United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Occupational Outlook Handbook. 2008-09 edition.

Every two years the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, releases a new edition of The Occupational Outlook Handbook. The edition for 2008-09 has just come out. This useful guide analyzes hundreds of occupations, setting forth information about the nature of the work, education requirements & other qualifications, current employment figures for the occupation & job outlook, average earnings, and other useful information. The handbook notes, for example, that twenty-six percent of interior designers are self-employed. This occupation is characterized by sharp competition and a super-abundance of creative people. Many interior designers train in college programs that teach a range of subjects from ergonomics, to psychology, to computer-assisted design. Employment for interior designers is expected to grow by nineteen percent between 2006 and 2016. The median salary of these creative folks was $42,260 in 2006. [See The Handbook, pp. 306-09]. This handbook—wonderfully useful for students deciding on the best way to invest in higher education—is available in print and online at http://www.bls.gov/oco.

Buck Berry