A B.Des takes 4 years through UCEED, NID DAT or NIFT and costs about 8 to 12 lakh at an IIT; a B.Arch takes 5 years through NATA or JEE Main Paper 2A and costs about 8 to 9 lakh at an NIT, or often under 60,000 a year at a state college. By the author’s estimates, a UX designer starts at about 3 to 5 lakh and an architect at about 2 to 3 lakh, reaching about 16 to 24 lakh and 11 to 17 lakh after 10 years. Design suits students from any stream who like making things people use; architecture suits students with Physics and Maths who want to design buildings and can commit to five years.
Degree
Design
B.Des (Bachelor of Design), 4 years
Architecture and planning
B.Arch (Bachelor of Architecture), 5 years
Entrance
Design
UCEED, NID DAT, NIFT
Architecture and planning
NATA, JEE Main Paper 2A
Total cost
Design
About 8 to 12 lakh at an IIT (Indian Institute of Technology); 15 to 30 lakh private
Architecture and planning
About 8 to 9 lakh at an NIT (National Institute of Technology); 5 to 25 lakh private
Open to
Design
PCMPCBCommerceHumanities
Architecture and planning
PCMPCB: with mathsCommerceHumanities
Pay at start
Design
about 3 to 5 lakh (ux designer); about 2 to 3 lakh (graphic designer)
Architecture and planning
about 2 to 3 lakh (architect)
After 5 years
Design
about 9.5 to 14.5 lakh; about 4 to 6 lakh
Architecture and planning
about 5 to 7 lakh
After 10 years
Design
about 16 to 24 lakh; about 4.5 to 6.5 lakh
Architecture and planning
about 11 to 17 lakh
Key numbers
Design
About 245 B.Des seats through UCEED, 2026; 135 seats in NID Ahmedabad's new 5.5-year integrated M.Des (9 in each of 15 disciplines, 2027-28); the other NIDs are separate institutes using the same test
Architecture and planning
Not given
AI risk
Design
Medium
Architecture and planning
Medium
Good fit if
Design
you draw or sketch without being asked to; you notice badly designed things (forms, packaging, apps) and think about how to fix them; you are happy to have your work criticised in front of the class; you would rather build a portfolio than sit written exams
Architecture and planning
you like drawing and maths together; you want a licensed, respected profession
Think twice if
Design
you want only graphic design, which AI tools are already reshaping; your family can only pay for a private college on a large loan; you want a steady salary from day one (many designers start freelance)
About 8 to 12 lakh at an IIT (Indian Institute of Technology); 15 to 30 lakh private
About 8 to 9 lakh at an NIT (National Institute of Technology); 5 to 25 lakh private
Open to
PCMPCBCommerceHumanities
PCMPCB: with mathsCommerceHumanities
Pay at start
about 3 to 5 lakh (ux designer); about 2 to 3 lakh (graphic designer)
about 2 to 3 lakh (architect)
After 5 years
about 9.5 to 14.5 lakh; about 4 to 6 lakh
about 5 to 7 lakh
After 10 years
about 16 to 24 lakh; about 4.5 to 6.5 lakh
about 11 to 17 lakh
Key numbers
About 245 B.Des seats through UCEED, 2026; 135 seats in NID Ahmedabad's new 5.5-year integrated M.Des (9 in each of 15 disciplines, 2027-28); the other NIDs are separate institutes using the same test
Not given
AI risk
Medium
Medium
Good fit if
you draw or sketch without being asked to; you notice badly designed things (forms, packaging, apps) and think about how to fix them; you are happy to have your work criticised in front of the class; you would rather build a portfolio than sit written exams
you like drawing and maths together; you want a licensed, respected profession
Think twice if
you want only graphic design, which AI tools are already reshaping; your family can only pay for a private college on a large loan; you want a steady salary from day one (many designers start freelance)
you need good pay quickly
Figures come from the portal’s guide, rounded, with pay in rupees a year. Confirm fees in each official notice.