Emerging Cities in India Become New Salary Hubs for Fresh Graduates

Chennai, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad Lead Salary Growth

A recent analysis has revealed that Chennai, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad are becoming significant salary hubs for fresh graduates as India's salary landscape evolves, with these emerging cities surpassing traditional industrial centers.

This insight comes from the inaugural PayMap Survey conducted by a job portal, which gathered feedback from 1,311 employers and 2,531 employees. The survey aimed to explore new salary benchmarks, industry trends, and employee perspectives in the aftermath of the pandemic.

The findings indicate that Chennai, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad are now recognized as centers of salary advancement, reflecting a focus on career development.

Chennai stands out with the highest entry-level salaries, where fresh graduates with 0 to 2 years of experience earn an average of ₹30,100 monthly. Meanwhile, Hyderabad has emerged as the top city for mid and senior-level salaries, with professionals boasting 5 to 8 years of experience earning up to ₹69,700 per month.

The report highlights a nationwide salary increase of approximately 15% over the past year, with the most rapid growth occurring outside major metropolitan areas.

Sashi Kumar, Head of Sales at the job portal, commented, "The perception of salary is evolving. Employees are now favoring cities where salaries align with living costs and offer career advancement opportunities. Our data indicates that job prospects are expanding beyond major cities and are gradually reaching other regions of the country."

The survey also found that 69% of employees feel their earnings do not match the cost of living in their respective cities, with the disparity being most significant in high-cost areas like Delhi (96%), Mumbai (95%), Pune (94%), and Bengaluru (93%).

Conversely, cities such as Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata are viewed as more affordable, providing a better financial balance. In terms of industry, the IT and ITeS sectors lead in salary offerings across all experience levels, with a high demand for digital and AI-related roles.

Additionally, the report notes that fresh graduates in fields like software development or HR engineering are earning between ₹25,000 and ₹30,500 monthly.