Top Ranked
Interior Design Schools — Focus Areas
Interior Design firms and other professional organizations were surveyed regarding America's Top Ranked Interior Design Schools, which
ranks undergraduate and graduate programs from the perspective of the professional practitioners who hire and supervise graduates of
interior design. Rankings are compiled for the strongest programs in each of 12 different focus areas.
1 — Communication and presentation skills
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design |
1 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
2 |
| Pratt Institute |
3 |
| University of Cincinnati |
4 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
5 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
5 |
| Auburn University |
7 |
| Cornell University |
7 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
9 |
| Virginia Tech |
9 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| Pratt Institute** |
1 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
2 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design** |
3 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
4 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
5 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
6 |
| Auburn University** |
7 |
| Florida State University** |
8 |
| Drexel University |
9 |
| Cornell University** |
10 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
2 — Construction materials and methods
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
1 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design |
2 |
| Pratt Institute |
3 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
4 |
| University of Cincinnati |
4 |
| Auburn University |
6 |
| Virginia Tech |
7 |
| Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY |
8 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
9 |
| Drexel University |
10 |
| Jefferson University (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) |
10 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| Pratt Institute** |
1 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
2 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design** |
3 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
4 |
| Auburn University** |
5 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
5 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
5 |
| Cornell University** |
8 |
| Drexel University |
8 |
| Florida State University** |
10 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
3 — Design technologies (BIM, AI, VR, AR, etc.)
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design |
1 |
| Pratt Institute |
2 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
3 |
| University of Cincinnati |
4 |
| Auburn University |
5 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
5 |
| Virginia Tech |
5 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
8 |
| Jefferson University (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) |
9 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
10 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| Pratt Institute** |
1 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
2 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design** |
3 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
4 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
5 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
6 |
| Florida State University** |
7 |
| Auburn University** |
8 |
| Cornell University** |
9 |
| Drexel University |
9 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
4 — Design theory and practice
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design |
1 |
| Pratt Institute |
2 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
3 |
| University of Cincinnati |
4 |
| Auburn University |
5 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
5 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
7 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
7 |
| Virginia Tech |
7 |
| Cornell University |
10 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| Pratt Institute** |
1 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design** |
2 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
3 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
4 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
5 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
6 |
| Auburn University** |
7 |
| Drexel University |
8 |
| Cornell University** |
9 |
| Florida State University** |
9 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
5 — Engineering fundamentals
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| Pratt Institute |
1 |
| Auburn University |
2 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
3 |
| Virginia Tech |
3 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design |
5 |
| Cornell University |
6 |
| Drexel University |
6 |
| Florida State University |
8 |
| Jefferson University (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) |
8 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
8 |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology |
8 |
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| Pratt Institute** |
1 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
2 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design** |
2 |
| Auburn University** |
4 |
| Cornell University** |
4 |
| Boston Architectural College |
6 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
6 |
| Florida State University** |
8 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
8 |
| Drexel University |
10 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
6 — Healthy built environments
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
1 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design |
1 |
| Pratt Institute |
3 |
| Auburn University |
4 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
5 |
| Virginia Tech |
5 |
| Jefferson University (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) |
7 |
| University of Cincinnati |
8 |
| Drexel University |
9 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
9 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
9 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| Pratt Institute** |
1 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
2 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design** |
3 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
4 |
| Cornell University** |
5 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
6 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
7 |
| Drexel University |
8 |
| Florida State University** |
9 |
| Auburn University** |
10 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
7 — Interdisciplinary studies (awareness of, and collaboration with multiple disciplines impacting the built environment)
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| Pratt Institute |
1 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design |
2 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
3 |
| Virginia Tech |
3 |
| University of Cincinnati |
5 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
6 |
| Auburn University |
7 |
| Jefferson University (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) |
8 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
9 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
10 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| Pratt Institute** |
1 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design** |
2 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
3 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
3 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
5 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
6 |
| Auburn University** |
7 |
| Cornell University** |
7 |
| Florida State University** |
9 |
| Boston Architectural College |
10 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
8 — Practice management
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
1 |
| Pratt Institute |
2 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design |
3 |
| Auburn University |
4 |
| Virginia Tech |
4 |
| Cornell University |
6 |
| University of Cincinnati |
6 |
| Florida State University |
8 |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology |
8 |
| Woodbury University |
8 |
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
1 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design** |
2 |
| Pratt Institute** |
3 |
| Cornell University** |
4 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
4 |
| Auburn University** |
6 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
6 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
8 |
| Florida State University** |
9 |
| UCLA Extension/Cal Poly Pomona Collaborative Program |
10 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
9 — Project planning and management
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
1 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design |
2 |
| Pratt Institute |
3 |
| Auburn University |
4 |
| University of Cincinnati |
5 |
| Virginia Tech |
5 |
| Florida State University |
7 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
8 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
8 |
| Drexel University |
10 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
10 |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology |
10 |
| Woodbury University |
10 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
1 |
| Pratt Institute** |
2 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
3 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design** |
3 |
| Auburn University** |
5 |
| Drexel University |
6 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
6 |
| Boston Architectural College |
8 |
| Cornell University** |
8 |
| Florida State University** |
10 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
10 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
10 — Research
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design |
1 |
| Pratt Institute |
2 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
3 |
| University of Cincinnati |
4 |
| Virginia Tech |
4 |
| Cornell University |
6 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
6 |
| Auburn University |
8 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
8 |
| Drexel University |
10 |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology |
10 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| Pratt Institute** |
1 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design** |
2 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
3 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
4 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
4 |
| Auburn University** |
6 |
| Cornell University** |
6 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
8 |
| Florida State University** |
9 |
| Drexel University |
10 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
11 — Sustainable built environments/adaptive design/resilient design
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| Pratt Institute |
1 |
| Auburn University |
2 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
3 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design |
4 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
5 |
| Virginia Tech |
6 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
7 |
| Jefferson University (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) |
8 |
| University of Cincinnati |
8 |
| Drexel University |
10 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| Pratt Institute** |
1 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
2 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design** |
3 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
4 |
| Auburn University** |
5 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
5 |
| Cornell University** |
7 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
7 |
| Florida State University** |
8 |
| Drexel University |
9 |
| Jefferson University (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) |
9 |
| UCLA Extension/Cal Poly Pomona Collaborative Program |
9 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
12 — Transdisciplinary collaboration across A/E/C
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
1 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design |
1 |
| Auburn University |
3 |
| Pratt Institute |
3 |
| Virginia Tech |
5 |
| Boston Architectural College |
6 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
6 |
| University of Cincinnati |
6 |
| Drexel University |
9 |
| Jefferson University (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) |
9 |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology |
9 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
9 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
| School Name |
2019-20 |
| Pratt Institute** |
1 |
| Savannah College of Art & Design** |
2 |
| Rhode Island School of Design** |
3 |
| Auburn University** |
4 |
| Parsons School of Design** |
4 |
| New York School of Interior Design |
6 |
| Cornell University** |
7 |
| Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS |
7 |
| Boston Architectural College |
9 |
| Florida State University** |
9 |
** Programs are not CIDA Accredited
