Best Interior Design Schools Near Bristol, CT (2026)

Updated August 25, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Bristol, Connecticut has 5 accredited schools offering interior design programs. Bristol has a population of about 61,129. Median household income is $83,458 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 30.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Connecticut, the top-earning interior design-related role is Graphic Designer at a median $72,700 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Interior Design Schools to Bristol

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer interior design programs near Bristol, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Bristol city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Bristol. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Connecticut State Community College

New Britain, CT 15.1 miles from Bristol
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
47.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,344
Avg net price $11,513/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 116

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of New Haven

West Haven, CT 27.0 miles from Bristol
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
56.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,126
Avg net price $34,192/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Bridgeport

Bridgeport, CT 38.0 miles from Bristol
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
42.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,323
Avg net price $27,807/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 9

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Fairfield University

Fairfield, CT 39.6 miles from Bristol
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
74.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $88,794
Avg net price $48,095/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 13

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Connecticut schools on the Connecticut interior design page.

Interior Design Wages Near Bristol

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Connecticut, statewide)
Interior Designer$67,330
Graphic Designer$72,700

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Bristol at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population61,129Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$83,458Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+30.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Bristol-Area Cities With Interior Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited interior design schools are near Bristol, CT?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering interior design programs near Bristol. The closest is Connecticut State Community College in New Britain, CT (15.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Connecticut (36.7 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying interior design roles in Connecticut?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying interior design-related roles in Connecticut are: Graphic Designer ($72,700), Interior Designer ($67,330). Wages for Bristol workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in New Britain instead of Bristol?

New Britain, CT is 8.0 miles from Bristol and has its own set of local interior design programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Bristol an affordable place to study interior design?

Bristol’s median household income of $83,458 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bristol while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Connecticut public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Interior Design Programs

Other Programs Available in Bristol

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Bristol:

Data verified: August 25, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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