Diploma Courses After 12th: Best Options for Science, Arts & Commerce Students

Diploma Courses After 12th: Best Options for Science, Arts & Commerce Students

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Porishmita
Porishmita Paul
Associate Senior Executive
Updated on Oct 15, 2025 11:18 IST

A lot of students go for diploma courses after 12th to learn skills fast and begin their career early. You can check here some of the best diploma courses after 12th with details like eligibility, course time, fees, and salary scope.

Diploma Courses After 12th

Diploma Courses After 12th

Diploma Courses After 12th: After you finish your 12th class, you might start thinking what to do next in life. Some students like to go for short term courses after 12th to get better job chances soon. Diploma courses after 12th are best for students who don’t wish to go for long regular degree studies and like to start working early. Most of these diploma programs last around 6 months to 3 years, depends on what course you pick.

Students can choose various diploma courses after 12th. These are science, commerce, arts, or other professional courses. These courses help students learn about their field in detail, prepare for jobs, and also offer freelancing opportunities. No matter if you are into engineering, business, healthcare, fashion, media, digital marketing or even hospitality, you can always find a diploma course after 12th in that field. 
In this article, we provided the list of some best diploma courses after 12th with details to pick the right one for your career.

Table of content
  • Diploma Courses List After 12th
  • Types of Diploma Courses After 12th
  • Eligibility Criteria for Diploma Courses After 12th
  • Highest Paying Diploma Courses in India 2025

Diploma Courses List After 12th

Below is the list of diploma courses available after 12th:

Types of Diploma Courses After 12th

After passing class 12th, students can go for many types of diploma courses. These diplomas are not only in Science, Commerce and Arts, but also in other job-oriented fields. The good thing about diploma after 12th is that they are short, low cost compared to degree, and give skills that are needed for jobs easily.

  • Diploma Courses After 12th Science: Includes engineering diplomas like Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, Computer Science, and also medical diplomas like Nursing, Radiology, Pharmacy, and Physiotherapy. These are best for students who want technical and healthcare jobs. Check Top Courses After 12th Science.
  • Diploma Courses After 12th Commerce: Focus on business, finance, accounts, taxation, banking, and digital marketing. Examples are Diploma in Accounting & Finance, Banking & Insurance, E-commerce, Business Management, Logistics & Supply Chain. Also, check Best Courses After 12th for Commerce Students.
  • Diploma Courses After 12th Arts/Humanities: These are more creative and skill-based, like Journalism & Mass Communication, Fashion Designing, Event Management, Travel & Tourism, Graphic Designing, Performing Arts, etc.
  • Other Professional Diploma Courses: Apart from normal streams, there are many professional diploma courses after 12th. Example: Diploma in Hotel Management, Diploma in Culinary Arts, Diploma in Animation & Multimedia, Diploma in Photography, Diploma in Foreign Languages, Diploma in Interior Designing, Diploma in Fire & Safety, and Diploma in Airline & Cabin Crew Training. 

Diploma After 12th Arts/Humanities

Students from arts stream or humanities often search for the best diploma courses after 12th for different job opportunities. These courses are not very long and focus more on practical training, like media, travel, fashion, design, and events. Also, these courses offer chances for freelancing and self-employment. Here’s the list of some popular arts diploma courses after 12th with duration and fees. 

Diploma Course

Duration

Average Fees (per year)

Diploma in Journalism & Mass Communication

1 – 2 years

INR 30,000 – INR 90,000

Diploma in Travel & Tourism

1 – 2 years

INR 25,000 – INR 80,000

Diploma in Fashion Designing

1 – 2 years

INR 40,000 – INR 1,50,000

Diploma in Graphic Designing

1 year

INR 30,000 – INR 80,000

Diploma in Event Management

1 year

INR 25,000 – INR 90,000

Diploma After 12th Science

Students from science stream mostly look for various diploma courses after 12th science. These diplomas are skill-based and short-term. Many diploma courses are related to engineering diplomas, medical diplomas, and computer diplomas. Below is a table of best diploma courses after 12th science with duration, and average fees. Check different Diploma in Science colleges in India.

Diploma Course

Duration

Average Fees (per year)

Diploma in Mechanical Engineering

3 years

INR 20,000 – INR 80,000

Diploma in Civil Engineering

3 years

INR 25,000 – INR 90,000

Diploma in Electrical Engineering

3 years

INR 20,000 – INR 85,000

Diploma in Computer Science / IT

3 years

INR 25,000 – INR 1,00,000

Diploma in Electronics & Communication

3 years

INR 30,000 – INR 1,20,000

Diploma in Automobile Engineering

3 years

INR 25,000 – INR 90,000

Diploma in Nursing

2 – 3 years

INR 30,000 – INR 1,50,000

Diploma in Medical Lab Technology (DMLT)

2 years

INR 40,000 – INR 1,20,000

Diploma in Radiology / Imaging Technology

2 years

INR 50,000 – INR 1,50,000

Diploma in Physiotherapy

2 years

INR 40,000 – INR 1,00,000

Diploma in Pharmacy (D. Pharma)

2 years

INR 40,000 – INR 1,20,000

Diploma After 12th Commerce

Many diploma courses after 12th commerce help students build a career in business, finance and management. These diplomas mainly focus on skills like accounting, banking, taxation, and marketing. Some courses also allow students to go for higher studies like B.Com, BBA or MBA later. Check List of Courses after 12th Science, Arts & Commerce

Diploma Course

Duration

Average Fees (per year)

Diploma in Accounting & Finance

1 – 2 years

INR 20,000 – INR 80,000

Diploma in Banking & Finance

1 – 2 years

INR 25,000 – INR 90,000

Diploma in Business Management

1 – 2 years

INR 30,000 – INR 1,00,000

Diploma in Digital Marketing

6 – 12 months

INR 30,000 – INR 80,000

Diploma in Taxation

1 year

INR 20,000 – INR 70,000

Diploma in Retail Management

1 year

INR 25,000 – INR 75,000

Diploma in E-Commerce

1 year

INR 30,000 – INR 90,000

Diploma in Logistics & Supply Chain

1 year

INR 40,000 – INR 1,00,000

Diploma in Hotel Management

1 – 2 years

INR 40,000 – INR 1,50,000

Professional Diploma Courses After 12th

Here are a few popular professional diploma courses after 12.

  • Diploma in Hotel Management / Hospitality: Focuses on working in hotels, kitchens, guest services, and tourism. 
  • Diploma in Animation & Multimedia: Teaches 2D/3D animation, visual effects, and digital storytelling. These courses are very good for creative tech jobs.
  • Diploma in Photography: Covers camera skills, lighting, and editing. Great for freelancers or media jobs.
  • Diploma in Foreign Languages: Gives proficiency in languages like French, German, and Japanese, useful for translation, BPO, or global companies.
  • Diploma in Cabin Crew / Aviation & Hospitality: Prepares you for airline jobs like air hostess or airline customer service.
  • ITI or Technical Trades (e.g., Electrician, Carpenter, Plumber): Short practical courses offering job-oriented skills in trades with good demand. Over 1.2 lakh students applied for ITIs in Maharashtra in 2025, showing their popularity.
  • Polytechnic Courses: Institute seats saw 1.50 lakh applications for approximately 1.1 lakh polytechnic seats, underscoring high demand for such technical diplomas.

Also Read:

Online Diploma Courses offered by Top Institutes

Job Oriented Courses After 12th

Eligibility Criteria for Diploma Courses After 12th

Some common eligibility criteria are as follows:

  • Most diploma courses after 12th require students to pass Class 12 from a recognised board.
  • Diploma in Nursing or Engineering usually requires a Science background.
  • Courses like Hotel Management, Fashion Designing, and Journalism are open to all streams.
  • Some institutes ask for a minimum percentage (45–50%) in Class 12.
  • For professional diplomas like Digital Marketing or Graphic Designing, only Class 12 pass is required.
  • A few technical diplomas may also require entrance exams at institute or state level.

Also Read:

Diploma in Teaching & Education Courses in India 2025

Polytechnic Courses After 10th

Highest Paying Diploma Courses in India 2025

Many diploma courses in India offer high salaries to their employees. Check the top highest paying diploma courses in India:

Diploma Course

Average Monthly Salary Range (INR)

Diploma in Computer Science & Information Technology

22,000 – 50,000

Diploma in Engineering (Polytechnic)

20,000 – 45,000

Diploma in Digital Marketing

25,000 – 50,000

Diploma in Hotel Management

18,000 – 35,000

Diploma in Nursing

20,000 – 40,000

Diploma in Graphic Design

20,000 – 40,000

Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology

20,000 – 35,000

Read More:

About the Author
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Porishmita Paul
Associate Senior Executive
Porishmita Paul is a skilled writer and part of the editorial team at Shiksha. With over two years of experience in the education content and SEO writing domain, she specializes in topics related to humanities, hosp Read Full Bio