Fresher Salary in India (2026): What 16,000 Job Posts Actually Pay

Most salary articles for freshers quote a handful of famous packages. This one counts. In the week ending 6 October 2026, FirstHire collected 16,364 job posts in India that asked for 0–2 years of experience and stated a salary range. Here is what they offered.

The short answer

The typical entry-level post offered ₹2.5 to ₹4.2 lakh per year (LPA): that is the median of the lower and upper ends of each range. Posts that asked for no experience at all (6,749 of them) offered a little less, ₹2.3–3.6 LPA. Only about one post in ten had an upper end of ₹8 LPA or more.

If an offer for a first job sits between ₹3 and ₹4.5 LPA, it is normal for the market. If someone promises ₹6 LPA for a role that needs no skills and no interview, be careful (see the warning signs below).

Fresher salary by role

Medians of the posted ranges, 0–2 years of experience:

• Data and analytics: ₹3.9–8.0 LPA (82 posts, the smallest sample here)
• Software development: ₹2.8–5.0 LPA (242 posts); the top 10% reached ₹14.4 LPA
• Sales and business development: ₹2.5–4.3 LPA (3,393 posts)
• Customer support / BPO: ₹2.5–4.0 LPA (2,197 posts)
• Finance and accounting: ₹2.5–4.0 LPA (972 posts)
• Marketing and content: ₹2.4–4.0 LPA (628 posts)
• HR and recruiting: ₹2.2–3.8 LPA (675 posts)
• Core engineering (mechanical, civil, electrical): ₹2.4–3.6 LPA (342 posts)
• Design: ₹2.3–3.6 LPA (126 posts)

Two things stand out. Sales and support posts outnumber software posts more than ten to one in this sample, so they shape the overall median. And the software and data roles that do state pay have the widest spread: product companies and funded startups pay far above IT services and small agencies.

Fresher salary by city

• Bengaluru: ₹3.0–4.8 LPA (2,582 posts)
• Delhi NCR (Delhi, Noida, Gurugram): ₹3.0–4.8 LPA (2,490 posts)
• Mumbai: ₹2.5–4.5 LPA (1,810 posts)
• Pune: ₹2.5–4.5 LPA (1,205 posts)
• Ahmedabad: ₹2.5–4.5 LPA (703 posts)
• Hyderabad: ₹2.5–4.3 LPA (1,578 posts)
• Chennai: ₹2.4–4.0 LPA (1,697 posts)
• Kolkata: ₹2.3–4.0 LPA (597 posts)

Bengaluru and Delhi NCR pay about ₹50,000 a year more at the top of the range, but rent eats much of that difference. Compare offers on what is left after rent, not on CTC.

CTC is not what you get in hand

Job posts in India quote CTC (cost to company). Your monthly in-hand pay is lower because CTC includes the employer's provident fund contribution, and your own PF, professional tax and any income tax come out of your salary. For a ₹3 LPA CTC, ₹25,000 a month on paper usually lands as roughly ₹21,000–23,000 in hand. Ask HR for the salary breakup (basic, HRA, allowances, PF, variable pay) before you accept. A large "variable" or "performance bonus" part is not guaranteed money.

How we counted

• Source: job posts collected by FirstHire from Naukri between 29 September and 6 October 2026 that asked for 0–2 years of experience and stated a range in lakhs per year. LinkedIn posts in India rarely show pay, so they are not in these numbers.
• Excluded: bulk reposting agencies that publish thousands of near-identical posts, and ranges above ₹1 crore (data errors).
• Medians, not averages, so a few very high or very low posts don't skew the result.
• Large IT services companies often don't put the package in the post. Their fresher packages are announced with each hiring drive; check the official careers page.

How to get a better first offer

• Pick skills that move the range. The roles with the highest upper ends (data, software) ask for skills you can show: SQL, Excel, Python, one web stack. A project that solves a real problem is worth more than a certificate.
• Apply early. Fresher posts collect hundreds of applicants within days. Set alerts and apply in the first 24 hours. Browse the newest fresher jobs or filter by city, for example fresher jobs in Bengaluru.
• Negotiate politely when you have a reason. A competing offer, a relevant internship or a scarce skill are reasons. "I expected more" is not.
• Never pay to get a job. Registration fees, "training deposits" and "laptop charges" are signs of a scam, whatever the salary promised.

FAQ

What is the average salary for freshers in India in 2026?

Across 16,364 entry-level posts with a stated salary in early October 2026, the median range was ₹2.5–4.2 LPA. Posts that required no experience at all offered a median ₹2.3–3.6 LPA.

Which fresher jobs pay the most in India?

In FirstHire's data, data and analytics roles (median ₹3.9–8.0 LPA) and software development roles (median ₹2.8–5.0 LPA, top 10% at ₹14.4 LPA or more) had the highest posted pay for 0–2 years of experience.

How much is ₹3 LPA in hand per month?

Usually about ₹21,000–23,000 a month, depending on the salary structure. CTC includes the employer's PF contribution, and PF, professional tax and any income tax are deducted from your pay.