I work in the interior design field.  My opinion is that in this economic climate the careers are equal.  A person coming straight out of school with a B.S. in interior design will make a little less than a person coming out with an M.Arch or a B.Arch.  The job prospects are almost equal for both fields.  I know because while in my first job with my terribly low salary and not having any freedom to design, I checked job boards multiple times a day every day.

The beginning jobs are about the same for both fields as far as freedom to design, you have to earn that right with experience.  It also depends on the size of the firm.  A small firm will give you more freedom faster than a big firm.

Better salary: Architecture

Freedom of design: Neither

Cheaper degree: B.S. interior design

Your choice.  But I have worked as an interior designer for 2 years now and I am going back to get my M.Arch this fall.  That's my two cents.

I'd say a person working in interiors stands a better chance at finding work these days.  The only reason I say that is that, from what I've seen, many clients are choosing to go back and revamp their existing facilities rather than building new.  It seems to me that there will be quite a bit of tenant improvement and finish update type work around for the next few years.

How about a MFA in Interior Design? Would it make a difference?

I mean I'd also like to work in the store/museum exhibition design field.  Does an interior design degree suit me better? Or getting a M. Arch can lead me to work in this design field too?

I would suggest to get an Arch degree. An architect is able to do both Interior design and Architecture, plus other fields like urbanism, product design, etc.  You can also start your own practise later on. It's also a more professional degree. I have a B.Sc. in Arch and it proved to be a very difficult career, ended up working on another field, but I live in Montreal, which is not the most promising place for architecture.

Is it true that you can do all that with an Arch degree? I'm not so sure how this works...I mean then why would graduate schools have degrees like industrial design, interior design, and urban design for students to focus on...I'm just confused about all those choices...

I looked into architecture grad school too, but after reading all the discussions about how hard this profession can be....I don't know if I can take the risks and I'm not sure if I can make a decent career in architecture. That is why I look for alternatives...

I agree with gibbost.  With a Master degree in Architecture you have many more possibilities because the degree holds its own.  They have those other choices because not everyone wants to go to school for so long or they want to be so specialized in an area.  Good architecture schools teach you to be an all around great designer.  Then from there you choose what scale you want to design.  I personally plan to continue mostly in interiors and have my own practice someday after I get my M.Arch.

Your question is nonsensical. By the time you are done with a degree, this economic climate, whatever it actually is, will be over. In this climate or in any other climate since the profession of interior design started, they make less money, work more, get less recognition, pay more (on average) for school, take longer to earn their credentials, earn less re prick it, and spend more time explaining why HGTV is incredibly dumb.

Thanks for all your suggestions. But I'm not a young college student anymore, I have to consider carefully about my choice now....M. Arch costs too much and too long to obtain...I'll be in debts...

Actually mespellwrong, while I agree that interior designers do make less and have to spend a lot of time explaining why HGTV is incredibly dumb (people assume I love it and want to talk to me about shows I have never seen nor heard of because I hate that channel.)  I disagree on the cost of school and time it takes to get your credentials.  To become a licensed interior designer you only have to work for 2 years with someone who is licensed, then you take a test.  The test is not so difficult with a very high pass rate, then you are licensed.  And most interior designers don't go to schools like FIDM (which is a joke, only a 2 year degree, worthless in my mind)  they go to state schools which are very cheap.

Light, I am not a young college student anymore and I am going back to school and will be in debt.  Are you married?  I think if you are and your spouse makes a decent salary then getting an M.Arch is a great idea.  My husband and I intend to pay back my almost $100k we anticipate in loans within 5 years after I graduate.

Interior designers make less? If so, you are doing it wrong. 

tbone - no, I'm not married and no kids, and will not do so in the near future.  I have a full-time job right now  I don't have a design background but  I'm trying to switch into the design field.  I hope this is not too risky.  I can't wait any longer because I'm already 30. Now I'm at the crossroad of my life...still considering different options...my head hurts...

light- it's a great idea and you should do what you love....but I believe anything in the design field other than graphic design, or animation will take years before you really get to do anything creative on your own.  You will spend many years drafting sections, picking up redlines, staring at cad for 12 hours a day...  Unless you land the perfect job at a small firm that lets you do everything.  One of my coworkers holds a Ph.D. is something completely unrelated.  She switched to interior design in her 30's and is lucky to work at a place where we are allowed to be creative, but she is stuck there because she will have a hard time convincing most places to hire her into a similar senior designer position when she only so few years of experience, even if the experience is tremendous.  Starting your own business is a possibility too, if you have the entrepreneurial spirit, which I currently lack.

I guess what I am saying is, you have to love architecture and design and know that it could suck and pay poorly for a long time.  Otherwise, you probably should not get into this field.  Honestly, I love it so much and could not imagine doing anything else, even on the days it sucks.

tbone.  It's nice to hear that my experience as a beginning interior designer is not unusual.  I thought I had just chosen the wrong type of firms to work for.  I've been fortunate to have snagged one or two design projects thus far.

Technically tbone, interior designers are certified, not licensed. but I am surprised how right you are about state schools -- they are most of the interior design programs. But many of them are quite small, and I have a hard time imagining how they cover all of the topics they need to. I will point out that an architecture degree is equivalent to an interior design degree for the CIDA path to certification.

I don't mean to pry, but I have to ask...for an architect fresh out of school, how long is it before she starts work and gets a paycheck?

On average I mean.

Is it faster or slower than, say, an interior designer fresh out of school?

Ryan- Speaking from my perspective from my group of friends I would say it depends on the person and the city.  I got a job as an interior designer in LA within two weeks after I began looking (right after graduation).  I was the only one of my friends from my program to get an actual design position.  I have a friend who is an architect and she also got a job right after graduating, but that was before the recession got so bad and I think since moving cities she is still out of work.  It's all about the right place at the right time and selling your set of skills to your potential employer.  And perhaps a little luck.

Hospitality and residential design fields are unstable and you dont make as much money as you think. It is very creative though. You dont always get design freedom. The hours are very long. Institutional and facilities design pay better bt are not as creative as hospitality and rsidential