The Growing Scope of Interior Design as a Career in 2025

The Indian interior design market is growing at a substantial rate. Thanks to evolving consumer preferences, technological interventions, and rapid urbanization, the industry is expected to have a share of USD 81.2 billion by 2030.

If you are considering pursuing interior design as a career, this is a great time. With a bachelor’s degree – B.Sc/B.Des – in the field, and a strong portfolio, you can land a high-paying job and tap into global prospects. 

This blog will provide a complete guide to approaching interior design in 2025 and answer all your queries about qualifications, jobs, salary, and more. 

What Is Interior Design?

In simple words, interior design is the process of functionally and aesthetically elevating a space to suit the needs and tastes of the people who own/use it. 

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

It involves meticulously planning and choosing furniture, decor, lights, and other fixtures, determining their placements, and deciding suitable color schemes. It focuses on practicality, comfort, style, and visual appeal that would add a ‘wow’ factor to a home, office, or other residential and commercial complexes. 

Roles and Responsibilities of Interior Designers

An interior designer is a creative professional who assesses the needs of a space and plans how to design furniture placements, decor, colors, and fixtures to enhance its functionality and visual appeal. 

Their daily tasks include – 

• Drafting floor plans, deciding color schemes, and working out other design essentials.

• Studying consumer preferences and zeitgeist and analyzing and incorporating relevant trends.

• Selecting furniture, furnishing, upholstery, and decor according to the utility and aesthetics of the space. 

• Working closely with architects, contractors, builders, electricians and other technicians, and suppliers. 

• Planning and executing budgets and allocating funds.

• Understanding and following all the relevant regulations and laws.

Why Pursue An Interior Design Career In 2025?

Interior design has a growing market in India and worldwide and is expected to further expand. Designers are constantly in sync with the trends that align with the current time, keeping up with people’s tastes. 

Tech integration – 3D rendering, AR/VR, and more – has allowed interior designers to endlessly explore and experiment with their niches. 

Read Also: Interior Designer vs. Architect: Understanding the Key Differences

The shift towards biophilic and sustainable yet smart and accessible interiors for residential and commercial spaces demands tech-savvy and highly creative professionals, offering immense opportunities for innovative design ideas.

Essential Skills For Interior Designing

Being an interior designer means juggling multiple tasks, working and collaborating with design teams and other professionals, and ensuring a smooth workflow. To do all of these effortlessly, you must work on some key skills – 

1. Creativity – Designers need to be uniquely creative to blend functionality, comfort, and aesthetics into the space, make it relevant, and resonate with the client by adding personal touches. 

2. Sketching – Accurate and Precise sketching allows designers to plan, ideate, and effectively communicate with the team. 

3. Trend Analysis – Understanding and spotting trends are essential for designing spaces that are relevant, practical, and have an enhanced aesthetic appeal. 

4. Understanding Color Theory and Elements and Principles of Design – These make up the cornerstone of a career in Interior design.

5. Being Tech-savvy – Being familiar with computers and modern software allows design students to quickly get acquainted with relevant software, stay updated, and get adapted to the new technology. 

6. Understanding Sustainability – With the industry shifting towards more eco-conscious choices, professionals are now required to be familiar with how sustainability influences interior design and innovate ways to integrate environmentally friendly practices into their design processes. 

7. Project Management – Interior designers work on tight schedules. They gauge and convey a project’s scope to their team. For this, they need to know the details of budgeting, scheduling, and managing deadlines along with excellent soft skills. 

8. Soft Skills – The most important non-technical skills needed to be a designer include critical thinking, management and organization, creative problem-solving, and communication skills.

Educational Qualifications

The best way to approach interior design as a career is to get a Bachelor of Design or Bachelor of Science degree in the field. These are 4-year and 3-year programs respectively and provide young aspiring designers with all the necessary tools, resources, infrastructure, and guidance and help them build a portfolio and network within the industry. 

To enroll in a bachelor’s degree you need to finish your schooling (10+2) from a recognized board with a minimum of 50% aggregate score. 

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

There are multiple national-level and independent university-level entrance tests – DATs – that you can take to get admission into professional courses. These are usually followed by Situation Tests and/or Personal Interviews where a combined score decides your rank and allows you to enroll accordingly.

Jobs And Career Opportunities

The visible growth of real estate in tier 2 and tier 3 cities and an expansion of the luxury market are likely to make 2025 a promising year for interior design graduates. The changing economic landscape and the coalescing of global and local trends are bringing forth creative projects demanding more young minds and fresh, innovative ideas. 

Some of the most popular entry-level interior design jobs in 2025 are going to be – 

• Junior Interior Designer
• Residential Interior Designer
• Exhibition Designer
• Interior Designer for Commercial Spaces
• Visual Merchandiser
• Healthcare Designer
• Set Designer
• Bath and Kitchen Designer

How To Find Interior Design Jobs?

It might seem daunting thinking about how and where you will find the right jobs, but don’t worry, there are plenty of ways to go about this. 

• Design schools conduct campus placements to help their students connect with different companies and transition into the industry.

• Online professional platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, and naukri.com list jobs where you can directly apply or retrieve details to connect with companies.

• Facebook groups often list jobs, internships, and freelance opportunities for freshers.

• You can also contact your professional network or alumni groups to find jobs that align with your skills and interests.

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

How To Build An Interior Design Portfolio To Land Jobs?

The first thing you would want to keep in mind while compiling a portfolio is that it will provide a glimpse of your skills, creativity, and aesthetics, and will create an impression on the recruiter/client on your behalf. 

• Include only the best projects you have.
• Showcase diverse skills and projects to emphasize versatility and proficiency in traditional and tech-driven aspects of interior design.
• Follow a cohesive layout to add a more professional touch.
• Include elements that are unique to your style, focusing on how your creative approach can elevate a project.
• Don’t forget the process pictures and behind-the-scenes photos for a more human touch.

Salary Expectations For Interior Design Graduates in 2025

The salary ranges vary based on different factors, including experience, skill sets, type of work, responsibilities, company, location, and others. It also differs based on what sector they are working in and the complexity of the projects undertaken. 

However, on average a fresher might earn between ₹3,50,000 and ₹5,00,000 or beyond. For intermediate or mid-senior level positions, designers need at least 3-5 years of experience, making them eligible for salary ranges within ₹6,00,000 – ₹11,00,000. Senior designers in India can earn around ₹18,00,000 – ₹30,00,000 and more owing to their advanced skills and experience. 

Expert Tips For a Rewarding Career in Interior Design

The secret to future-proofing your career and having a rewarding professional journey is to be updated and upskilling yourself constantly. Here’s what you can do to get ahead of the curve-

• Upskill – Continuously learn new and relevant skills, keep up with the changing trends and technology, and master the latest industry tools and software.

• Industry Experience – Get as much practical experience as possible through internships, classroom projects, contests, assistantships, and freelance projects and collaborations. It will refine your skills and help you carve a niche for yourself and understand the professional realm better. 

• Impactful Portfolio – Create a unique, versatile, and easy-to-understand portfolio that showcases your best work and speaks for the designer in you. 

• Network – Connect with interior designers on online forums, alumni groups, and more to build healthy professional relationships that’ll allow you to collaborate and work on creative, high-value projects. 

Read Also: Interior Design Courses: Your Gateway to a Thriving Career in Decorating

Conclusion

If you want to opt for interior design as a career in 2025, you need to start building a foundation in design and master some of the key skills. The growing industry holds multiple opportunities for young creative professionals ready to venture into the professional world. 

Start preparing for the entrance exams and DATs in time to get a seat in B.Des / B.Sc. Interior design at some of the most reputed design schools in India. You can kickstart your dream career with the right mindset, continuous learning, and a practical-oriented approach.

Check out the AAFT website for relevant degrees and diplomas in interior design and get your career future-proofed.