Highest Paying Jobs in India – 2024

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In these tough and unpredictable economic times, everybody’s looking for the highest paying jobs in India, or at least for jobs that pay well enough to get by, while still doing something you like.

If you manage to make your passions meet your professional skills, then you’re in luck. One of the highest paying jobs in India or abroad could be just around the corner, but you need to dig deep and search for it. 

Not all jobs are rewarding, but at least some of them pay really well. We live in a time and age where some people can barely find a place to work and make ends meet, while others have more job offers than they can count.

The job market is not the fairest place on earth, but at the moment, it’s the best place to search for a way of making a good and honest living.

We’ve searched long and wide to bring you the TOP 20 highest paid jobs in India and we think you’ll really enjoy looking at these rankings. They may give you a new job idea, or make you think about changing your career altogether!

TOP 20 Highest Paid Jobs in India

Business Management or Business Analysts

If you’re chasing that dream job that offers the highest salary in India, then look no further than this job description, because working in Business Management or as a Business Analyst could land you anywhere between 20 to 30 lakh rupees ($27,000 – $41,000) per year. And we’re only talking about a fresher salary here.

The more you hold on to a job, or the more experience you gain in a field, the more money you’ll make eventually. It’s all about choosing your domain accordingly and sticking to it until it becomes profitable. When we talk about profitability, we’re talking about reaching that monthly (or yearly) salary that pleases you and makes you feel fulfilled financially.

We’re talking about making as much money as you need on a monthly basis, and then some. You could even land big and retire in just a couple of years. However, those jobs and salaries are almost always exceptions and never the norm.

You need an MBA in order to land a job like this in India (and in most countries around the world, for that matter), but there are hundreds and thousands of colleges to go to and to graduate as a skilled and qualified professional in the business sector. You can easily sign up and join one of the top business schools in India, but the entry exams may be a lot harder than you would expect. That’s why studying is a key component of any successful career, not just for the highest paying jobs.

IIM, Delhi University, IIFT, XLRI, IIT, SPJIMR, JBIM and few other entities are the most prestigious Indian business schools where you can learn everything you need to know in order to land a job in one of the country’s best paying industries.

After graduation, not only can you have one of the best jobs in India, but you can also become a top executive (CEO, COO, CFO, CTO) for large international corporations, anywhere in the world. With a little luck, you could be just a few years away from earning millions of dollars per year.

Doctors

Doctors are essential in any part of the world, and without today’s modern technological advancements in medicine, our daily lives would not be possible (at least not how we look at them at the moment). 

This is why going to medical school and studying to become a doctor is and will be one of the high paying jobs in India. As a fresh medical student, one can earn anywhere from 1 to 2 lakh rupees ($1340 – $2680) per month. If you’re an experienced doctor that also has a private practice, that will seriously increase your monthly revenue.

MBBS is the mandatory required course for all people thinking about attending medical school. In India, the competition in the medical sector is as high as it gets, and it’s one of the hardest domains to work in. Every year, millions of students attend exams in order to join this course, but only a small percentage of them actually manage to enter medical school.

It takes approximately 12 years to become a doctor, with all the necessary titles, accreditation and experience. There will always be a need for people in this line of work. Just be sure to study hard! The money will follow. 

Actors

Having such a huge cinematic industry, India is one of the countries with the most acting jobs. Although most paid jobs offer a fixed salary range, depending on the industry you’re working in, when it comes to acting, salaries vary based on talent and popularity.

Actors can earn anywhere from INR 22,000 ($300), all the way up to tens of millions of dollars. That is if your name is Shahrukh Khan or Akshay Kumar, of course.

The best way to become an actor is to attend an acting school, like the National School of Drama, FTII, SRFTI and any other prestigious institutions that have strong ties to Bollywood.

Machine Learning Experts

Machine learning is one of the most useful skills to have in the digital age. On average, machine learning specialists in India earn INR 691,892 ($9,276) per year.

After close to 10 years of experience in this field, you could earn even three times as much on a yearly basis.

Bangalore is India’s Silicon Valley, with 20% more machine learning jobs on average than the rest of the country. After Bangalore, the most number of machine learning specialists jobs can be found in Delhi/NCR.

Master Chef or Executive Chef

We all enjoy watching Master Chef and Hell’s Kitchen, but this is not what these jobs are about. If you earn the title of Chef (Master or Executive), that means that you’ll get to run your own kitchen, or even your own restaurant.

You get to control every step of the process, from creating the menu, all the way down to dealing with suppliers.

A talented chef can earn the master/executive/top chef title after almost a decade of experience and hard work. After that, he can receive a monthly salary of INR 97,000 ($1,300) to INR 373,000 ($5,000), depending on the restaurant and the city.

The next time you’re at a fancy restaurant, don’t forget to compliment the chef if you like the food and you’ll most likely get to meet him! 

Data Scientist

You don’t need to work in a lab to be a scientist. Especially if we’re talking about the Data Scientist position which is getting more and more desirable by the year.

An estimated 97,000 data analytics jobs were available in India, based on a report published by The Hindu. This means that there’s a huge need to cover these very well-paid positions.

Data scientists can earn anywhere between INR 1 million to INR 2 million ($13,500 – $27,000) per year, based on experience and the company they work for. 

Good knowledge of Power BI, Tableau and SQL, Python and anything else are highly needed for this position. Amazon, Walmart, Oracle, P&G and IBM are all hiring data scientists in India on a regular basis. 

Blockchain Developer

Blockchain technology is possibly the most profitable (and volatile) technology of the moment. Everybody knows about Bitcoin and blockchain is the technology behind the world’s biggest cryptocurrency.

On average, a blockchain developer can earn  approximately INR 8,01,938 ($10,752) per year. 

The most impressive part about this job opening is that you don’t need any formal qualifications or education. Your portfolio can speak for itself, and if you pass the job interviews, you’re good to go.

This is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, and the number of blockchain developer jobs in India is on the rise.

Lawyer

At a worldwide level, it’s a very well-known fact that being a lawyer will earn you a lot of money. On average, Indian lawyers can earn anywhere between INR 708,532 ($9,500) to INR 895,000 ($12,000) per year, but this is only for professionals who are just starting up.

As soon a s you build a name for yourself, you could earn incredible amounts of money, based on how much you’ll start charging per hour.

To become a lawyer, you need the LLB bachelor’s degree and the 10+2 education completed. Learning the Indian law not only helps you out professionally, but it’s also a very useful skill in your day to day life as well.

IAS aka Indian Administrative Service

One of the highest paid government jobs in India is without a doubt the IAS position. You need to pass a pretty hard exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, organized by several Civil Services Examination (CSE) centers.

First of all, in order to apply for this job, you need to be a citizen of India, but candidates from Nepal and Bhutan may also apply. You can also be a person of Indian ethnicity who migrated back from Kenya, Ethiopia, Malawi, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Zaire, or Zambia who also wants to permanently settle in India.

After earning your Bachelor’s degree, you can apply and take the exams. If you get the IAS job, you’ll earn the basic salary of INR 56,100 ($750) per month plus a lot of extras, based on your experience and duties.

Cabin Crew aka Stewardess or Flight Attendant

One of those dream jobs you always hear about or imagine having is, without a doubt, the position of Cabin Crew Attendant. Earning anywhere between INR 100,000 to INR 150,000 ($1,340 – $2,100) on a monthly basis is definitely what the majority would call “making a good living”. Depending on the airline you work for, you could earn even more.

In order to land (pun intended!) such a job, you need to have a good height/weight ratio, and a very good command of English, as this is the international language in the aviation sector (as in so many others). 

You need to look presentable, even attractive, and you need to love travelling. You’ll be away from your friends and family most of the year, especially if you’re working for an international airline company.

You need to possess good interpersonal skills, as you’ll be dealing with all types of passengers from all corners of the earth. Other than that, all you need to do is to save up money and enjoy visiting the world, while you’re young, because most companies only hire people who are under 40 years of age. 

You don’t need any special schools in order to become a flight attendant, as each company provides in-house training and courses after you’ve been hired.

Web Developer

If you’re a web developer, you’re most likely doing very well. Even if you’re a freelancer, you’ll have no problem finding jobs and projects left and right, especially in today’s job market.

Your skills can get you a salary of anywhere between INR 150,000 ($2,000) to INR 750,000 ($10,000) per month, based on your portfolio and network.

The best part about this job is that you don’t need any formal education. It all depends on what you know to do, on what you’ve taught yourself. Another huge plus is that you can work from anywhere in the world.

Chartered Accountants (CA)

Chartered Accountants, also referred to as CA, are one of the best paying jobs in India, and that comes as no surprise. When you’re handling money, you’re making money!

The average monthly salary for a CA ranges between INR 500,000 to INR 700,000 ($6,700 – $9,400) which puts this profession on top of any young professional’s list. 

Over 200,000 students take the annual exams to become a CA in India, however, only around 2% of them pass this test. You need to be very good at math and economics (accountancy skills mostly) and you need to pass the exams conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (also known as ICAI).

Having overall grades of +80% in school helps a lot, as you will have more chances of passing your CA exam.

Full Stack Software Developer

Being a Full Stack Software Developer is a good job to have in any country around the globe, given that it’s extremely rewarding financially, and if you’re working on the right projects, it’s also very spiritually rewarding as well.

Average salaries in this line of work start from INR 375,000 ($5,000) per year and can reach INR 1,375,000 ($18,500) per annum after a few years of experience in the field.

You need to learn a lot of programming languages in order to become a Senior Developer, but it will be very worth it if you get to take on the projects you like.

Management Consultant

Consultancy, no matter the industry, will always be a high paying gig. When you’re talking about Management Consultancy, salaries go on average from INR 600,000 per annum ($8,047) all the way up to INR 23,000,000 ($30,840) per year.

That’s a very impressive number by any standard, and just like most other jobs, the more you work in this field, the better you’ll get paid.

To land such a job, you need to have strong knowledge of business, finance, economics, mathematics and a good ability to work as part of a team. 

IPS aka Indian Police Service

Every little kid thought about becoming a police officer at least once in his childhood. That’s because you have to wear a uniform and carry a gun. You could fight off crime and be the hero of your community.

Today, working as an IPS can get you a pretty good salary, based on your rank and position. Your starting monthly salary will be INR 56,100 ($750) but it can climb really high, based on your achievements and performance.

There are a few physical criteria you need to pass, such as height, chest and eyesight. For men, you need to be at least 165 cm tall, while for women, the minimum allowed height is 150 cm. 

For men, their fully expanded chest needs to be 84 cm, while for women the norm is 79 cm, with expansions of 5 cm for both genders being allowed.

Your eyesight needs to be good and if you’re over 40 years of age, you’ll most likely not find a position where you’ll be eligible.

Commercial Airline Pilot

If you’re looking for a high-paying prestigious job title, look no further than Commercial Airline Pilot. You’ll be earning a monthly average salary ranging anywhere between INR 150,000 to INR 600,000 ($2,000 – $8,000). This salary may vary, based on airlines and experience.

You can work on Indian airlines (or companies which operate flights in India) like GoAir, Air Asia, Indigo, Air India, Spice Jet, Vistana, or any other international company that operates flights worldwide. 

Being a qualified occupation, you need to have a complete higher secondary education with PCM (Physics, Science and Math) and you’ll need to attend pilot classes, which are very expensive. However, you can pay for them in several installments.

You’ll also need to pass some physical tests and your eyesight should be extremely good. Have a nice trip!

Product Management

Working in Product Management can earn you a very decent living in India, with average salaries starting from INR 798,000 ($10,700) per year, reaching even INR 2,600,000 ($35,000) per annum, based on your experience, job title and skillset.

Having such a large applicability for so many companies, Product Management positions are always well paid.

Companies like Amazon, Ola, Flipkart and many more, offer the largest average salaries for this line of work all over India (and in some cases even worldwide). 

Civil Services

Joining the Indian Civil Services may very well be a lifelong dream for most Indians. Earning around INR 70,000 to INR 80,000 per month ($950 – $1,100) secures a nice living for middle class employees in big cities.

As long as you have a graduation degree, you can apply and take the exam to get a Civil Services job. Since the exam is not an easy task, many people hire teachers to prepare them upfront for the exams, to better increase their chances of succeeding. 

Not only will you be earning a nice salary, but you’ll also be helping your country out, which is a big plus.

Aeronautical engineer

Yet another of the top paying jobs in India brings us to the aviation sector. This industry has some of the best paying just you’ll see worldwide, not just in India.

India has a long culture in engineering, and when it comes to the aerospace industry, Indians make no exception. Plenty of young people are looking for jobs in engineering, and the aeronautical engineer position is one of the most sought-after jobs.

You can earn between INR 50,000 to INR 300,000 ($670 – $4,000) per month, which is a very attractive salary package. 

In order to become an aeronautical engineer, you’ll have to attend special aeronautical engineering courses and you’ll need to be a science student to get your diploma.

Company Secretary

Given the constantly increasing number of startups popping up in India, a huge number of Company Secretary positions have also appeared on the Indian job market.

Earning anywhere between INR 800,000 to INR 1.5 million ($10,700 – $20,000) monthly, Company Secretary is one of the most respected jobs in India today, especially if you work for a big corporation.

In order to secure such a position, you need to take an official exam conducted by the Institute of Company Secretary of India. 

Conclusion

I think we can easily conclude that there’s no such thing as the perfect job, but more often than not, if you find yourself doing something you like, a good revenue is bound to come, sooner or later. 

If after a couple of years of work you are still not satisfied with your profession or line of work, consider switching careers completely and start doing something you’ve always wanted to do (possibly even since you were little). 

It’s either that, or at least ask for a raise in pay so you can make more money if you’re doing something that doesn’t make you happy. Look for the highest paying jobs in India and start putting your skills to good use.

Out of these TOP 20 highest paid jobs in India, which one is your favorite? What have you always thought about doing, but for one reason or another, you never got the chance to do? Remember, it’s never too late to start pursuing your dream job!

FAQ’s
Which job has the highest salary in India?

Business Management professionals are the highest paid employees in India, a fresh junior employee earning anywhere from 20 to 30 lakh rupees (that’s up to $720,000 annually) per year, based on contract negotiations and the hiring company. 

Which is the best career in India?

It’s pretty hard to describe what the best career in India may be, because career options vary from person to person. However, the jobs that offer the most satisfaction in India are: Artists. Teachers, Operating Engineers and Psychologists.

  • Median salary for starting artists ranges between INR 15,000 – INR 20,000 ($200 – $270)
  • Median salary for starting teachers ranges between INR 8,000 – INR 12,000 ($107 – $161) (Elementary/Primary) and INR 12,000 – INR 15,000 ($161 – $200) (Secondary) 
  • Median salary for starting operating engineers ranges between INR 25,000 – INR 40,000 ($335 – $536)
  • Median salary for starting psychologists ranges between INR 15,000 – INR 20,000 ($200 – $270).
Which job is best for the future?

There are plenty of jobs which are currently in high demand, but the ones that are considered to be the best for the future are Registered Nurses, Software Developers, Postsecondary Education Teachers, Accountants and Auditors, Management Analysts (a.k.a. Consultant), Financial Managers, Physicians and Surgeons, and Medical and Health Services Managers.

What is the salary of IAS?

The salary for International Accounting Standards (IAS) is estimated at an average of INR 56,100 ($752) per month. Adding TA, DA and HRA to a IAS officer’s accreditation could lead to a INR 132,000 salary per month ($1770 monthly salary).

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