What are the highest paying jobs in India? What career makes the most money? This list of highest-paid jobs in India will help you choose the best-paying jobs.
Which job has the highest salary in India? What job will make me the most money? These are the questions that a lot of students ask when they’re trying to decide on the best paying jobs to start a lucrative career.
If you’re in the career planning stage and are looking for a list of the most lucrative careers in India, you’re in luck. This list of the best jobs in India in terms of salary and compensation will help you choose the best paying jobs for you.
With an increasing number of graduates year by year in India, young people and students often start looking for jobs and get overwhelmed by the large pool of choices and requirements.
Unfortunately, not all job roles and sectors provide the best job security or good pay. Hence, it is important for young professionals to learn about the jobs available in the corporate world and their requirements to survive and thrive.
21 Highest Paid Jobs In India For Women
With every job role, comes an added job profile, qualifications required, and expected pay. Here are some of the highest paying jobs and their salaries, as well as the qualifications you need to have:
1. Bollywood Actress Jobs
- Salary: ₹3 lakhs a year to ₹30 crores per movie
- Qualifications: Photogenic looks & acting talent
It’s no surprise that becoming a Bollywood actress is the number 1 highest paying job in India for women! Most people think that all you need are photogenic looks, raw acting talent and dancing skills to go big in Bollywood. But it also takes hard work, and the determination to follow your dreams.
The acting profession does not require any basic qualifications, making it one of the highest-paying jobs without a degree. But, if you want to join a reputed acting school in India, you may require some basic education, such as a 10th standard passing certificate.
You can go far in Bollywood even without any basic educational qualifications as there are all kinds of roles available for talented actors and actresses in Bollywood. It does help to have a side gig in this profession, as you may struggle to get roles when you first start out.
Small Bollywood actresses get paid on a weekly basis, while big stars get paid according to their contracts. Even Tara Sutaria, Bollywood’s lowest-paid actress, gets Rs 1 crore per movie, and television actresses like Sakshi Tanwar charge Rs 1.25 lakh per episode.
As reported on IMDb in 2021, Deepika Padukone was the highest-paid actress in India with a maximum earning per movie grossing Rs 30 crores, followed by Kangana Ranaut. However, there is a significant earning gap between men and women as male stars tend to get paid much more than women.
2. Social Media Influencer Jobs
- Salary: ₹15,000 per post to over ₹5 Crore per post
- Qualifications: Social media followers & video editing skills
With the growing use of social media, becoming a social media influencer requires no qualifications except for the ability to use Instagram, YouTube and other social media networks. However, you do need to learn video editing and content creation skills and how to use social media to build your personal brand.
There are no age barriers to becoming an influencer as even kids and students are becoming social media influencers and earning money endorsing brands. As a social media influencer, you will earn money based on the number of followers and the engagement of your posts.
But many influencers also use affiliate marketing to increase their income or develop and sell their own products and courses. According to Business Insider, one influencer made an average of $5,000 per month in 2020 through affiliate links alone.
According to Jian Hua (Ted) Chen on Quora, as an Indian influencer with more than 50,000 followers, you can expect to make between Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 per post on Instagram and earn several lakhs a month. He says:
Many smaller brands would be more than happy to collaborate with smaller influencers as they would be a more affordable alternative than an Instagram influencer with 50K – 100K and above followers.”
With over 125 million followers on Instagram, Indian cricket team captain, Virat Kohli, is the highest-ranking Indian on the Hopper Instagram Rich List, earning over Rs 5 crore for every promotional post.
3. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineer Jobs
- Salary: ₹8 lakhs to over ₹1 Crore a year
- Qualifications: B.Sc/M.Sc/B.Tech/Ph.D
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are some of the most exciting future jobs in the workplace. As an AI engineer, you can get a job as a data analyst, scientist, engineer, or data developer or build an AI product that people can use.
You will need a B.Sc or B.Tech degree as well as skills in mathematics, computer science, statistics, computer programming as well as analytical skills. If you want to advance in your career, you can go in for a Masters degree or a PhD.
4. Investment Banker Jobs
- Salary: ₹12 lakhs to ₹80 lakhs a year and more
- Qualifications: B.Com, M.Com or MBA in Finance
An investment banker is one of the best paying jobs in finance. The primary goal of investment banking is to secure the client’s financial assets, and investment bankers are basically brokers and financial advisors, helping their clients to invest money in the right place.
Although there is no specific course that you can take to become an investment banker in India, you’ll need a Bachelor’s or a Postgraduate degree in finance or an MBA in finance and have good skills in accounting, economics, business, mathematics, finance and research.
As investment bankers learn the art of investing money to earn profits for their clients, there’s nothing that stops them from doing this for themselves. So, essentially, you can earn much more than the average salary by applying this knowledge to your own investments.
5. Commercial Airline Pilot Jobs
- Salary: ₹18 lakhs to ₹72 lakhs a year on international routes
- Qualifications: Commercial Pilot License (CPL) + flight experience
A commercial airline pilot flies planes domestically or all over the world. As this is a job involving a lot of risks, it is one of the highest paying jobs in India.
To become a commercial pilot, you need to complete your Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in aviation and aircraft operation or apply for a Commercial Pilot License (CPL) and get the required flight hours.
To be eligible for the CPL, you need to pass 12th Science with a minimum of 50% marks. The minimum age limit to get a CPL is 17 years, and the maximum age limit is 60 to 65 years. In order to advance as an airline pilot, you’ll have to complete additional training and tests.
6. Product Manager Jobs
- Salary: ₹14 lakhs to ₹34 lakhs a year
- Qualifications: B.Sc/MBA with technical qualifications & experience
A product manager is a product expert who is responsible for the product life-cycle in any business. They have the ability to understand the consumer’s needs, have skills in user experience (UX), tech, and business development and must be able to lead their team to build user-friendly products.
Product managers are usually required to have a relevant bachelor’s degree or MBA, with computer science, engineering, marketing, economics, or a related field along with experience in product designing, development, and testing.
7. Blockchain Developer Jobs
- Salary: ₹6 lakhs to ₹30 lakhs a year
- Qualifications: C, C++, Java, and Python and other technologies
A blockchain developer helps to augment data security, currency management, and technological advancement. As this technology is new in India and the demand for such professionals is high, this is one of the best paying jobs in technology.
You’ll need a Bachelor’s or Postgraduate degree, or Certification in Computer Science to pursue this career in India. In addition, to become a blockchain developer you’ll need to have a basic understanding of mathematics and algorithms as well as proficiency in programming languages such as C, C++, Java, and Python, and technologies like Mist, Remix, Geth, Parity, Solium, Truffle, BaaS, etc.
8. IAS Officer Jobs
- Salary: ₹6.7 lakhs to ₹30 lakhs a year
- Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree + UPSC exam + Interview
The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is a service-oriented role that involves serving the Central and State governments by helping to implement and administer their policies.
Aside from the immense respect that an IAS officer commands, this prestigious job also comes with a lot of benefits and perks, such as travel allowance and dearness allowance.
To become an IAS officer, you must have a degree, be at least 21 years of age, and have passed the Civil Service Exam (CSE), also called the UPSC exam or IAS exam, which is the most difficult competitive examination in India.
9. Interior Designer Jobs
- Salary: ₹4 lakhs to ₹30 lakhs a year
- Qualifications: Certificate/Diploma/Degree in Design
Interior designers are professionals who use their design skills to design beautiful, functional, and safe homes. They must understand the play of colours, lighting, and materials in a space.
You can start out with a certificate or diploma course in Interior Design, but if you want to grow, it helps to have a Bachelor’s or Master’s course in Interior Design. You will also require knowledge and experience with AutoCAD, SketchUp, 3D Max, Illustrator and other design programs.
The ability to imagine and innovate is as important as the ability to work with clients and architects and the project management skills to implement projects to completion.
However, it’s your aesthetic sense, creativity, portfolio of work and your ability to build your client network that will help you increase your income as an interior designer especially if you’re a freelancer or consultant.
10. Medical Professional Jobs
- Salary: ₹10 lakhs to ₹20 lakhs a year
- Qualifications: MBBS/MD
Due to the onset of the pandemic, the need for doctors and medical staff have risen significantly. An MBBS degree is essential to start the journey of being a doctor. An MD in a field such as surgery, paediatrics, psychiatry or another lucrative specialisation will give you an added advantage in the field.
Talented surgeons and medical professionals can earn much more than the average medical professional’s income, especially if they start a private practice and have their own clinic.
11. Medical Coder Jobs
- Salary: ₹3 lakhs to ₹ 15 lakhs per year
- Qualifications: B.Sc/M.Sc in Life Sciences + analytical abilities
Medical coding is a fast-growing field of healthcare administration that involves extracting information from a patient’s medical records to convert them into a universally accepted industry-standard medical code.
A medical coder – also known as a clinical coder, clinical coding officer, or diagnostic coder – is a health information professional whose main duties are to analyse clinical statements and assign standard medical codes using a classification system.
A B.Sc or M.Sc in Life Sciences, as well as the analytical ability to read and analyse medical records and patient details and convert them for billing, are the basic requirements to become a medical coder.
12. Software Developer Jobs
- Salary: ₹5 lakhs to ₹12 lakhs a year
- Qualifications: B.Tech/B.Sc in Computer Science
As the demand for software developers and IT professionals is high and the skills required are highly technical, coders and programmers have some of the highest-paid salaries in India.
A Bachelor’s in Computer Science or Software Engineering is required to get a computer engineer job, as well as various related IT certifications and knowledge of the latest programming languages.
Software engineers must keep learning new programming languages if they want to grow in their careers and stay competitive. AI & ML are some of the best fields for new graduates in software development to specialise in.
13. Indian Air Force (IAF) Jobs
- Salary: ₹7 lakhs to ₹10 lakhs a year
- Qualifications:
The Indian Air Force (IAF) inducts women in all roles, including combat and support roles. In addition to being one of the highest paying jobs in India, IAF jobs come with excellent perks and benefits like all government jobs.
Women in IAF are not only being recruited as fighter pilots but also in several other branches that include Air Traffic Control, Technical, Meteorology, Administration, Accounts, JAG, and Logistics.
As with all Government jobs in India, you’ll need to clear a competitive examination first. In the case of the IAF, it’s the Air Force Common Admission Test or the AFCAT exam.
14. Cabin Crew Jobs
- Salary: ₹4 lakhs to ₹10 lakhs a year
- Qualifications: 12th pass, English language, good personality
One of the most prestigious and highest-paying jobs in India is that of being a part of the cabin crew. The only education you need to become an air hostess or a flight attendant is a 12th pass certificate in any stream.
Having excellent English language skills and knowledge of other languages as well as a pleasant personality with good interpersonal skills will give you an edge over the others in this field.
15. Architect Jobs
- Salary: ₹4 lakhs to ₹10 lakhs per year
- Qualifications: Diploma or B.Arch
The rapid increase in construction has resulted in high demand for skilled architects in India. You will require a 5-year Bachelor’s degree in Architecture (B.Arch) is required to pursue a career as an architect in India.
To become an architect, you need to learn the art of planning, designing and constructing physical structures of various kinds. You will need to learn how to use the latest computer software for designing as well.
Some of the exams you may be required to pass after the 12th standard are the JEE Mains, National Aptitude Test for Architecture (NATA), and Architecture Aptitude Test (AAT).
16. Nursing Jobs
- Salary: ₹2 lakhs to ₹8 lakhs per year
- Qualifications: Diploma or B.Sc in Nursing
To become a registered nurse, you must have a 12th science certificate with Biology and have completed either a diploma in Nursing and Midwifery or a B.Sc. in Nursing. Many nurses go in for advanced degrees like M.Sc., M.Phil. and Ph.D. in Nursing to advance their careers.
Nursing jobs may not pay as much as medical professionals, and they can be stressful, especially during a crisis such as a pandemic, but a career in nursing can be a good choice for compassionate women who love to serve.
17. Banking Jobs
- Salary: ₹4 lakhs to ₹8 lakhs a year
- Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree
Banking jobs are excellent jobs for women in India because they not only offer good salaries, but also have excellent growth prospects and offer great benefits, such as medical and disability insurance, sick leave, vacations, and retirement options.
Some of the most popular bank jobs in India are government jobs like SBI careers and IBPS PO jobs. Loan officers and executives, such as the chief financial officer (CFO) and chief risk officer (CRO) are usually the highest paying banking professionals.
If you have a 12th pass certificate, you can start out with an entry-level position such as a bank clerk or teller, but you will need a Bachelor’s degree and have to pass the IBPS PO exam to advance in your career.
18. Chartered Accountant (CA) Jobs
- Salary: ₹6 lakhs to ₹7 lakhs a year
- Qualifications: CA foundation + 3 years articleship
Chartered Accountant jobs deal with accounting. These professionals are essential as every business needs to keep a record of their accounts.
They are required to have an in-depth knowledge of accounting practices in India and need to be good with mathematics. To practice as a Chartered Accountant, they should clear the CA foundation, and complete articleship under a professional CA for 3 years.
You can get started with the ICAI CA course after the 12th standard and take the Common Proficiency Test (CPT) to start your career as a CA. After that, you’ll be required to give the IPCC (Intermediate) and CA Finals.
19. Data Scientist / Analyst Jobs
- Salary: ₹5 lakhs to ₹6 lakhs a year
- Qualifications: Basic programming & data analysis
With a massive boom in technology and artificial intelligence, businesses are in dire need of data analysts and data scientists – people who can analyse data and make predictions about a company’s business.
They use algorithms to deduce patterns from raw data and augment company profits. Today, data scientist and data analyst jobs are some of the highest paying jobs to do with computers.
Basic programming skills are essential to get a data analyst or data scientist job and people with a B.E/B.Tech degree in Computer Science and some training in Data Science have an added advantage.
20. Web Developer Jobs
- Salary: ₹3 lakhs to ₹6 lakhs a year
- Qualifications: HTML, CSS, PHP, WordPress and other tools
With most businesses going digital after the pandemic, there has been a spike in demand for good web developers to create websites and other online properties.
In fact, website design and development is one of the top-paying jobs for freelancers and those who want to work from home. For a good web developer with an entrepreneurial mindset, there’s no limit to how much you can earn.
A professional web developer can have a bachelor’s degree along with a few years of experience, however, this isn’t a requirement. With good knowledge of web development languages like HTML, CSS, PHP, WordPress, even a student can pursue a profession in this field.
Because this is one of the fast-changing fields, web developers need to stay updated on new developments in website design and keep learning the latest and best ways to create websites as well as the current design aesthetics.
21. Lawyer Jobs
- Salary: ₹2 to ₹4 lakhs a year
- Qualifications: LL.B/LL.M + internship
A lawyer’s profession is one of the highest paying jobs without maths. If you have a talent for the English language and a strong desire for social justice, then this is a good job for you.
To become a lawyer, you need to clear the LSAT—India premier admissions test after your 12th standard in order to apply for a 5-year integrated LL. B. and LL. M degree. You can also get a 3-year LLB bachelor’s degree to pursue a profession in law.
After getting your degree, you must get an internship with a good law firm where you’ll get practical experience and finally you need to enrol with the State Bar Council so you can practice law.
With such a vast range of good-paying jobs available to students in India, it will not be hard to find your passion and pursue a lucrative career in the profession of your choice.
Do remember that high-paying salaries and best-paying jobs are not the only measures of success. Finding the right career that works for your personality and that gives you a sense of purpose is also important to be fulfilled in life.
You can do a free career test to help you choose the right career for your aptitude and personality and get professional free career guidance from a career counsellor in the Glow & Lovely Careers Community.
Also read:
- How to Choose the Best Jobs for Girls
- Indian Air Force Careers: How To Get Indian Air Force Jobs For Women
- 10 Online Jobs For Students To Earn Money At Home
- How Can A Free Career Test Help Me Find The Best Career For Me?
- What Is A Psychometric Test And How Can It Help Me Find A Job?
- How To Get Data Analyst Jobs As A Fresher In India
- 7 Baby Steps To Find A Job Without Overwhelm
- 21 Highest-Paying Freelance Jobs From Home
- Top Freelance Websites & Freelancing Sites For Beginners
- 21 Real Online Jobs From Home Without Investment
- 10 Good Career Options After 12th Or 10th Standard
- How Online Career Guidance Can Help You Find Your Dream Career
- Best Jobs For 40-Year-Old Women Looking For Second Careers
- Jobs For Women Over 50: New Career Ideas For Older Women
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