Every year we ask designers across India to share their reality — salaries, tools, career paths, challenges. This year, 1,200 of you responded. Here's what we found.

**Salaries are up — but unevenly**

The median salary for a mid-level designer in Bangalore rose to ₹22L, up from ₹18L in 2023. Mumbai and Delhi followed at ₹19L and ₹17L respectively. But the variance is massive — designers at top-tier startups report packages of ₹40-60L, while agency designers in the same cities earn ₹8-12L.

**Figma won. Completely.**

94% of respondents use Figma as their primary design tool. Sketch dropped to 3%. Adobe XD is at 1% and declining. The interesting story is in what comes second: Framer is growing fast for website design, and Spline is the darling of the 3D crowd.

**AI is here, but not yet transformative**

68% of designers use AI tools (primarily Midjourney, DALL-E, and Adobe Firefly) for ideation and asset generation. But only 12% say AI has materially changed their workflow. The consensus: AI is a great brainstorming partner, not a designer replacement.

**The title inflation problem**

"Senior Designer" now means anything from 2 to 10+ years of experience depending on the company. The lack of consistent career ladders is creating confusion for designers and hiring managers alike. We need better frameworks.

**What designers want**

1. Better mentorship (mentioned by 71%)
2. Clearer career progression (64%)
3. More research budget (58%)
4. Remote flexibility (54%)

The design community in India is growing, maturing, and increasingly confident. The challenges are real, but so is the momentum.