Diploma in Interior Designing After 10th: Courses, Fees, and Career

Do you notice every minute detail each time you walk into a cafe or a restaurant? Are you fond of decorating your house and moving around the decor and furniture to enhance the aesthetics of your room? Do you read interior design blogs and follow relevant pages online? 

Sounds familiar? Then interior design and decoration might be a great career option for you.

If you are passionate about interior design, have good drawing skills, are quick with technology, and want to start your career early by ditching the mainstream paths, enrolling in interior design diplomas after 10th can be the right way to get a headstart. 

Read the blog to find out about interior design courses, fee structures, and jobs, and start your journey toward a thriving career. 

What is Interior Design?

Interior design involves creating a space that is functional, accessible, and visually appealing. Designers use different design techniques, and trend forecasts, and pick color schemes and materials that elevate the space and bring out its essence. 

Key Skills You Need To Be an Interior Designer

1. Drawing Skills 

You don’t have to be a master artist to pursue interior design; all you need is some basic idea of proportional and perspective drawing. 

Read Also: The Growing Scope of Interior Design as a Career in 2025

Drawing and quick sketching are integral to interior design. These skills are useful at every stage – from brainstorming ideas to conveying concepts and illustrating. 

2. High Creative Drive

Interior designers must be creative to develop innovative design solutions that cater to the client’s needs. You will need to use your creativity and critical thinking skills to align with trends, create relevant designs, and adhere to the budget. 

3. Tech Savvy

The integration of technology in interior design has expanded its scope beyond traditional ways. With AI and AR/VR technology, designers are now visualizing floor plans digitally, enabling virtual previews and creating 3D floor plans using the latest software. 

Being tech-savvy is a must in this digital era where technology-driven design has taken center stage. You will need to learn tools like AutoCAD, 3ds Max, and SketchUp and keep up with the dynamically evolving landscape.

4. Understanding Of Color Theory

Applying color theory the right way can take a design from basic to brilliant. Getting acquainted with different color schemes, and understanding how to refer to the color wheel are essential skills for an aspiring designer. 

Learn the basics of a color wheel and when to use complementary and analogous colors to bring out the aura of a space and make it look visually appealing.

5. Visual Thinking and Spatial Awareness

Visual thinking allows designers to freely brainstorm ideas and communicate with team members. It helps visualize concepts and makes the design process easier. 

Spatial awareness includes understanding the size and proportion of interiors and furniture with one another. Geometric skills and knowledge of measurements will let you fully optimize space and make it functional and aesthetic.

Diploma In Interior Design After 10th – An Overview

If you want to pursue a diploma course after 10th and want to know the details of how to go about it, you are at the right place. Start by short-listing courses and colleges you want to enroll in and learn all the key skills to get ahead of the curve. 

Here’s a guide to application and course details so you can kickstart your design journey hassle-free-

1. Eligibility and Application Process

You need to complete your 10th exams with a minimum of 50% aggregate score from a recognized board (such as CBSE, ICSE, state boards, NIOS, and the like).

Once you submit the application forms for the colleges of your choice, depending on their requirements, the institute will either conduct an entrance test or personal interview or allot merit-based ranks using your class 10th results. 

2. Diploma in Interior Design After 10th – Course Details 

Interior design courses after 10th typically span 1-2 years. These are highly skill-oriented and focus on the technical aspects of the field. 

Key areas of focus – 

• Design

You will understand the elements and principles of design, study the design process, and learn to design interiors, furniture, and furnishing using traditional techniques and digital tools. 

You will also explore trends and sustainable design approaches and understand the difference between commercial and residential space design.

Read Also: Interior Designing Tips for Maximizing Natural Light in Any Space

• Drawing

From quick sketches to technical drawings and illustrations, you will master design drawing and learn how to visually represent your ideas using a variety of mediums. 

• Construction

As an interior designer, you will learn how to construct floor plans, 2-dimensional detailed elevation views, and section details that depict construction elements and their specifications. 

Most interior design curricula include pen-paper and digital construction to get the students acquainted with both the traditional and the innovative. 

• Software Knowledge

Software is central to every stage of the design process. Diplomas will help you learn the most used tools in the industry and teach you ways to keep yourself updated and skilled by learning the relevant tools. 

• Material Studies

Material studies include understanding different building materials, floors, furniture materials, and textiles used in furnishing and upholstery. Exploring different materials will allow you to make better design choices and add life to any space. 

Read Also: The Power of Textures: How to Add Visual Interest to Any Room

3. Fee Structure

The fee structure of interior design diplomas depends on multiple factors ranging from curriculum, duration, infrastructure, projects covered, resources, and more. While Government and government-aided colleges might offer less expensive courses, the cost is typically higher in private institutes. 

The medium of instruction also affects the fees. For instance, online courses are usually more affordable than their offline counterparts. 

Here’s the fee range for the most popular interior design diplomas you can pursue after 10th – 

• Diploma in Interior Design – ₹80,000 – ₹1,60,000
• Diploma in Interior Design and Display – ₹1,20,000 – ₹2,50,000

4. Interior Design Jobs After A Diploma 

After completing your diploma in interior design, you can apply for different entry-level positions. These offer medium to high salaries and immense growth potential. 

Look at the table below for the most popular jobs in the industry.

Job Title	Job Description	Average Salary Per Annum
Design Assistant	Assisting senior designers in planning, color and furniture selection, illustration, management, and other daily tasks.	₹3,00,000 – ₹3,80,000
Junior Interior Designer	Working closely with senior designers to brainstorm concepts, draft plans, create prototypes, and conduct research.	₹3,50,000 – ₹4,00,000
Kitchen Designer	Specializes in creating functional and aesthetic kitchen spaces. They plan kitchens, pick colors and materials, and incorporate trends to meet the client’s requirements.	₹2,75,000 – ₹3,50,000
Lighting Designer	They specialize in planning how lighting will impact a residential or commercial space, or a production set, ensure the optimum use of natural light, and experiment with different lighting techniques to highlight various characteristics of a space.	₹3,00,000 – ₹6,00,000
Visual Merchandiser	Visual merchandisers plan visually appealing and relevant store displays that reflect brand values and draw in more customers.	₹3,00,000 – ₹5,00,000
Exhibition Designer	Create layouts and design spaces for exhibitions. They strategically place artworks based on the concept and use light and shadow to draw attention and add depth.	₹2,50,000 – ₹5,00,000
Interior Decorator	Interior decorators select color palettes, choose decor and furniture, manage projects and purchases, and work with contractors and suppliers to ensure maximum client satisfaction.	₹3,00,000 – ₹6,50,000

Read Also: How to Become an Interior Designer: A Step-by-Step Guide

5. Additional Interior Design Certificate Courses For Skilling Up

Certificate courses primarily focus on specific niches within Interior design and provide in-depth knowledge in a short time. They can range from a few days to 1 year and can be pursued alongside other courses and jobs. Depending on their medium (online or offline), the fee can be around ₹10,000 – ₹1,20,000. 

We have shortlisted the most popular certificate courses in Interior design in 2025 – 

Offline Certificate Courses 

• Certificate In Interior Design (6 months)
• Interior Design and Decoration Certification Course (6 months)
• Interior Design: Home Space – Certification Course (11 months)
• Interior Design: Commercial Space –  Certification Course (11 months)

Online Certificate Courses 

• Interior Design For Homes (30-40 hrs)
• Specialization In Interior Design Software (4 weeks)
• Sustainable Building: Design And Specifications (3 Weeks)

Is Interior Design A Good Career Choice After 10th?

The interior design market in India is growing thanks to rapid urbanization, the evolving tastes of consumers, and a need for more personalized homes and workspaces. If you don’t want to take the traditional route by pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree followed by a Master’s, enrolling in a diploma after the 10th can be beneficial for your career. 

• Interior Design is a great way to channel your creativity and problem-solving skills into something lucrative.

• Pursuing a Diploma allows you to enter the job market early while also leaving the option for degree courses through lateral entry. 

• With the growth of real estate, there is an increasing demand for young creative minds to join new projects and bring in their fresh ideas and technological skills. 

Read Also: Interior Design Courses to Unlock Your Potential in the Design Industry

• Although the job market is competitive and salaries can vary based on multiple factors, with a strong portfolio and your ability to continuously learn and evolve, you can make a rewarding career in the industry. 

Conclusion

The interior design market in India is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.7% by 2026, with more vacancies in entry-level and intermediate-level posts. With the integration of technologies, interior design is becoming expansive and diverse, allowing more people to join the industry and be trendsetters. 

If you are passionate about interior design and want to make a career out of it, a diploma in interior design after 10th can be just the right move to embark on a successful professional journey filled with growth opportunities and creative highlights. 

Don’t forget to take a look at the courses offered by AAFT Noida’s School of Interior Design to find out more about the field and get useful industry insights.