The purchasing power of people has increased considerably over the decades. Well-designed homes with aesthetic interiors have become the norm of the day for several individuals. This has brought about a phenomenal increase for interior designers. You can find an interior designer with wide-ranging skills from lighting to wooden flooring and steel-based walls to high ceilings. Many students have now made a foray into this career, which is proving to be very lucrative. Many wonder how much do interior designers earn in India? Like medicine and engineering, this profession also has its specialisation departments, which makes the average salary of interior designers in India vary accordingly. However, the starting salary of an interior designer in India amounts to about ₹4 lakhs a year. It could even exceed this amount depending on the city where the interior designer starts his career. Today, the pursuance of this career is well complemented by technology. Almost all interior designers resort to multimedia, 3D modelling, computer visualisation, and graphic designing, among other techniques, to conceptualise and create out-of-the-box interiors across spaces.
Did you know?
The happiness quotient of interior designers is 3.5 on a scale of 1-5, and according to this rate, their happiness is above average.
Exploring the Interior Designer Salary In India
The salary of an interior designer in a city like New Delhi or Mumbai far exceeds the salary of an interior designer in smaller cities like Pune or Hyderabad. The reasons are varied. The number of uber-rich in metros is higher than those in 2 and 3-tier cities.
In cities like Mumbai and Delhi, the SEC A segment of society is more style-conscious and has its purses full of splurging on interiors. While the profession may sound glamourous to many, it involves much hard work, focus, detailing and creativity. You need to have a creative bent of mind, whether it is flirting with colour nuances or understanding spaces and what could enhance them.
Today, people have become more aligned towards having eco-friendly interiors, which calls for a deep insight into how to maintain comfortable temperatures inside while retaining the visual appeal of the exteriors. You have to be highly skilled in understanding the materials, their quality, durability, and minutest details that could make a world of difference to the interiors.
The average salary of an interior designer in India is dependent on the organisation and the city of work. The average salary of an interior designer in India with experience of a couple of years is about ₹19 lakhs per year. For someone with about 4-6 years of experience, the interior designer's salary per month in India could be about ₹24 lakhs per annum. Established interior designers earn ₹43-45 lakhs per annum.
Also Read: Step by Step Guide on How to Start an Interior Design Business
Interior Designer Salary in Mumbai
The average interior designer salary in Mumbai is about ₹24 to 25000 per month for someone who has only 1- 3 years of experience. This is at least 8% more than the average salary of a senior interior designer in Mumbai could vary between ₹55-60000 per month. The salaries in Mumbai are dependent on the organisation as well. Small start-ups pay only ₹12-13000 per month for entry-level interior designers, whereas the bigger corporations pay at least ₹24-25,000 to entry-level interior designers. However, the salary for this profession is at least about 8 – 10 % more than the national average. In addition to the salary, these professionals stand to earn at least one month’s bonus every year.
Interior Designer Salary in Bangalore
The salary of an interior designer in Bangalore starts at ₹24-25,000 per month for someone with experience of less than a year. Depending on the organisation, this could increase to ₹30-35,000 per month. Mid-level and senior-level interior designers earn at least ₹50,000 – ₹1,00,000 per month. Once known as the garden city of India, Bangalore is now better known as the IT city of India, and it has an interesting gentry which works in some of the most globally renowned organisations like Infosys, Wipro, Amazon, and even Google. This economic section of society chooses to live in homes with exclusive interiors. This has increased the demand for creative interior designers. These global organisations are also reputed for paying handsome bonuses to their working professionals.
Interior Designer Salary in Delhi
The salary of interior designers (entry-level to senior-level) in Delhi is in the range of ₹4-18 lakhs per annum. The demand for interior designers is extremely high in the capital city of India. The gentry includes politicians, foreign dignitaries stationed there, and the elite and social sections of society. This makes the level of bonuses also very attractive.
Interior Designer Salary in Kerala
The average base salary of an interior designer in Kerala is about ₹17,000 per month. However, this varies across the cities of Kerala. In Thiruvananthapuram, it is ₹19,500 per month, ₹18,350 per month in the city of Calicut, ₹17,900 per month in Kollam, ₹17,800 per month in Trichur, and ₹17,700 per month in Kochi. Senior interior designers earn at least ₹60 - 65,000 per month. Interior designers are known to earn additional income in the form of commissions and bonuses.
Freelance Interior Designer Salary
Several individuals pursue interior designing as a side career in addition to a full-time degree course of their choice. They do this to be academically qualified and also to pursue their passion. Such individuals often tend to work on a project or commission basis and can earn handsomely. This way, they earn well and enjoy time (when the project is over) to pursue other hobbies. Once a freelancer can prove his skills through his creative concepts and designs, there is no limit to the earnings. You can earn anywhere between ₹34,000 per month to ₹90,550 per month, depending on your experience and the organisation.
Interior Designer Consultant Salary
Consultants in any profession earn more income because of their expertise in the specific industry. These individuals often charge an hourly fee. However, many are employed as full-time consultants with organisations. These full-time consultants can earn ₹10 – 12 lakhs or even more per annum. Again, the salary depends on the organisation in question. Consultants who prefer to work by the hour charge ₹1300 – 1500 per hour.
Salary of Interior Designers by Top Companies in India
Some of the leading Indian companies which are acclaimed for paying attractive salaries to Indian interior designers are as follows:
|
Company |
Salary |
|
Shoppers Stop |
₹60000 – 75000 per month |
|
Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing |
₹24000 – 55000 per month |
|
Design Cube |
₹37500 – 57500 per month |
|
Asian Paints |
₹23000 – 27000 per month |
|
Livspace |
₹25000 – 40000 per month |
|
Landmark Group |
₹45000 – 65000 per month |
|
Dar-Al-Handasah |
₹30000 – 36000 per month |
|
HBA International |
₹29166– 52500 per month |
|
Mc Donalds |
₹17000 – 28000 per month |
Who Can Choose an Interior Designer Career?
All individuals are talented in some skill or another. A career in interior design demands a person to have some specific skills to become successful. Inherently creative individuals can think out-of-the-box, and design concepts which are unique, stylish, and have a high visual appeal are best suited to the job of an interior designer. They should be able to come up with original ideas without imitating others. They should be able to express their original concepts and make the clients understand how their ideas are in sync with their expectations and what difference their concepts would bring about to the overall touch and feel of said spaces. You should be able to anticipate the changing trends to meet the desired expectations of diverse tastes. Their work should be exemplary for others to follow in their footsteps.
Also Read: How to Start Your Own Home Decor and Furniture Business
Educational Qualification for An Interior Designer
In today’s demanding and technology-driven world, you should possess a Bachelor’s degree in Interior Designing. Many pursue a B.Sc. undergraduate degree in interior designing. You can also enhance your skills by pursuing a Master’s degree in Design Space. There is no end to the extent of improving your skills academically as well as through practical experience. The demands of organisations and individuals keep changing with evolving times, and you should be ahead of their expectations.
Conclusion
This article details the career prospects in interior design. The profession is demanding but rewarding if you have the creative skills and can provide unique concepts. The salaries of these professionals vary across organisations and Indian cities. The commercial capital of Mumbai and the capital city of Delhi and Bengaluru are known to pay some of the most attractive pay packages to professionals in this industry. You can also freelance and accept projects of your choice in terms of ideas and compensation. Experienced interior designers share their unique skills by way of consultancy. The charges vary across cities, but consultants do earn lucrative incomes.
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