A clear shift in India’s employment landscape is placing technology roles firmly at the top of the salary pyramid, as companies deepen their focus on digitisation and artificial intelligence.
Technology has emerged as the highest-paying sector across roles and experience levels in 2026, driven by strong demand for AI-led and digital skills. According to the Randstad Salary Trends Report, tech and IT roles dominate the top 3 salary brackets across all levels, with all top 10 hot jobs now being technology-led for the first time in recent years. Other high-paying sectors include professional services, ITES, infrastructure and construction, energy, and BFSI.
A revival in IT hiring has pushed up overall compensation. Top executives now earn an average cost-to-company of nearly ₹33 lakh. Average CTC for IT professionals stands at ₹6.65 lakh at junior levels and ₹20.75 lakh at the middle level. In comparison, internet and e-commerce roles were the leading paymasters across levels last year.
Viswanath PS, MD & CEO, Randstad India, said:
“As we step into 2026, the Indian job market is witnessing a profound shift where value is no longer defined by traditional roles, but by a digital premium on specialised, future-ready skills.
The emergence of high-impact hot jobs – centered around software development, product management, and data engineering – reinforces that technology is the ultimate equaliser in our economy.”
He added, “Our report indicates that decentralisation of growth is arguably the most significant aspect of India’s employment landscape; we are seeing a remarkable surge in senior-level compensation across Tier-2 cities, with many regional hubs now standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Tier-1 metros.”
Overall, salaries are expected to grow by 9% in 2026. The national average CTC at junior level across tier-1 cities has edged up year-on-year to nearly ₹6 lakh. In contrast, average pay at the middle level, at nearly ₹17 lakh, and senior level, at ₹32 lakh, has seen a slight decline compared to last year, reflecting a challenging economic environment.
Among tier-1 cities, Mumbai leads at both middle and senior levels, with average CTCs of nearly ₹19 lakh and ₹40 lakh, respectively. The city has also emerged as the top talent hub for mid- and senior-level professionals, supported by strong demand from BFSI, IT and ITES, energy and utilities, and internet and e-commerce sectors.
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