For thousands of engineering graduates, landing a job in one of India’s top IT companies remains an important career milestone. However, a comparison of entry-level salaries over the past 15 years has sparked a new debate on social media. While India’s tech sector has expanded rapidly and IT companies have become global giants, many recent graduates continue to start their careers with pay packages that seem to have changed very little.The discussion gained momentum after entrepreneur Swapna Kumar Panda shared a comparison of entry-level salaries, CEO compensation and global tech salaries at X (formerly Twitter). By comparison, while top executive compensation has risen sharply and global tech companies have significantly increased graduate pay, entry-level salaries at several Indian IT companies have largely stagnated. The post has sparked conversations about wage growth, employability and the future of India’s tech workforce.
IT Salaries in India : A tale of two pay scales
The comparison highlights a striking contrast between entry-level salaries and CEO compensation at several leading Indian IT companies.Indian IT Companies: Starting Salaries vs. CEO Compensation (2010-2026)
LTI refers to L&T Infotech, which later merged with Mindtree to form LTIIndtree.The numbers suggest that while CEO pay has grown several times over the past decade and a half, entry-level salaries have seen only marginal increases in many organizations. This disparity has become the focal point of the ongoing debate.
Global technology tells a different story
The comparison also points to a very different trend among global tech companies, where starting salaries have risen substantially over the same period.Global Tech Companies: Starting Salaries (2010-2026)
The comparison has led many users to question whether salary growth for new engineering graduates in India has kept pace with inflation, productivity and the rapid expansion of the country’s IT industry.
Why haven’t wages grown faster?
Industry watchers say there are several reasons behind the trend. IT services companies in India hire in large numbers and compete globally on cost, making standardized entry salaries a key part of their business model. At the same time, India produces a large number of engineering graduates each year, giving employers access to a steady supply of entry-level talent.Companies are also putting more emphasis on specialized skills. Graduates with expertise in artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and semiconductor technologies often receive significantly higher offers than standard campus recruits.
What does this mean for students?
For students entering the job market, the message is becoming clearer. A degree alone may not be enough to secure a higher starting salary.Recruiters are placing more emphasis on internships, coding skills, real-world projects, certifications, and hands-on problem-solving skills. Students who continuously improve their skills are more likely to land premium roles in product companies, global capability centers (GCCs) and AI-focused organizations than those who rely solely on traditional mass recruitment drives.It remains to be seen whether Indian IT companies revise their fresher salaries in the coming years. However, the viral comparison has refocused the conversation on graduate pay, executive compensation and the future of India’s tech workforce.Disclaimer: The salary figures presented in the tables are based on data shared by Swapna Kumar Panda at X and have not been independently verified by The Times of India. The article is intended to highlight the ongoing public discussion about salary trends in the technology sector and should not be construed as an official comparison of company compensation data.