Whether just graduating from high school or pursuing interior design as part of a career change, obtaining an educational degree is the right move in order to earn more in the long term as an interior designer. However, just as other design professionals can attest, the cost of an education can be impacting on an individual’s short and long term budget. The standard degree for interior design is pursued through a four year bachelor’s degree program. In 2012, individuals earning this type of degree in any field, accounted for approximately 10% of the entire population of students with at least $50,000 of unpaid student loans.

It is imperative that we join together and design solutions for this problem. We need to ensure student debt is not a deterrent for attracting the future leaders of the interior design profession. It must not be a barrier to entry into a profession that is constantly required to retain talented individuals in order to differentiate itself relative to other design professionals.