The IT and IT-enabled services (ITeS) sector remains at the top of the salary charts across all experience levels, according to global job search and hiring platform Indeed’s PayMap survey. Freshers in tech roles are earning up to Rs 28,600 a month, while those with five to seven years of experience are taking home around Rs 68,900.

The report noted that this upward trend is largely fuelled by the high demand for digital and AI-driven roles.

Beyond tech, manufacturing and telecom are the other two sectors showing strong salary growth. Entry-level salaries in these sectors hover between Rs 28,100 and Rs 28,300, while professionals with five to eight years of experience earn between Rs 67,700 and Rs 68,200.

Across job types, entry-level roles, ranging from software development to HR engineering, typically offer monthly salaries between Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,500.

Product and project management roles lead the pack in terms of pay across industries, with professionals in the 5-8 years experience bracket earning up to Rs 85,500 per month.

Interestingly, UI/UX design roles are now matching traditional tech roles such as software development, with senior professionals earning up to Rs 65,000 a month.

The findings are based on responses from 1,311 employers and 2,531 employees, and aim to shed light on evolving salary benchmarks, sectoral trends and worker sentiment in the post-pandemic economy.

Indeed’s report also highlights a shift in salary growth patterns across cities. Hyderabad, Chennai, and Ahmedabad have emerged as new hotspots for competitive pay, outpacing the more established job markets in India. These cities are seeing faster salary growth than the average salary increase of 15% across the country.

“Salary dynamics are shifting, and employees are increasingly prioritising cities where compensation aligns with both cost of living and career potential,” said Sashi Kumar, head of sales at Indeed India. “Our data shows that growth is no longer confined to just the biggest metros, opportunity is becoming more distributed.”

However, while salaries are rising, many workers still feel financially squeezed. The survey found that 69% of employees believe their income isn’t keeping up with the cost of living in their cities. This feeling is especially strong in high-cost metros Delhi (96%), Mumbai (95%), Pune (94%), and Bengaluru (93%).

On the other hand, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata are seen as more affordable, offering a better balance between earnings and everyday expenses.