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    NIFT Mumbai Vs Pearl Academy Mumbai: Compare Design Fees, Reputation, Placements & Industry Exposure
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    • NIFT Mumbai Vs Pearl Academy Mumbai: Compare Design Fees, Reputation, Placements & Industry Exposure

    NIFT Mumbai Vs Pearl Academy Mumbai: Compare Design Fees, Reputation, Placements & Industry Exposure

    Tekumalla AvinashramUpdated on 07 Aug 2026, 11:07 AM IST

    NIFT Mumbai and Pearl Academy are two top design colleges in Mumbai that offer a range of design courses. The Government of India operates the NIFT institution, whereas Pearl Academy is a private institution offering BDes and MDes programmes. Candidates who are planning to take admission into any of these colleges should understand the eligibility criteria, admission process, fee structure, college reputation, placement record, and industry exposure they have for each course. Pearl Academy admissions are done through the Pearl Academy entrance exam, while NIFT Mumbai admissions are done through the NIFT entrance exam. Read the complete article by Careers360 to get a clear comparison between NIFT Mumbai and Pearl Academy on fee structure, reputation, placement record, and other important details.

    NIFT Mumbai Vs Pearl Academy Mumbai: Compare Design Fees, Reputation, Placements & Industry Exposure
    NIFT Mumbai Vs Pearl Academy, Mumbai

    NIFT Mumbai Vs Pearl Academy Mumbai 2026

    NIFT Mumbai and Pearl Academy are known as the top design colleges in Mumbai. Both colleges offer a wide range of design specializations. Candidates will be able to take admission into UG and PG design courses. Pearl Academy, Mumbai, is located in Andheri East, whereas NIFT Mumbai is located in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. Check the information given below to get a clear comparison of NIFT Mumbai Vs Pearl Academy, Mumbai, including fee details, college infrastructure, reputation, placements, and other important details.

    NIFT Mumbai Fees Vs Pearl Academy Fees 2026

    NIFT Mumbai Design Course Fees 2026

    Fee Structure - Regular/Artisan/Ward of Artisan

    Details

    2026-27

    2027-28

    2028-29

    2029-30

    Sem 1

    Sem 2

    Sem 3

    Sem 4

    Sem 5

    Sem 6

    Sem 7

    Sem 8

    Tuition fee (Non-refundable)

    150000

    150000

    158000

    158000

    166000

    166000

    174000

    174000

    Library fee (per year) (non-refundable)

    10000

    0

    10500

    0

    11000

    0

    11600

    0

    Medical claim & student development fee (Per year) (non-refundable)

    4900

    0

    5100

    0

    5400

    0

    5700

    0

    Exam fee (per year)

    4900

    0

    5100

    0

    5400

    0

    5700

    0

    Total

    169800

    150000

    178700

    158000

    187800

    166000

    197000

    174000

    One-time payments









    Security deposit (one-timerefundable)

    12600

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Alumni association membership fee (One-time) (Non-refundable)

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    6200

    0

    Registration fee (One-time)

    9300

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Total

    21900

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    6200

    0

    Grand Total

    191700

    150000

    178700

    158000

    187800

    166000

    203200

    174000

    Pearl Academy, Mumbai Design Course Fees 2026

    Programme Name

    One-Time Fees

    Sem 1 Fees

    Sem 2 Fees

    B. Des. in Communication Design

    85000

    3,66,100

    3,66,100

    B. Des. in Fashion Communication

    85000

    3,66,100

    3,66,100

    B. Des. in Fashion Design

    85000

    3,93,900

    3,93,900

    B. Des. in Fashion Styling

    85000

    3,66,100

    3,66,100

    B. Des. in Interior Architectural Design

    85000

    3,66,100

    3,66,100

    B. Des in Product Design

    85000

    2,88,800

    2,88,800

    M. Des. in Communication Design

    85000

    2,98,900

    2,98,900

    M. Des in Fashion Communication

    85000

    2,98,900

    2,98,900

    M. Des in Fashion Design

    85000

    2,98,900

    2,98,900

    M. Des in Interior Design

    85000

    2,98,900

    2,98,900

    M. Des. in Product Design

    85000

    2,98,900

    2,98,900

    M. Des. in Fashion Styling

    85000

    2,98,900

    2,98,900

    NIFT Mumbai Vs Pearl Academy, Mumbai Ranking 2026

    The Government of India does not officially release the NRIF ranking for design colleges. Based on the India Today ranking for the top design colleges in India, NIFT Mumbai is ranked at the 2nd position, whereas Pearl Academy is ranked at the 19th position for 2026 year. In a similar way, for Pearl Academy Mumbai, Careers360 has given a ranking of AAAA+, which makes it one of the top-ranked design colleges in Mumbai. Based on the IIRF ranking 2026, Pearl Academy, Mumbai, is ranked in the No. 1 position in Maharashtra.

    NIFT Mumbai Vs Pearl Academy, Mumbai 2026 - Comparison

    NIFT Mumbai Vs Pearl Academy, Mumbai 2026 - Infrastructure

    NIFT Mumbai

    Pearl Academy, Mumbai

    • Machine Room and Materials Workshop

    • Leather Lab

    • Jewellery Lab

    • Painting Lab

    • Welding Workshop

    • Design and Creative Thinking studio

    • Surface Design Lab

    • Weaving Lab

    • Textile Testing Lab

    • CAD Lab

    • Visual Merchandising Lab

    • Photography Lab

    • Pattern Making Lab

    • Garment Construction Lab

    • Design Studio

    • Art Lab

    • Pattern Making lab

    • Garment Construction Lab

    • Hand Flat Lab

    • Shima Seiki Lab

    • Sports and Lingerie Machine Lab

    • Specialized SPME Sewn and Product Machinery Equipment Lab

    • Hanger Systems Material Handling Lab

    • Design Studio

    • Visual Merchandising Display Lab

    • Apart from these specific labs, the campus has nine computer labs assigned to every department and the Foundation.

    • Equipped with the latest Audio Visual technologies, the auditorium can seat an audience of 350.

    • Newly constructed ramp room in the academic block II for in-house fashion shows and competitions.

    • Library

    • Medical Assistance

    • Cafeteria

    • AI Studio

    • Life Design Studio

    • Runway Studio

    • Conducts Various Cultural Events

    • Hostel Facilities with 24/7 security

    • Wifi

    • Laundry Room

    NIFT Mumbai Vs Pearl Academy, Mumbai 2026 – Admission Comparison

    Check the details below about the admission process of NIFT Mumbai and Pearl Academy Mumbai 2026:

    Admission Factors

    NIFT Mumbai

    Pearl Academy

    Entrance Exam

    NIFT Entrance Exam 2026

    Pearl Academy 2026 Entrance Exam

    Portfolio Round

    Yes

    Yes

    Interview

    Yes

    Yes

    Exam Difficulty

    Moderate

    Moderate

    Seats

    B.Des: 258 Seats

    M.Des: 86 Seats

    B.Des: 60 Seats

    M.Des: 45 seats

    Scholarship

    • Sarthak NIFT Financial Assistance Scheme

    • Udaan NIFT Scholarship Scheme (For Foreign Studies)

    • National Scholarship

    • NIFT Rank

    • Board Merit Scholarship

    • Defence background Scholarship

    • CUET Scholarship

    NIFT Mumbai Vs Pearl Academy, Mumbai 2026 – Reputation Comparison

    Check the information given below about NIFT Mumbai and Pearl Academy to understand the reputation on various factors:

    College Factor

    Winner

    Reason

    Brand Recognition

    NIFT Mumbai

    NIFT Mumbai is one of the most reputed design colleges in India. This institute has a strong national presence and also a good industry network. It also ranked at the 2nd position as per the India Today ranking, whereas Pearl Academy was ranked at the 19th position.

    Fees

    NIFT Mumbai

    NIFT Mumbai is a more affordable option compared to Pearl Academy. Also, it provides a nationally recognised design curriculum

    Campus

    Tie

    Based on the information provided on their official websites, both colleges are located in the heart of the city and have good infrastructure and facilities.

    Fashion

    Tie

    Both colleges have various specialisations in fashion courses.

    Average Salary

    Tie

    As both the colleges have strong placement networks and industry exposure, candidates can secure high-paying jobs through the campus placements.

    Industry Exposure

    Tie

    Both colleges have strong industry collaborations.

    Overall ROI

    NIFT Mumbai

    Based on the NIFT Mumbai fee structure, candidates will be able to get a better ROI from NIFT Mumbai compared to Pearl Academy.

    NIFT Mumbai Vs Pearl Academy, Mumbai 2026 – Placement Comparison

    All the NIFT campuses in India conduct centralised placements. Candidates from any campus will be able to participate and apply for the placements at the same time. This mainly helps students to opt for companies based on their interests and can also help them decide the place to start their career. In the same way, Pearl Academy also has a strong placement record and has witnessed some of the top companies on the recruitment list.

    Students who are confused about choosing the right college based on the placement reports should understand that both of these colleges have a strong industry network and attract top companies during the placement process. Check the list below of top recruiters for NIFT Mumbai and Pearl Academy Mumbai:

    NIFT Mumbai

    Pearl Academy, Mumbai

    Pantaloons

    Good Earth

    Blackberry

    Arvind Ltd

    Manish Malhotra

    Ritu Beri

    Gaurav Gupta

    Amit Agarwal

    Suket Dhir

    Manish Arora

    Rohit Bal

    Reliance Retail

    Raymond

    Landmark

    TCNS

    Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd.

    Taneira

    Raymond Ltd

    Amazon

    Myntra

    Ajio

    Tata CLiQ

    First Cry

    Walt Disney

    Accenture

    IBM

    Aditya Birla – Fashion & Retail

    Amazon

    Anju Modi

    Apparel Resources

    Arvind – Fashion Possibilities

    Craftvilla

    Brahaan Blue Tag

    Future Group

    BIBA

    CTA Apparels

    Good Earth

    H&M

    Gaurav Gupta

    Mango

    Satya Paul

    Masaba

    Reliance Retail

    UNIQLO

    Nicobar

    NIFT Mumbai Vs Pearl Academy, Mumbai 2026 – Industry Exposure

    NIFT Mumbai and Pearl Academy Mumbai are among the top design colleges in Mumbai. Candidates can refer to the placement comparison above to understand the industry exposure offered by both colleges. Each college has strong ties with leading companies and maintains a good industry network, helping students secure placement opportunities. Students with good academic performance and the right skills have a strong chance of getting placed at either college.

    Candidates comparing the industry exposure of these colleges do not need to worry, as both provide excellent industry connections. The main difference lies in the sectors they are best known for. NIFT Mumbai has strong links with the fashion, textile, apparel, retail, and lifestyle industries. On the other hand, Pearl Academy has connections with leading fashion brands as well as companies in IT, product development, and creative fields. According to the official information published by Pearl Academy, the institute has achieved a 99% placement record in recent years.

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