In 2026, software engineers in India with 1 to 5 years of experience earn between ₹8.8 Lakhs and ₹9.7 Lakhs. This data comes from more than 6.8 lakh salary reports shared on AmbitionBox and updated in April 2026. However, averages don't tell the full story. A software engineer in Gurugram gets around ₹10.8 to ₹11.9 Lakhs per year, while the same job in Kolkata offers ₹6.9 to ₹7.6 Lakhs. That's a 36% difference for the same role. Factors like location, the field you work in, and how many years you've been in the industry affect what you'll get more than any average salary figure. This guide explains everything step by step by focusing on each city, letting you plan your next move using actual data.
What Is the Average Salary of a Software Engineer in India in 2026?
In 2026, software engineers in India earn an average of ₹9.3 Lakhs, covering all levels of experience.
PayScale estimates the median base salary at ₹8.14 Lakhs based on 5,837 salary profiles collected by March 2026. AmbitionBox shows a narrower range between ₹8.8 Lakhs and ₹9.7 Lakhs based on data from 6.8 lakh employee entries. Levels. fyi, which often highlights salaries at product-based companies or MNCs, reports median total pay at ₹29.15 Lakhs. This number includes stocks, bonuses, and other perks at firms such as Google, Microsoft, and Uber.
What does this mean in real life? If you're working at an IT services company like TCS, Infosys, or Wipro, you can expect to earn between ₹7 and ₹9 lakhs. However, if you manage to land a job at a product-based company or in financial services, your pay could climb to ₹12 to ₹17 lakhs. The top 10% of earners make over ₹14.9 lakhs. Meanwhile, the top 1% take home more than ₹33.4 lakhs each year.
What Is the Salary for Software Engineers in Bengaluru?
Software engineers in Bengaluru with 1 to 5 years of experience earn around ₹9.2–10.2 Lakhs.
Bengaluru has the largest pool of skilled workers. Around 1.9 lakh salary reports contribute to those numbers. Engineers with 1 to 3 years of work experience earn between ₹7.8 and ₹8.6 Lakhs. Professionals with 3 to 6 years make between ₹9.1 and ₹10.1 Lakhs.
The type of industry plays a big role in pay scales. Financial services positions in Bengaluru offer salaries ranging from ₹17.9 to ₹19.8 Lakhs. Internet companies offer similar pay between ₹17.8 and ₹19.7 Lakhs. Software product companies provide between ₹13.5 and ₹14.9 Lakhs. IT services and consulting, where most engineers are employed, pay a lower range, from ₹7.2 to ₹8 Lakhs.
The pay difference between IT services and fintech jobs in the same city is big. Fintech roles can pay about 2.5 times more, a pattern that holds across the highest paying IT jobs in India. Where you live doesn't fully decide your paycheck. The industry you choose in that area plays a bigger role.
What Do Software Engineers Earn in Hyderabad?
Software engineers in Hyderabad earn between ₹8.5 and ₹9.5 Lakhs.
Hyderabad's salaries have climbed. With 1.2 lakh salary reports as proof, it's now just behind Bengaluru. Companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft run key development teams out of HITEC City and Gachibowli in Hyderabad.
For engineers with 1 to 3 years of job experience, salaries in Hyderabad range between ₹7.3 and ₹8.1 lakhs. Engineers with 3 to 6 years under their belt can expect earnings to shift upwards to around ₹8.9 to ₹9.9 lakhs. Living costs in Hyderabad stay lower than either Bengaluru or Mumbai, meaning salary-to-rent ratios turn out to be more favorable here.
Hyderabad's demand for engineers also gets a push from the booming pharmaceutical and biotech industries in roles involving health-tech platforms. This cross-industry demand makes the job market competitive and keeps salaries consistent without drastic changes.
How Does Pune Measure Up for Software Engineer Salaries?
Pune's software engineers make ₹8.5 to ₹9.4 lakhs, according to over 77,400 reported salaries.
Pune has often taken a backseat to Bengaluru. The city is home to significant engineering hubs like Persistent Systems, Synechron, and Cummins. Newcomers in the field earn ₹4–5 Lakhs. Engineers with 3–6 years' experience earn over ₹8.9 Lakhs.
Take Red Hat India, for example. On AmbitionBox, Pune-based software engineering jobs show salaries between ₹13–24 Lakhs. IT services giants like TCS, Infosys, and Wipro continue to hire the most but offer salaries around ₹7–8 Lakhs.
Pune shines due to its increasing number of automotive and embedded software businesses. Companies like Tata Motors, Bajaj Auto, and Volkswagen IT have engineering teams working here. The need to fill roles requiring specialized knowledge, such as C++ and embedded systems, creates small pockets where salaries are high, though the city is more affordable.
How Much Do Software Engineers Earn in Mumbai?
Software engineers in Mumbai report earning around ₹8.6–9.5 Lakhs yearly, based on data from 24,400 employees.
Pune and Hyderabad might seem similar in numbers at first glance, but their stories are quite different. Mumbai's financial services companies offer software engineers salaries between ₹21.5 and ₹23.8 Lakhs making it the top city-industry pair across India. At JPMorgan Chase & Co. in Mumbai, engineers earn an average of ₹23 to ₹25.4 Lakhs.
On the other hand, IT services firms pay much less to engineers. At NeoSOFT, average salaries are around ₹8.7 to ₹9.6 Lakhs. TCS offers ₹6.9 to ₹7.7 Lakhs, while Capgemini provides ₹6 to ₹6.7 Lakhs on average.
The real kicker? Mumbai's cost of living bites into salaries more than any other Indian city. A 1BHK in areas like Andheri or Powai costs ₹25,000 to ₹35,000 a month. So while salaries might look similar to Bengaluru on paper actual spending power in Mumbai takes a bigger hit.
What Do Software Engineers in Chennai Earn?
Software engineers in Chennai earn around ₹7.9 to ₹8.7 Lakhs per year, according to 55,400 salary reports.
This is about 10% lower than the national average. Chennai has a strong presence of IT service companies like TCS, Cognizant, and Infosys, which operate large-scale operations here. Mid-level roles in IT services offer salaries ranging between ₹7-7.8 Lakhs.
Product-based firms, however, offer higher pay. Engineers working at companies like Freshworks and Zoho in Chennai share that they earn much better. But these companies are more selective and offer fewer roles compared to large service-focused corporations.
Chennai stands out by offering better stability. Reports from the industry show that service companies in Chennai experience attrition rates that are 2-4% less than their counterparts in Bengaluru. Engineers who want to focus on growing their careers over time and keeping costs of living down find Chennai to be a strong choice even if its salaries might seem lower at first glance.
How Much Do Software Engineers Earn in Delhi-NCR and Gurugram?
With salaries ranging from ₹10.8 to 11.9 Lakhs, Gurugram leads as the highest-paying city in India for software engineers.
The Delhi-NCR region doesn't act as one single market. It's three distinct ones. Gurugram takes the lead with the highest average. New Delhi comes next, ranging from around ₹9.1 to ₹10.1 Lakhs. Noida, on the other hand, falls lower, between ₹8.4 and ₹9.3 Lakhs.
Why is there such a big difference between cities that are just 30 kilometres apart? The answer lies in the types of companies there. Gurugram draws fintech brands like Paytm, PolicyBazaar, and BankBazaar, along with internet players like Zomato and MakeMyTrip, plus global consulting firms. Meanwhile, Noida leans more toward IT services, with companies like HCLTech, Newgen, and GlobalLogic forming the core of its workforce.
Software engineers in Delhi with 1 to 3 years of work experience earn between ₹7.3 and ₹8.1 Lakhs. If you have over 3 years of experience, your pay range moves up to ₹8.9 to ₹9.9 Lakhs. The top 10% of professionals in this field earn more than ₹15 Lakhs, while the top 1% command salaries exceeding ₹33.4 Lakhs.
How Do Cities Like Kolkata, Ahmedabad, and Other Tier-2 Locations Compare?
Salaries for software engineers in Kolkata and Ahmedabad tend to be 8 to 22% below the national average.
Kolkata's tech industry focuses on IT services. Companies like Cognizant, TCS, and Accenture employ the largest number of workers. Engineers with 1–3 years of experience earn ₹5.5–6 Lakhs. This amount is ₹2–3 Lakhs less than that of engineers with similar experience in Bengaluru.
Ahmedabad's scene looks quite different. Businesses such as Crest Data Systems, Simform, and Tatvasoft shape the local market here. Engineers with 1–3 years of experience earn between ₹6.2–6.8 Lakhs. Salaries have seen steady growth at an average of 8% over the last two years.
Smaller tier-2 cities appeal to employers looking to cut costs. Hyring reports increasing interest from startups seeking tier-2 talent to work in remote positions. These companies reduce salary differences by using distributed team setups.
Conclusion
As the data reveals, software engineer compensation in India is far from uniform; it varies dramatically based on location, experience, and industry domain. An engineer in one domain might earn around ₹6 Lakhs, while the exact same role in a high-demand sector can command more than double that figure. Behind these broad national averages lies a multi-layered tech market driven by distinct economic hubs.
High-paying hubs like Gurugram and Bengaluru offer top-tier compensation, especially in internet, fintech, and product-based sectors, while cities like Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai balance competitive packages with a lower cost of living and better job stability.
Ultimately, maximizing your salary in India’s evolving tech landscape isn't just about moving to a bigger city; it’s about strategically targeting high-value sectors, continuously upgrading in-demand technical skills, and evaluating pay against local living costs to build a rewarding and sustainable career path.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the average software engineer salary in India in 2026?
Engineers with 1 to 5 years of experience earn between ₹8.8 and ₹9.7 lakh. PayScale says the average base pay is about ₹8.14 lakh based on 5,837 profiles. The top 10% make over ₹14.9 lakh per year, while the top 1% earn more than ₹33.4 lakh. Knowing where you sit in that spread is what makes the expected CTC question easier to answer.
2. Which city in India pays software engineers the most?
Software engineers in Gurugram earn the most, with salaries ranging between ₹10.8 and ₹11.9 Lakhs. Bengaluru comes next, offering ₹9.2 to ₹10.2 Lakhs each year. New Delhi takes the third spot, with pay between ₹9.1 and ₹10.1 Lakhs. These numbers are from AmbitionBox April 2026
3. How much do freshers earn as software engineers in India?
Freshers with less than 1 year of experience earn an average total compensation of ₹5.37 Lakhs, per PayScale. IT services firms like TCS and Wipro offer ₹3.5–4.5 Lakhs as starting packages. Product companies pay ₹6–10 Lakhs for strong campus hires.
4. Do software engineers in Bengaluru earn more than in Mumbai?
Bengaluru averages ₹9.2–10.2 LPA. Mumbai averages ₹8.6–9.5 LPA. But Mumbai's financial services sector pays ₹21.5–23.8 LPA, the highest city-industry combination in India. So the top end in Mumbai actually surpasses Bengaluru.
5. Which industry pays the highest salary to software engineers in India
Internet companies (₹16–17.7 LPA) and financial services (₹15.2–16.7 LPA) top the list. IT services, despite employing the most engineers, pay the lowest at ₹7.1–7.9 LPA.
