns.
  2. How to recognize various color schemes based on the color circle, how colors affect each other, and how the amount of light and various surfaces can affect color.
  3. How to recognize the three types of house plan layouts according to their activity zones and room-by-room problem areas and the solutions.
  4. How to establish an interior decorating business, including financial aspects, hiring, and how to build out a client list.
Full Program Goal & Outcomes

Interior Decorator Career Outcomes

Interior Decorator

AVG SALARY*

$39,107/yr

NUMBER OF JOBS*

74,100


Our Interior Decorating classes are designed with job readiness in mind. You'll learn how to become an interior decorator and how to start your own business on your schedule, from home.

State Licensing Requirements

Licensing and/or certification requirements for jobs in certain fields are not the same in every state and may include educational, testing, and/or experiential requirements beyond those offered by your Penn Foster Program. You should contact the state professional licensing board or similar regulatory body in the state(s) where you plan to work to determine their requirements before enrolling in your program. See the State Licensing page for contact information for state licensing/regulatory boards and certain industry licensing information.

interior decorator working in office.

Optional Interior Decorator Work Experience

After successfully completing your classes with Penn Foster, you can choose to gain hands-on experience as an interior decorator through an optional work experience. Students interested in doing so are required to find their own site. Penn Foster doesn't assist students in finding these opportunities.

Interior Decorator Student Stories

Penn Foster’s Interior Decorator classes can help prepare you for the first step in your interior decorating career. This program has helped recent graduates learn at their own pace, find new jobs, and start their own businesses. Learn more about Penn Foster graduates' experiences and how Penn Foster worked for them.
View Student Success Stories

- Melonie E.

Penn Foster Graduate, 2021

“I would recommend Penn Foster to anyone... It’s a convenient way for you to accomplish your goal. You work at your own pace, nobody else's.”

Interior Decorating Curriculum 

  • 7 Courses
  • 28.7 continuing education units (CEUs)
  • 13 exams
  • 1 submitted project


Estimated completion time:

  • Fast track = 9 months
  • Average time = 12 months

With Penn Foster, you can learn at whatever pace works best for you. Some learners will be more comfortable moving faster, and dedicating more time, and the fast track estimate will apply to them. The average track will apply to most learners who can dedicate a few hours per week to completing their coursework.

In our accredited Interior Decorator Program, you'll learn the fundamentals that are essential to becoming a successful interior decorator. Your online classes include:


  • The Elements and Principles of Design
  • Identifying Furniture Styles and Periods
  • Decorating from Building Plans
  • Starting Your Own Business

Show Full Curriculum

Looking for training for your workers?

Penn Foster currently works with hundreds of leading employers to meet their unique organizational needs.
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Learn More

Interior Decorating Program Tuition

Take the first steps toward a new career with our online Interior Decorator Program. Simply choose from one of our low-cost customized payment plans below and get started today!  

Option 1: Pay in full

Save up to $300 Ends 6/14/2022

Cost of Program

$899

$1,199 Save $300

  • Best price. Best value.
  • Pay the full cost today
  • No monthly payments
Enroll Now

Option 2: Monthly Auto Pay Plan

Save up to $100 Ends 6/14/2022

Cost of Program

$1,099

$1,199 Save $100

  • Pay $59 per month
  • Start for $1 down
  • Credit card, PayPal, or ACH from bank account
Enroll Now

Option 3: Monthly Mail Pay Plan

cost of program

$1,199

  • Pay $59 per month
  • Start for $39 down
  • Mail your payment using coupon book
Enroll Now

California residents please click here for Required California Disclosures.

Need more info or ready to enroll?

Looking for more information on transfer credits, military benefits, or our refund policy? Find this information and more about tuition and enrollment here.

Tuition & Payment Options

We're here to help. Call 800-275-4410 9AM - 9PM EST

Request Info

Our Proven Interior Decorator Learning Model

Empowering students to reach their professional goals

Flexible

  • Start anytime
  • No exam due dates
  • Self-paced

Interactive

  • Digital study guides
  • Self-check quizzes
  • Instructor feedback

Connected

  • 24/7 access to online resources
  • Online student community
  • Student Portal Help Center

Supportive

  • Expert faculty
  • Dedicated student services
  • Robust learning resources

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Interior Decorating Program FAQs

What are the top qualities of a good interior decorator?

A good interior decorator is someone who has an eye for color and design, strong communication and customer services skills, and the ability to take charge of a project. Most interior decorators are also creative, able to imagine and implement a variety of design concepts to suit various client needs.

Where can I work as an interior decorator?

Interior decorators can work for licensed interior designers, building and construction companies, retail stores, or even start their own businesses. Many decorators will work in a variety of environments depending on the project they're working on, from decorating a residential home to playing a part in designing a retail space.

How long does it take to become an interior decorator?

You can train to become an interior decorator in as little as 9 months with Penn Foster's online Interior Decorating classes. Depending on your experience and career goals, you may choose to pursue on-the-job training or certifications to strengthen your decorator resume.

Is interior decorating a good career?

Interior decorators play an important role in making the spaces we see and use every day comfortable and welcoming. Entry-level interior decorators can earn an average starting salary of $39,107 per year, according to national data from Payscale.1

What's the difference between an interior decorator and an interior designer?

Interior decorators often require less training and don't necessarily need to be licensed or certified to perform their job, while interior designers require further education and certification. Decorators can choose to pursue becoming an interior designer as the next step in their career path.

Disclaimers:

The completion of a certificate-level program does not typically qualify a student for employment. Completion of this program may assist students who have previous academic or work-related experience improve their chances for promotion or entry-level employment.


Sources

* Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. "Art and Design Occupations." Occupational Outlook Handbook. Accessed April 14, 2021.


Statements found in the United States Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook are not a guarantee of any post-graduation salary, in part because the data used to create the Occupational Outlook Handbook includes workers from differing educational backgrounds, levels of experience, and geographic areas of the country.

 

 

1Payscale. "Interior Decorator." Accessed April 14, 2021.


Statements found in Payscale are not a guarantee of any post-graduation salary, in part because the data used includes workers from differing educational backgrounds, levels of experience, and geographic areas of the country. Statistics found in Payscale are based on their data collection methodologies, which may or may not reflect your area.