NID DAT Application Date:11 Sep' 25 - 01 Dec' 25
Over 1,400 design graduates were placed between 2018-2021 during the National Institute of Design’s (NID) Industry Interface placement sessions; which is more than 87 per cent of their intake during the specified time period. Placements across various design industries saw annual packages from INR 4,00,000 per annum to more than INR 42 lakh per annum.
Careers360 conducted in-depth analysis on the placements at NID Ahmedabad and their extension campus at Gandhinagar and Bengaluru over the last five years. This analysis drew up a deeper understanding of the changing landscape of the design industry.
From the academic years 2017 to 2021, the average highest salary of Rs 42.75 lakh per annum, while the average lowest salary was nearly Rs 11.5 lakh per annum.
For deeper understanding how many students were placed and what was the highest and the lowest salaries offered, see the table below.
Placement at NID Campus (Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Bengaluru )
Year | No. of students opting for full-time placements and graduation projects | No. of offers made by industries for full-time placements and graduation projects | Highest salary offered during the Industry Interface (In lakhs) | Lowest salary offered during the Industry Interface (In lakhs) |
2017-18 | 405 | 391 | 48 | 14 |
2018-19 | 438 | 410 | 38 | 14 |
2019-20 | 469 | 403 | 50 | 14 |
2020-21 | 350 | 255 | 35 | 4 |
The placement trends show sharp decline every year from 96.54 per cent to 72.85 per cent till the academic years 2020-21. The same trend was seen with the lowest salary, while the highest salary fluctuated each year.

According to NID’s latest annual report, in the year 2021-22, the placement drive was organised in two phases for all the three campuses. The first one was organised in August 2021 and the second in February 2022.
The February 2022 phase placed more than 86 per cent of the students which is four per cent more than the August 2021 phase. The February session seems more successful than the August session in various aspects of placement.
Placement details at NID (Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Bengaluru)
No. of students opting for full-time placements and graduation projects | No. of offers made by industries for full-time placements and graduation projects | Highest salary offered during the Industry Interface (In lakhs) | Lowest salary offered during the Industry Interface (In lakhs) | ||||
Aug 21 | Feb 22 | Aug 21 | Feb 22 | Aug 21 | Feb 22 | Aug 21 | Feb 22 |
358 | 467 | 297 | 405 | 36 | 46 | 4.8 | 4 |
Traditional design sectors such as Interior Design, Fashion Design, and Graphic Design have long been prominent avenues for creative individuals, offering starting salaries averaging around INR 4.1 lakhs, INR 4.3 lakhs, and INR 2.4 lakhs p.a respectively. However, the landscape of design careers is evolving, with new domains proving increasingly attractive. Sectors like Animation Film Design, Ceramic & Glass Design, Exhibition Design, Furniture Design, Product Design, Textile Design, and Digital Game Design etc, have garnered attention for their potential for innovation and lucrative remuneration. Let’s have a look at them.
Design domains | Average annual salary offered to freshers (In Rs)* |
Digital Game Design | 12,00,000 |
Interaction Design | 8,80,000 |
Information Design | 6,00,000 |
Textile Design | 4,80,000 |
New Media Design | 4,80,000 |
Ceramic & Glass Design | 4,20,000 |
Animation Film Design | 3,00,000 |
Product Design | 2,50,000 |
Exhibition Design | 2,40,000 |
Furniture Design | 1,50,000 |
*Note: These are generic average annual salary packages offered to freshers.
These thriving domains present diverse opportunities as well as competitive starting salaries, with figures ranging from INR 1.5 lakhs to an impressive INR 12 lakhs annually. As the design industry continues to expand and diversify, aspiring designers have a broader spectrum of career paths to consider, each with its unique blend of creativity and financial reward.
Innovations in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and augmented reality are likely to revolutionise the way designers work, opening up new possibilities for interactive and immersive experiences.
India's burgeoning startup ecosystem and the government initiatives such as "Make in India" and "Digital India" are creating a conducive environment for entrepreneurs. This gives designers the opportunities to venture into related streams such as product design, user experience design, and service design for both local and global markets.
Even as the industry grapples with a shortage of quality and qualified designers, there are ample opportunities across a wide range of sectors, for those who can innovate and be creative. However, to thrive in this evolving landscape, designers will need to continuously adapt, upskill, and embrace interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving.
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
Yes, if you are in Class 12, you are eligible to sit for the NID DAT 2026 (BDes) exam. The National Institute of Design allows students who are in their final year of Class 12 or have already passed to apply.
To know more access below mentioned link:
https://design.careers360.com/articles/nid-admission-2026
Hope it helps.
You can get the NIT DAT SYLLABUS, updated version from careers 360 in detail from careers 360 article. Follow the link given from The link of the syllabus article is given below from careers 360
https://design.careers360.com/articles/nid-dat-syllabus-2026
Yes you are eligible to appear for NID DAT for the M.Des programme. Since you are in final make sure you will have completed your BA by the required deadline. Also go through the specific specializations you want to apply for, some may require certain specific backgrounds to be eligible to apply for them. You can find more details here design.careers360.com/articles/nid-dat-eligibility-criteria
Hello,
To prepare for M.des exams like CEED or NID DAT, here are some points which you can follow:
Understand the pattern – focus on creativity, design aptitude, and problem-solving.
Practice sketching daily and improve visualization.
Study basics of color, form, and design concepts.
Solve previous papers and build a strong portfolio.
Stay consistent and observe everyday designs for new ideas.
THANKU.
Hi daksh
As 563 rank in nid dat exam cannot guarantee admission in designing college but it could be a good chance to explore some campus as if you are not from general category as category role plays an important role . But now you can do one thing focus on your strengthening your protofile or preparing for the studio test (bdes) or interview (mdes).
Thanks.
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