Communication Design: Popular Courses, Top Colleges, Skills Required
Communication Design is a creative field that focuses on planning and presenting visual messages through typography, colour, layout, and digital media. It helps brands communicate clearly across print, digital, and interactive platforms. Students can pursue B.Des, M.Des, diploma, or certificate courses, with fees ranging from INR 3,000 to INR 27 lakh.
Swati Kumar6 Dec, 2025
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Communication Design is a creative stream focusing on creating attractive and impressive design narratives to communicate ideas effectively. It blends art, technology, and strategy to shape how information is presented across various media, including print, digital, and environmental formats. To engage the audience and improve user experience, communication designers work with typography, graphics, colours, and layouts.
Communication design courses such as B.Des or M.Des in Communication Design or Visual Communication are offered in various institutions like NIFT, NID, etc. Communication designers earn a lucrative salary ranging from Rs 3 to Rs 6 lakhs per annum, with averages around Rs 20 lakhs or higher for experienced professionals.
What is Communication Design?
Communication Design is a creative field that focuses on planning and crafting visual messages that inform, engage, or influence an audience. It helps brands and organisations communicate clearly and creatively across multiple platforms.
Key Elements of Communication Design include:
- Typography
- Colour theory
- Branding
- Visual storytelling
- Layout design
- Digital media.
These disciplines play a major role in advertising, digital marketing, entertainment, and user-experience design.
Skills Needed for Career in Communication Design
For a career in Communication Design, candidates must be proficient in communication skills and know colour theory and layouts.
Here are some skills that candidates must have for a career in Communication Design:
- Creativity and Visual Thinking: Candidates must know how to create appealing visuals and think in images, layouts, and design structures.
- Strong Communication Skills: Have the skill to express ideas clearly through visuals, text, and storytelling.
- Design Software Knowledge: Proficiency in tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Figma.
- Understanding of Colour and Typography: Knows how to choose the right colours, fonts, and styles for different audiences.
- Understanding Clients: Understanding audience behaviour and designing experiences that connect with them effectively.
- Time Management: Ability to handle multiple projects, meet deadlines, and prioritise tasks efficiently.
- Collaboration Skills: Can work with writers, marketers, developers, and clients to create cohesive designs.
Popular Courses in Communication Design in India
BDes and M.Des in Communication Design or Visual Communication are among the popular courses in Communication Design. These courses cover a wide range of skills such as graphic design, UI/UX, branding, motion graphics, and digital media.
Check out popular courses in Communication Design in India, along with the fee structure and top colleges offering these courses:
| Popular Courses in Communication Design in India | ||
| Course Level | Top Colleges | Course Fee |
| BDes Communication Design | NIFT Delhi | INR 12.34 Lakh |
| NIFT Mumbai | INR 12.96 Lakh | |
| NIFT Gandhinagar | INR 6.07 Lakh - 12.34 Lakh | |
| Symbiosis Institute of Design | INR 18.68 Lakh | |
| Pearl Academy | INR 27.88 Lakh | |
| BSc in Communication Design | MSU Baroda | INR 3.22 lakh |
| LPU | INR 7.2 lakh | |
| School of Mass Communication, VELS Institute of Science, Technology and Advanced Studies | INR 2.1 lakh - 3 lakh | |
| MDes Communication Design | Symbiosis | INR 7.5 Lakh |
| Pearl Academy | INR 11.85 Lakh | |
| World University of Design | INR 8.05 Lakh | |
| NID Ahmedabad | INR 12.22 Lakh | |
| UPES School of Design | INR 13.15 Lakh | |
| MSc in Communication Design | HITS Chennai | INR 1.75 lakh |
| Auro University, Surat | INR 5.14 lakh | |
| JD Institute Mumbai | INR 3.6 lakh | |
| Diploma in Communication Design | World University of Design | INR 2 Lakh |
| JD Institute of Fashion Technology | INR 3.6 Lakh | |
| IIFT Bangalore | INR 95,000 | |
| CSMU | INR 80,000 | |
| INSD Pune | INR 1.1 Lakh - 2.21 Lakh | |
| Certificate in Communication Design | NIFT Delhi | INR 94,400 |
| IMS Design and Innovation Academy | INR 1.2 Lakh | |
| Madras University | INR 3,000 | |
| CSJMU | INR 25,200 | |
| Pearl Academy | INR 2.46 Lakh | |
Career Scope and Job Opportunities in Communication Design
Career opportunities in this field are expanding rapidly due to the rising importance of visual storytelling and digital media. Professionals can work in startups, tech firms, advertising agencies, and multinational corporations. Some prominent job profiles with average salaries are mentioned below:
|
Job Profiles and Average Salary |
|
|
Job Profiles |
Average Salary |
|
INR 4.1 LPA |
|
|
Multimedia Artists |
INR 4.4 LPA |
|
Art Directors |
INR 9.6 LPA |
|
Web Designers |
INR 3.4 LPA |
|
Animators |
INR 4.5 LPA |
|
Brand Managers |
INR 19 LPA |
|
Game Designers |
INR 8.7 LPA |
Top Recruiters for Communication Design
Communication Design graduates have diverse job opportunities across fields such as fashion, hospitality, boutique brands, advertising, and e-commerce. In India, many well-known creative and media-focused companies actively recruit trained Communication Design professionals who can bring fresh ideas and strong visual communication skills to their teams.
Some of the top recruiters include:
| Top Recruiters for Communication Design | |
| Wells and Fargo | Mind Digital |
| 9Dzine | Webisdom |
| V Brand Developers | NDTV |