Software Engineer Salary in India (2026): Complete Breakdown

If you’re a software engineer in India trying to figure out whether your salary is fair — or what to ask for in your next role — this guide breaks down real 2026 compensation by experience, city, company tier and specialisation, and shows you how to benchmark your own number.

Software engineer salary in India by experience

Experience is the single biggest driver of pay. These are typical total cash ranges (base + bonus) across the market in 2026; product companies and funded startups sit at the top of each band.

Experience	Typical range (₹/year)	Median
Fresher (0–1 yr)	₹4L – ₹12L	₹6.5L
Junior (1–3 yrs)	₹8L – ₹22L	₹14L
Mid-level (3–6 yrs)	₹18L – ₹40L	₹28L
Senior (6–10 yrs)	₹35L – ₹70L	₹50L
Staff / Lead (10+ yrs)	₹60L – ₹1.2Cr+	₹85L

Note that at senior levels a large share of compensation shifts into stock (ESOPs/RSUs), which these cash ranges don’t fully capture.

Salary by city

Location still matters, though remote work has narrowed the gap. Bengaluru and Hyderabad lead for product-company pay; Delhi NCR and Pune follow; tier-2 cities trail by roughly 10–20% for the same role.

• Bengaluru — the benchmark; highest concentration of product companies and the best senior-level pay.
• Hyderabad — close to Bengaluru, especially for big-tech captives.
• Pune / Delhi NCR — strong, typically 5–15% below Bengaluru medians.
• Remote — increasingly paid on role and company tier rather than your city.

Salary by company tier

Where you work matters more than almost anything else:

• FAANG / top product (Google, Microsoft, Atlassian, Stripe-style): top of every band, heavy stock component.
• Funded startups & unicorns: competitive cash, meaningful ESOPs, faster level-ups.
• Indian IT services (TCS, Infosys, Wipro): predictable but lower cash; great for freshers building a base.
• GCCs (global capability centres): strong, stable pay with global exposure.

How specialisation changes your number

Certain skills command a clear premium in 2026: AI/ML and applied LLM engineering, data engineering, DevOps/platform, and security. A mid-level engineer with in-demand AI skills can earn 20–40% more than a generalist at the same experience.

How to benchmark and negotiate

1. Anchor to total compensation, not base — compare base + bonus + stock.
2. Benchmark against your exact profile — your experience, skills, city and company tier, not a generic average.
3. Quantify your impact — bring numbers (systems scaled, costs saved, revenue influenced) into the conversation.
4. Get competing signal — even one alternative offer shifts negotiating power dramatically.

OnJob shows a live salary band and an AI fairness verdict on every job — “under, at, or above market for your experience and city” — so you walk into negotiations knowing your number.

FAQ

What is the average software engineer salary in India in 2026? The market median for a mid-level (3–6 years) software engineer is around ₹28L total cash per year, ranging from roughly ₹18L to ₹40L depending on company tier, city and specialisation.

Which city pays software engineers the most in India? Bengaluru leads for product-company and senior-level pay, with Hyderabad close behind. Remote roles are increasingly paid on role and company rather than location.

Do AI/ML skills increase software engineer salaries? Yes — AI/ML, data engineering, DevOps and security skills command a 20–40% premium over generalist roles at the same experience level in 2026.

Free OnJob tools & guides

AI Salary Guide See pay ranges for your role across India. India Salary Report 2026 Original aggregated salary data you can cite. Find AI-matched jobs Score every job against your profile.