Interior Design Degree in St. Louis, MO — Salary & ROI 2026
Interior Design degree analysis for St. Louis, MO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$49K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$60K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.8 yrs
in St. Louis
Cost of Living
97
index (100 = avg)
Interior Design in St. Louis, MO Overview
St. Louis is one of Missouri's top college towns, with 23 institutions and a student population of 23,342. Public tuition averages $12,343/year here — near the national average for public universities. Interior Design enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Space Planning and AutoCAD. The adjusted starting salary in St. Louis is approximately $48,500.
Category
Arts & Design
Local Colleges
23
Public Tuition
$12,343/yr
Private Tuition
$55,255/yr
Room & Board
$8,721/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,996/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
48%
Interior Design Salary in St. Louis (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for St. Louis's cost of living index of 97 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Interior Design salary: $50,000 starting, $62,000 mid-career, $78,000 senior level.St. Louis adjustment factor: 0.97x based on the local cost of living index.
Interior Design ROI Calculator for St. Louis
Estimate your return on investment for a Interior Design degree using local St. Louis tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,343 | Private avg: $55,255
St. Louis avg aid: $9,996/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$84,256
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$14,550
vs HS diploma in St. Louis
ROI Payback Period
5.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in St. Louis
$206,744
Lifetime earnings premium ($291,000) minus total education cost ($84,256)
Student Loan Payoff for Interior Design in St. Louis
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in St. Louis for Interior Design
Washington University in St. Louis
private
$60,590/yr
$242,360 total
Saint Louis University
private
$49,920/yr
$199,680 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
St. Louis Community College
$3,600/yr
Top Employers for Interior Design in St. Louis
St. Louis offers opportunities in Design agencies, Studios, Tech companies for Interior Design graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key St. Louis Hiring Sectors for Arts & Design
Design agencies
Studios
Tech companies
Advertising firms
Media companies
Common Interior Design Job Titles
Interior Design in Nearby Missouri Cities
Kansas City, MO
$47K starting · COL 94
44 colleges
Springfield, MO
$40K starting · COL 80
5 colleges
Columbia, MO
$42K starting · COL 84
10 colleges
Independence, MO
$43K starting · COL 85.8
5 colleges
Lee's Summit, MO
$48K starting · COL 95.5
4 colleges
OFallon, MO
$44K starting · COL 87.3
4 colleges
St. Joseph, MO
$45K starting · COL 90.4
3 colleges
St. Charles, MO
$42K starting · COL 83.4
3 colleges
Other Arts & Design Majors in St. Louis
UX Design
$49K starting · 3.2 yr ROI
Architecture
$56K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Animation & Game Design
$49K starting · 4.8 yr ROI
Industrial Design
$49K starting · 4.8 yr ROI
Graphic Design
$47K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Fashion Design
$49K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Film & Media Studies
$49K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Fine Arts
$49K starting · 9 yr ROI
Interior Design Degree in St. Louis — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Interior Design ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in St. Louis.