In-hand salary by package: what each CTC band really pays
FY 2025-26, new tax regime · Indicative — structures vary by employer
Offer letters are written in CTC. Rent is paid in in-hand. Pick your package below for the monthly number, the full deduction breakdown, and which companies actually pay that band.
| Package | Monthly in-hand | What this band is |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 LPA | ₹17,600–₹18,500 | The floor of the organised fresher market — common in BPO, support and small-firm roles. |
| 2.8 LPA | ₹19,800–₹20,800 | A common non-IT and support-function fresher band, and frequent in smaller-city roles. |
| 3 LPA | ₹21,200–₹22,300 | The round number a lot of first offers cluster just above or below. |
| 3.4 LPA | ₹24,100–₹25,300 | The classic mass-recruiter entry band — TCS Ninja territory, and the most-searched fresher package in India. |
| 3.6 LPA | ₹25,500–₹26,800 | A step above the entry tier — the Infosys System Engineer neighbourhood. |
| 4 LPA | ₹28,300–₹29,800 | The common graduate-trainee band at mid-tier services firms and consultancies. |
| 4.5 LPA | ₹31,900–₹33,500 | The Associate Software Engineer band — Accenture ASE, Cognizant GenC territory. |
| 5 LPA | ₹35,500–₹37,300 | Above the standard services band — specialised tracks, better mid-tier offers, strong non-IT roles. |
| 6 LPA | ₹42,600–₹44,800 | Digital and specialist track territory — roughly double the entry band. |
| 6.5 LPA | ₹46,200–₹48,500 | The upper specialist band at services firms — Wipro Turbo, LTIMindtree specialist neighbourhood. |
| 7 LPA | ₹49,700–₹52,300 | TCS Digital and equivalents — the premium services tier. |
| 8 LPA | ₹56,900–₹59,700 | Product-company entry and top-end services offers. |
| 9 LPA | ₹64,000–₹67,200 | Top services tier and mainstream product-company offers — Infosys SP, TCS Prime territory. |
| 10 LPA | ₹71,100–₹74,700 | A strong product-company or specialist fresher offer. |
| 12 LPA | ₹85,400–₹89,700 | The top of realistic fresher offers — and the point where income tax finally starts. |
Ranges assume a fully fixed package and span the common 35–50% basic split — a higher basic means more provident fund and so a lower monthly figure. Something other than these bands? Use the calculator.
The three things that make in-hand lower than CTC ÷ 12
- Employer PF and gratuity are inside CTC but never paid monthly. Together they are about 17% of your basic salary. This is real money — provident fund is yours and gratuity is payable after five years — but it does not arrive in your account each month.
- Your own PF and professional tax come out of the gross. Employee PF is another 12% of basic; professional tax is around ₹200 a month in most states.
- Variable pay is not salary. If your CTC includes a performance bonus, it is paid quarterly or annually against ratings, and often only partly. Subtract it before you work out a monthly figure.
Income tax, notably, is not on that list for a fresher. Under the new regime the standard deduction and the Section 87A rebate mean packages up to around ₹12 lakh attract none at all.
The band is decided before the offer exists
At most large recruiters one exam sitting decides which package you are considered for — and the harder section separates the entry band from double it. Practise the tougher interview free with Phiny's AI.
Start a free AI mock interviewFrequently asked questions
What percentage of CTC is in-hand salary in India?
For a fresher package with no variable component, roughly 85–88% of CTC reaches you across the year once employer PF and the gratuity provision are removed and employee PF and professional tax are deducted — and every package on this page falls under the income tax threshold under the new regime. The share drops as soon as variable pay enters the CTC, because variable is not part of monthly salary at all.
Why do two people with the same CTC get different in-hand amounts?
Three reasons, in order of how much they matter. First, the basic percentage: provident fund is calculated on basic, so a higher basic means a lower monthly amount. Second, variable pay: two identical CTCs where one carries a bonus component have very different monthly salaries. Third, state professional tax, which varies by a few hundred rupees a month.
Is a higher CTC always the better offer?
No. Compare fixed pay, not CTC. An offer with a large variable component, a joining bonus with a clawback, or a retention bonus payable at eighteen months can carry a higher headline number and pay less every month. Cost of living in the posting city routinely outweighs the difference too — a higher package in Bengaluru can leave you with less than a lower one in Hyderabad.
Do these figures include income tax?
Yes, and for every band listed here it comes to zero. Under the new regime for FY 2025-26, the ₹75,000 standard deduction plus the Section 87A rebate on taxable income up to ₹12 lakh mean fresher packages generally attract no income tax at all. Provident fund and professional tax are your real deductions. Figures are indicative — confirm the current year's rules.