Software Engineer Salary in India 2025 —
Real Data by Role, Level & City
Salary ranges across backend, frontend, Android, ML, and DevOps roles. Based on startup hiring data — not self-reported surveys. Updated June 2025.
Find My Number ↓How every country compares
Backend Engineer · Mid-level · ranked by USD salary
Click any row to switch to that country. PPP = Purchasing Power Parity — what the nominal salary is worth in US dollar terms after adjusting for local prices.
Your ₹17 LPA has the purchasing power of $72,828/yr in the US.
India's cost of living is ~72% lower than the US. That PPP figure is what a US employer would need to pay to maintain your current lifestyle. Indian engineers working remotely for USD-paying companies earn 3–5× more in nominal terms than Indian product companies — while keeping the same cost structure. See the full comparison →
What is PPP?
Purchasing Power Parity adjusts for price differences across countries. The same $1 buys far more in India than in the US. A ₹10 LPA salary in India is not the same as $12k in the US — it's more like $43k in real spending power.
PPP factors used
- 🇮🇳 India×3.6
- 🇮🇳 India Remote×3.6
- 🇺🇸 United States×1
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom×0.85
- 🇩🇪 Germany×0.9
- 🇨🇦 Canada×0.92
- 🇦🇺 Australia×0.88
- 🇸🇬 Singapore×0.82
MacBook Index
Months of net salary to buy a MacBook Pro 16" M4 Pro ($2,499 / ₹3.3L). Lower is better. India Remote engineers typically score 0.4–0.6 months — same as German engineers.
Know your worth
Every job on Switchly shows salary before you apply.
No guessing. Apply directly to founders and engineering managers. Filter by salary range — and negotiate from a position of knowledge.
Salary ranges by role & seniority
All figures in LPA (Lakhs Per Annum). Ranges represent 25th–75th percentile at product startups in India.
| Role | Junior (0–2 yrs) | Mid (3–6 yrs) | Senior (7–10 yrs) | Staff / Principal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backend Engineer | 6–10 LPA | 12–22 LPA | 24–45 LPA | 45–80 LPA |
| Frontend Engineer | 5–9 LPA | 10–20 LPA | 20–38 LPA | 38–65 LPA |
| Full-Stack Engineer | 6–11 LPA | 12–24 LPA | 22–42 LPA | 40–75 LPA |
| Android Developer | 5–9 LPA | 10–20 LPA | 20–38 LPA | 38–65 LPA |
| iOS Developer | 6–10 LPA | 12–22 LPA | 22–40 LPA | 40–70 LPA |
| DevOps / SRE | 6–10 LPA | 12–24 LPA | 24–45 LPA | 45–80 LPA |
| Data Engineer | 7–12 LPA | 14–26 LPA | 26–48 LPA | 48–85 LPA |
| ML / AI Engineer | 8–14 LPA | 16–30 LPA | 30–60 LPA | 60–100 LPA |
| Engineering Manager | — | 25–40 LPA | 40–70 LPA | 70–120 LPA |
* Service companies (TCS, Infosys, Wipro) typically pay 30–50% less than these figures. Data skewed toward funded product startups.
City-wise salary premium
Premium relative to base salary for the same role in a tier-2 city like Jaipur or Indore.
Bengaluru
+15–25%Highest salaries; most competitive market
Hyderabad
+5–15%Growing fast; strong product startup scene
Pune
0–10%Mid-tier salaries; lower cost of living offset
Mumbai
+5–15%Fintech premium; higher living costs
Delhi NCR
+5–10%Enterprise and startup mix; HQ effect
Remote (India)
0–15%Varies; some startups pay Bengaluru rates remotely
What actually moves your salary
Negotiating directly with the hiring manager
When you talk to the EM or founder directly — not through an HR screen — you can have a real compensation conversation. Salary ranges posted on Switchly are always negotiable at the high end for strong candidates.
Demonstrable impact, not just years of experience
Startups pay for output: system you scaled, features you shipped, load you reduced. Quantified accomplishments in your resume score higher in our AI matching and in EM evaluations.
Competing offers
Nothing moves an offer faster than a competing offer. Applying to multiple companies simultaneously through Switchly is the fastest way to create leverage.
Specialisation (Go, Rust, ML infra, Kafka)
Niche skills with high demand and low supply command premiums. Go engineers typically earn 10–20% more than equivalent Java engineers. ML infra is the highest premium specialization currently.
Company stage
Series B+ companies pay market rate. Seed/Series A companies pay 20–30% less in cash but offer meaningful equity. Model the expected value of ESOP — not just base salary.
Salary FAQs
What is the average salary for a software engineer in India in 2025?
The median software engineer salary in India ranges from ₹12–22 LPA at the mid-level (3–6 years experience), ₹6–10 LPA for juniors (0–2 years), and ₹24–45 LPA for senior engineers (7+ years). These figures are based on startup hiring data and are skewed toward product companies — service companies typically pay 20–40% less.
Do Indian startups pay as much as FAANG-India?
Series B+ startups in India now offer base salaries that match or come within 20% of FAANG-India levels. Where they differ: ESOP at startups can be far more valuable if the company grows. At early-stage startups (seed/Series A), cash is lower but equity stakes are larger.
How much more do engineers earn in Bengaluru vs. other cities?
Bengaluru commands a 15–25% premium over Pune and roughly 10–15% over Hyderabad for equivalent roles. However, the cost-of-living gap has narrowed — rent in Bengaluru is 40–60% higher than Pune, which can offset the salary advantage.
Is it true that ML engineers earn significantly more?
Yes. Machine learning and AI engineers at the senior level earn ₹30–60 LPA at product startups in India, compared to ₹24–40 LPA for equivalent backend engineers. The gap is driven by global demand — strong ML engineers have international options that inflate their market rate.
Should I negotiate salary when applying directly to a startup founder?
Always negotiate. Startups posting on Switchly typically show salary ranges, which means the high end is usually achievable for a strong candidate. When you talk directly to the hiring manager or founder, you can have a real conversation about compensation — not just accept a take-it-or-leave-it offer from HR.
Know your worth. Apply where salary is shown upfront.
Every job on Switchly shows a salary range before you apply. No more guessing games.
Browse jobs with salary ranges →