Software engineer salary in India: how to compare job offers

Compare the whole package, not the base

• Base pay, bonus, and any equity or stock — and when each is actually paid.
• What you take home after tax and mandatory deductions.
• Benefits: health cover, retirement contributions, leave, and equipment.
• Work arrangement: office, hybrid or remote, and what the commute costs you.
• Growth: who you will learn from, and what the next role looks like.
• Stability: how long the company has been going and how its last year went.

What is specific to India

• Ask what part of the offer is fixed pay and what is variable. CTC (cost to company) includes things you never receive as take-home pay.
• Compare the in-hand monthly amount after tax and provident fund deductions, not only the annual figure.
• Notice periods, bonus conditions and joining bonuses with clawback clauses differ by employer — read them before you decide.
• Compare cities on rent and commute: the same salary in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune or a smaller city leaves very different amounts.

Where to find the salary numbers

Use a salary-reporting site or ask people in the same role and city for current ranges, because the right number depends on the company, the city and your experience. Then put the offers into the same table.

Score the offers

Put each offer in a weighted decision matrix: list the factors above, give each a weight for how much it matters to you, score each offer, and see how close they are. If one offer fails a deal-breaker, remove it before scoring — see how to eliminate options one at a time. To research the employers themselves — reputation, reviews, benefits — name them in compare⁄io and it compares them with sources.