NEW DELHI: Chennai is becoming the new salary hotspot for freshers, according to a report that showed a significant shift in India’s salary landscape and emerging cities outperforming legacy economic hubs.
The report, based on job portal Indeed’s inaugural PayMap Survey on responses from 1,311 employers and 2,531 employees, aimed to understand evolving salary benchmarks, sectoral trends, and worker sentiment in a post-pandemic economy.
It showed that cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad are emerging as new hotspots for career-driven compensation growth.
Chennai leads the entry-level salary chart, with freshers (0-2 years) earning Rs 30,100 per month across sectors. Hyderabad, on the other hand, offers the highest mid or senior-level salaries, with professionals earning up to Rs 69,700 per month at the five-eight years of experience mark., the report said.
It noted that although employees across the country have seen an average salary increase of nearly 15 per cent in the past year, the most promising growth stories are playing out beyond the traditional economic centres.
“The salary dynamics are shifting, and employees are increasingly prioritising cities where compensation aligns with both the cost of living and career potential. Our data shows that growth is no longer confined to just the biggest metros, opportunity is becoming more distributed,” said Sashi Kumar, Head of Sales at Indeed India.
The survey also indicates that 69 per cent of employees feel their income doesn’t keep pace with the cost of living in their city.
This disparity is most pronounced in high-expense metros such as Delhi (96 per cent), Mumbai (95 per cent), Pune (94 per cent), and Bangalore (93 per cent).
Meanwhile, cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata are perceived as more affordable, offering relatively better financial breathing room.
At a sector level, IT/ITeS continues to dominate the salary landscape across all experience levels, driven by the ongoing demand for digital and AI-led roles.
Freshers across job roles, varying from Software Development to HR engineers, earn an average salary between Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,500, the report said.