Interior Designer Jobs in Illinois
Interior Designer jobs in Illinois are active across commercial, hospitality, and residential sectors, with openings ranging from entry-level drafting and space-planning roles through senior project leads and design directors. Chicago anchors the market, with Rockford and Naperville adding meaningful volume, and established firms like Gensler, HOK, and CannonDesign maintain a strong Illinois presence. The most in-demand specialties are commercial office design, healthcare interior design, and sustainable residential interiors. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 31+ Interior Designer jobs
Turn your passion for design and sales into a rewarding career with strong client relationships, performance based growth, and uncapped earning potential. At Walter E. Smithe, you will design beautiful, functional spaces, build lasting client relationships, and earn uncapped commission in a supportive, team focused environment.Whether you come from interior design or a sales background, we provide the training, tools, and mentorship to help you succeed. What you'll do:
- Partner with clients to design inspiring spaces that reflect their lifestyle and vision
- Build lasting client relationships through personalized service and outreach
- Conduct in-home visits and use advanced design tools to bring concepts to life
- Primarily custom and special order, including private label brands, as well as Century, American Leather, Vanguard, Hancock & Moore, Universal, Hooker, and many others.
- Manage multiple projects while achieving individual sales goals
- Collaborate with a dedicated support team of client service, accounting, and delivery professionals
Training & Support: We invest in your success with a career-focused training program:
- Comprehensive training that develops design & sales expertise, software proficiency, and project management skills
- Ongoing coaching and mentorship to help you grow and succeed over time
- Hourly paid training for up to the first 4 months, with the option to transition to commission sooner
- Structured learning combined with hands-on experience in a real showroom environment
Compensation & Benefits:
- Performance-based commission structure after training with uncapped earning potential
- Commission paid on written sales
- Monthly and annual performance-based bonuses
- Typical earnings range: $40K – $185K+ (performance-based)
- Average commission: 7.71% (6.7%–8.6%)
- Bonus opportunities
- Medical, dental, vision, LTD, life insurance
- 401k
- PTO, flexible schedules, and employee discounts
- Clear career path with opportunities for growth, advancement, and leadership
Who thrives in this role:
- People-driven professionals energized by client engagement and relationship building
- 3+ years of post-grad experience in retail, sales, or interior design with consultative sales expertise
- Confident, enthusiastic individuals capable of leading the sales process
- Motivated by results and excited by a performance-based career path
- Organized, professional, and committed to building a long-term design career
- Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and weekend availability
Turn your passion for design and sales into a rewarding career with strong client relationships, performance based growth, and uncapped earning potential. At Walter E. Smithe, you will design beautiful, functional spaces, build lasting client relationships, and earn uncapped commission in a supportive, team focused environment.Whether you come from interior design or a sales background, we provide the training, tools, and mentorship to help you succeed. What you'll do:
- Partner with clients to design inspiring spaces that reflect their lifestyle and vision
- Build lasting client relationships through personalized service and outreach
- Conduct in-home visits and use advanced design tools to bring concepts to life
- Primarily custom and special order, including private label brands, as well as Century, American Leather, Vanguard, Hancock & Moore, Universal, Hooker, and many others.
- Manage multiple projects while achieving individual sales goals
- Collaborate with a dedicated support team of client service, accounting, and delivery professionals
Training & Support: We invest in your success with a career-focused training program:
- Comprehensive training that develops design & sales expertise, software proficiency, and project management skills
- Ongoing coaching and mentorship to help you grow and succeed over time
- Hourly paid training for up to the first 4 months, with the option to transition to commission sooner
- Structured learning combined with hands-on experience in a real showroom environment
Compensation & Benefits:
- Performance-based commission structure after training with uncapped earning potential
- Commission paid on written sales
- Monthly and annual performance-based bonuses
- Typical earnings range: $40K – $185K+ (performance-based)
- Average commission: 7.71% (6.7%–8.6%)
- Bonus opportunities
- Medical, dental, vision, LTD, life insurance
- 401k
- PTO, flexible schedules, and employee discounts
- Clear career path with opportunities for growth, advancement, and leadership
Who thrives in this role:
- People-driven professionals energized by client engagement and relationship building
- 3+ years of post-grad experience in retail, sales, or interior design with consultative sales expertise
- Confident, enthusiastic individuals capable of leading the sales process
- Motivated by results and excited by a performance-based career path
- Organized, professional, and committed to building a long-term design career
- Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and weekend availability
See All 31 Interior Designer Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Interior Designer JobsInterior Designer Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Interior Designer Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Construction & Real Estate
- Technology & Software
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in interior designer jobs across Illinois.
- Active Illinois Interior Design license or eligibility through the NCIDQ examination required
- Bachelor's or master's degree in interior design or a closely related design field
- Proficiency in AutoCAD, Revit, and SketchUp for space planning and construction documents
- Portfolio demonstrating completed commercial, residential, or hospitality projects from concept through install
- Familiarity with Illinois building codes, ADA compliance standards, and LEED principles
- Strong client communication skills and experience managing vendor and contractor relationships
Interior Designer Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become an interior designer in Illinois?
Illinois requires interior designers who use the title 'Registered Interior Designer' to hold a license issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. To qualify, you need a degree in interior design from an accredited program, documented work experience under a licensed professional, and a passing score on the NCIDQ examination. Designers who do not use that protected title may work without licensure, but most Illinois employers hiring at the project-lead level require or strongly prefer the registered credential.
How much do interior designers make in Illinois?
Interior designers in Illinois earn a median of about $76,290 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $44,620 for the lowest 10% to over $131,990 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire interior designers in Illinois?
Employers hiring interior designers in Illinois right now include Steinhafels, CannonDesign, and Walter E Smithe Furniture & Design, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Illinois's large base of architecture and design firms, corporate headquarters, and healthcare institutions creates consistent demand for designers across a range of specialties and experience levels.
Which Illinois cities have the most interior designer jobs?
Chicago, Westmont, and Vernon Hills have the most interior designer openings in Illinois. Chicago generates the majority of postings given its concentration of national architecture firms, corporate office headquarters, and high-end hospitality development, while surrounding suburban markets like Naperville benefit from major corporate campuses and commercial construction activity that consistently require project-level design talent.
Are there remote interior designer jobs in Illinois?
Yes, but they're less common than in purely desk-based fields, since interior design frequently requires site visits, client walkthroughs, and hands-on material selection. About 46% of interior designer openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting that some phases of the work, particularly concept development, drafting, and client presentations, can be done off-site. Roles focused on space planning, FF&E specification, and rendering are the most likely to offer remote or hybrid flexibility.
How can I get hired as an interior designer in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is an internship or junior designer role at a Chicago-area architecture or interior design firm, where you work under a licensed Registered Interior Designer and build the supervised hours required for NCIDQ eligibility. Large Illinois healthcare systems and corporate real estate teams also hire design coordinators and space-planning assistants as starting points. A strong portfolio of student or personal projects and familiarity with AutoCAD or Revit gives candidates a measurable edge, and pursuing the NCIDQ Interior Design Fundamentals Examination while working demonstrates seriousness to hiring managers.
Where can I find and apply to interior designer jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to interior designer jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings updated regularly. Search the listings to see roles that match your experience level, specialty, and preferred location, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 31 Interior Designer Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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