India’s tech industry continues to grow, but salary expectations are often disconnected from reality. Many freshers expect ₹10–15 LPA immediately, while experienced engineers underestimate how fast compensation scales with the right skills.

Let’s break down realistic salary ranges in 2026 for software engineers in India.

1️⃣ Fresher Software Engineer Salary in India (0–2 Years)

Average Range:

₹3 LPA – ₹8 LPA

Breakdown by Company Type:

Reality Check

Most freshers fall in the ₹3–6 LPA bracket.

Only candidates who:

• Have strong DSA
• Built real projects
• Crack tough interviews

…reach ₹12+ LPA.

Two Real Scenarios

Scenario 1:
Average fresher with basic Java knowledge → ₹3.6 LPA in service company.

Scenario 2:
Fresher with solid backend + problem solving → ₹8.5 LPA in startup.

Skill difference = salary gap.

2️⃣ Software Engineer Salary (2–5 Years Experience)

Average Range:

₹6 LPA – ₹18 LPA

At this stage, skills matter more than degree.

Two Growth Examples

Example 1:
Started at ₹4 LPA → Switched company twice → ₹12 LPA in 4 years.

Example 2:
Stayed in same service company → ₹4 LPA → ₹6.5 LPA in 5 years.

Switching strategically matters.

3️⃣ Senior Software Engineer Salary (5–10 Years)

Average Range:

₹15 LPA – ₹35 LPA

In product companies, this can go even higher.

What Changes at This Level?

• Architecture decisions
• Team ownership
• System design interviews
• Mentoring juniors

You are paid for decision-making, not coding alone.

4️⃣ Salary by Location (2026 Estimates)

Bangalore still pays highest, but remote roles are catching up.

5️⃣ What Actually Decides Your Salary?

Not your degree.

It depends on:

• Problem-solving ability
• Real-world project experience
• System design knowledge
• Communication skills
• Company switching strategy

Two Candidates Comparison

Candidate A

• Knows syntax
• No live projects
• Poor interview prep
  Salary: ₹4 LPA

Candidate B

• Built APIs
• Deployed apps
• Cracked DSA interviews
  Salary: ₹9 LPA

Same degree. Different output.