Students in India are very much interested in knowing details about high paying jobs. Not just India, students across the World are interested in such careers, which offer high salary and additional perks and benefits.
A high paying job not only provides one with a sense of financial security, it will also help one have a good lifestyle and enjoy good social status. And most of the celebrated and well rewarding careers also helps one earn respect from peers and society.
In this article, we will check out a list of some of the highest paying jobs in India. The professions mentioned in this article belong to both the Government as well as Private sectors.
Professional courses have also been mentioned along with their respective careers, so that students may make use of those details, and pursue them.
List of Highest Paying Jobs in India
Before starting the list, let me mention some very important points. All the jobs mentioned in this article are well rewarding ones, in terms of salary. But salary specifications may vary with time, depending upon economic as well as other such influencing factors. Also, to thrive in a specific field and to earn huge salary in that process, one must become very good at that task.
One must have the necessary skills, which will help one thrive in that field. Another important factor is the quality of the Institute from which one pursues the professional course associated with a career. Good quality, reputed Institutes guarantee a decent pay package right from the start. They provide a good foundation. Let us start the list of high paying careers in India-
- Medical Professionals
- Merchant Navy Jobs
- Engineers
- Artificial Intelligence Professionals
- Executive Chef
- Editor in Chief
- Lecturer
- Chartered Accountant
- Management Professionals
- Architects
- Scientists
- Aviation Careers – Commercial Pilot
- Some High Paying Government Jobs
- Actors/ Entertainment Professionals
- Fashion Professionals
- Journalism and Mass Communication Professionals
- Law Courses
- Investment Bankers
- Ambassador/ High Commissioner of the Republic of India
1. Medical Professionals
Doctors in India earn well. India has a huge population. With this huge population comes increased number of health problems. In India, the ratio of number of Doctors available per 1000 patients is very low.
While this is a matter of concern, it also means that Doctors practicing in India gets a steady flow of patients (very true in case of Urban areas, but bit compromised in case of Rural areas).
Medical professionals could be Doctors, Dentists, Ayurvedic Doctors, BHMS Doctors or even Physiotherapists. Among the roles mentioned above, Doctors who have done MBBS and followed it up with PG course and super speciality course earns the most! Gone are the days when an MBBS Degree was enough to start off! This is the age of super speciality!
To earn well, one must be willing to take up a lucrative and promising PG course (specialization) after MBBS! Fields of specialization like- Cardiology (branch that deals with diseases affecting the heart), Gynaecology (branch that deals with women’s reproductive system), Orthopaedics (branch that deals with skeletal system and diseases), Dermatology (branch that deals with skin), Pathology (branch dealing with examination of organs and body to diagnose diseases) etc will help one build a financially rewarding career after MBBS!
Doctors may work in Government/Private Hospitals or may even start their own Private Clinic. How well a Doctor earns depends a lot on his/her skills. There are Doctors who manage to rake in more than 20 Lakh Rupees per month, thanks to their Clinics! On other hand there are Doctors who have salary ranging between 30-50,000 Rupees, working in Private Hospitals! The aptitude of a Doctor, to an extent, depends on the quality of Institute from which he/she pursues the course.
Dentists are also known to earn handsomely. But the field of Dentistry has become somewhat saturated these days. There are so many Dentists plying their trade these days that the competition has increased. The well known and established Dentists still manage to rake in high salary, pushing the mediocre ones to the corner. Just like in case of MBBS, BDS Graduates must also seriously consider pursuing PG course. This will help them climb up the career ladder pretty fast!
The field of specialization must be chosen carefully. Fields like- M.D.S. Periodontology, M.D.S. Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry, M.D.S. Oral Pathology and Microbiology, M.D.S. Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge will help one land a high paying job in Private Hospitals.
Depending upon ones aptitude and entrepreneurship skills, one may even find work in Government Hospitals or start a Private Clinic. Talking about MBBS and BDS related careers, I don’t want this country to be filled up with money hungry Doctors! Don’t take up these professions just keeping money in mind! Above money, one must focus on healing patients and providing them relief!
Physiotherapy is another career that will help one earn well (given that one has that healing touch and good skills!). Good Physiotherapists are always in demand for tasks like- post surgery recovery, recovering from diseases related to bones etc.
2. Merchant Navy Jobs
Merchant Shipping sector has always been known to provide good pay packages to its workers. But the problem with Merchant Navy sector is that they only recruit the best men! In Merchant Navy, Officer level posts come with high salary packages! Posts like- Marine Engineer, Navigation Officer, Electro-Technical Officer, Captain etc are high paying job posts!
For landing any of the above-mentioned job posts, one must pursue Maritime courses associated with them! For example, if you want to become a Marine Engineer, you will have to pursue B.E./B.Tech. Marine Engineering. Well, there are many other ways to become a Marine Engineer. But the point is that you must go through a relevant Maritime course. One must also be physically and medically fit, as per the norms set by Merchant Shipping rules.
If you are interested in Merchant Navy careers, you may go through this list of top Maritime courses. Merchant Navy suits those, who have an interest in leading an adventurous life and sea faring. One must be willing to travel extensively and adapt to different situations quickly. For all this trouble, Shipping Industry will reward you with a good salary package!
3. Engineers
It is a heavily saturated field. Still, depending upon the Branch that one chooses and the quality of Institute from which one pursues the course, one may still end up landing a high paying job! In case of students Graduating from Institutes such as IITs, NITs and other prominent ones like BITS, Nirma University etc, irrespective of the branch, the salary package will be good.
Professionals related to some good Engineering branches are much valued and are always in demand. Some such branches are- Petroleum Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Core Engineering Branches (Mechanical, Electrical and Civil Engineering), Instrumentation and Control Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering etc. Jobs related to these branches are high paying ones.
Information Technology and Computer Science are heavily saturated Engineering branches. And thanks to recession, pay packages associated with jobs related to these branches also took a hit. Still, in case of students who have completed the above branches from high quality Institutes, demand is still there and the salary pack is high too!
Emerging and relatively new Engineering Branches like Genetic Engineering, Biotechnology, Agriculture Information Technology etc have immense scope abroad. While these field are still developing in India, one will be able to find high paying jobs abroad (especially in Research and Development sector), after finishing above mentioned Engineering courses.
Many high paying jobs await Engineering Graduates in Government Sector as well. Some such jobs are in Organizations and PSUs like- Indian Railways, DRDO, Indian Armed Forces, BHEL, SAIL, ONGC, ISRO etc.
In short, Engineering field may have become saturated. But there still exists many high paying jobs in this area in India. With right skills, aptitude and College Degree (from a good College), one may build a rewarding career in Government or Private Sector.
4. Lecturer
Teachers play an important role in Nation building. They teach and train students. School teachers are underpaid. But the case of teachers plying their trade in Colleges offering Professional courses is different. College lecturers (teaching in both Private and Government Colleges) are well paid. They are also treated with respect and hold a significant place in society.
Education sector is booming in India. New Colleges offering Professional courses are sprouting all over India. These Colleges need Lecturers. They are willing to rope in talented teaching professionals by offering lucrative salary packages to them.
When it comes to the job of a Lecturer, experience matters a lot. Experienced Lecturers are paid higher, when compared to newcomers. Coaching classes also pay lecturers and Instructors hefty pay packages. Entrance exam coaching is also a booming business these days! One may even consider starting a Coaching class, if one has the required resources and entrepreneurship skills!
The best way to become a College Lecturer is by doing UG Bachelor’s Degree and then following it up with Master’s Degree. For example, one may complete B.E./B.Tech., follow it up with M.E./M.Tech. and become a College Lecturer after the Master’s course. Same thing can be done in case of B.Sc./M.Sc. programs too. To get job in Government Colleges, one must appear for PSC (State-wise or Central) exam and clear it.
5. Chartered Accountant
Between 100,000 and 150,000 students appear for entrance exams for the Chartered Accountant course every year.
Of these, only about 22 percent make it to the finals and qualify as Chartered Accountant. However, only about two percent of students pass the final exams at the very first attempt.
Studying to work as CA isn’t easy by any means. It involves studying voluminous books that consist of various accounting theories and practices, understanding various kinds of taxes and their rules as well as actual auditing and accounting to become CA.
All CA students have to study and work at the same time, which makes the course even tougher. During the daytime, they work as ‘articles’ with a Chartered Accountancy firm.
And at nights, they spend lots of time studying various subjects required to crack these tough competitive exams. Exams are conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).
The median income of a CA varies between Rs.500,000 to Rs.750,000 per month. Usually, CA’s are in demand around the year.
However, there’s a peak in demand for their services between March and July every year, since individuals and companies need to file tax returns with the government.
Educational Qualifications: (Minimum) Higher Secondary Certificate with Chartered Accountancy certificate from Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).
6. Management Professionals
Not everyone enjoys the privilege of becoming a Management Specialist.
It requires qualifications in management from top business schools such as the Indian Institute of Management, Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies or a foreign degree from Harvard Business School among others.
IIM, JBIM, and Harvard graduates in India are in high demand. They don’t need to find jobs. Instead, the top brass of largest Indian corporations attend their convocation ceremonies and usually make spot offers.
A fresh IIM or JBIM graduate can expect a median monthly salary of Rs.2.3 million. However, to graduate from IIM isn’t a cakewalk.
It requires rigorous studies, practical training, and intense personal discipline. In fact, IIM graduates are also in high demand around the world for their excellent managerial skills.
Educational Qualifications: Graduate from any stream. Post Graduate Program from IIM (any campus) such as Master of Business Administration.
7. Architects
Creative and skilled Architects will always be in demand! With change in trends, the field of Architecture also keeps on evolving. Architects who are up to date with such latest trends often find themselves pretty busy, planning and designing homes and other structures for their clients!
Architecture is such a field which is not as saturated as Engineering. Also, it is one such field where one may easily set up one’s own business. All it takes to succeed in this field is- creativity (plus technical skills).
8. Scientists
The Research and Development sector of our Country is poorly equipped. There aren’t enough qualified Scientists working for the Government at the moment. So bad is the situation that State Governments are offering all cost covering Scholarships for students (the meritorious ones) who are willing to pursue B.Sc., M.Sc. and take up research jobs!
With the Government too giving R&D special attention, a career in this sector will turn out to be a rewarding one, financially. Also, one will be able to contribute to the growth and development of the Nation too!
Within Government sector, there are various sections where one may specialize and work as a Scientist. Some of these sectors are- Defence, Agriculture, Fisheries, Genetics, Biotechnology sector etc. Ample amounts of Private sector jobs are also available for Scientists, like- Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals, Food Processing and Technology etc!
9. Aviation Courses – Commercial Pilot
Aviation sector is home to a number of high paying jobs! The job of a Commercial Pilot is the highest paying one.
India is one of the fastest-growing airline passenger markets in the world that is why this is also one of the highest paid jobs in India. Despite the closure of one private airline in early 2019, the Indian civil aviation industry shows a growth of 7.4 percent between April 2019 and June 2019.
While flag carrier Air India leads in international markets, there are several other airlines that cater to foreign and domestic markets. These include Vistara, Air Asia, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Go Air.
As a result, there’s a huge demand for commercial pilots in India to fly on domestic and international routes. It’s a very prestigious job too.
Commercial pilots in India earn a median salary of Rs.250,000 per month plus perks. Pilots that fly on international routes usually get a median monthly salary of Rs.500,000 per month and perks.
Earlier, most airlines would recruit retired pilots from the Indian Air Force and train them to fly commercial airliners.
Nowadays, any woman or man that graduates with a Student Pilot License can apply for Private Pilot License and start working with an airline.
The airline trains candidates with Student Pilot License and qualifies them to fly as First Officer on commercial flights. During this period, they assist the Flight Commander or Captain with various flight processes.
Upon accumulating a certain number of flying hours and passing tests conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, they get the Commercial Pilot license.
Educational Qualifications: (Minimum) Higher Secondary Certificate with Commercial Pilot License from DGCA.
10. Some High Paying Government Jobs
Civil Service and Administration related jobs like- IAS, IRS, IFS, IPS etc are glamorous as well as high paying at the same time. But to land those jobs, one must crack the tough Civil Services Examination! These jobs play an integral part in Nation building! Only the best minds should be involved in this process. Thus, due to this very reason, selection process in case of these jobs is extremely tough.
PSUs like ONGC, BHEL, SAIL, BEL, BPCL, CCL, CIL, GAIL, HEC, HAL, HPCL etc are also well known for offering high paying jobs. Central Government bodies like Indian Railways, State Service bodies etc also offer high paying jobs.
Usually, it is the high rank/Grade Officer posts like Engineers and Administrative roles that get the high salary packages. The low rank posts still have a decent band pay. Along with good pay package, employees will also get added benefits like- perks, loans (Interest free or low Interest), subsidized housing, Medical Aid, Travel Concessions etc.
Commissioned Officers’ posts in various divisions of Armed Forces also has good salary package. We all know how much respect the Officers of Indian Armed Forces commands! Officers of the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Indian Navy are given much respect. Their job is a glamorous one, but is risky too at the same time! Officer posts in other bodies like BSF and Indian Coast Guard too has the above mentioned advantages.
At the end of the day, a career in the Armed Forces is well rewarding. There are number of perks and bonuses available for Armed Forces personnel. Job security is also another advantage that this career offers!
11. Actors/ Entertainment Professionals
We all know how well paid prominent Indian Actors are. Regional film Industries are also quite promising and Actors are well paid by them too! There are other Entertainment sector related jobs like- Video Jockeying, Radio Jockeying, Anchoring, Art Director etc, which are high paying ones.
Actors may make money through additional activities like- stage performances, advertisements, Brand Endorsements etc.
12. Fashion Professionals
Fashion Industry is not just glitzy and glamorous. It is also full of potential, promise and money! There are many high paying jobs present within this Industry. Experience is much valued here, so are factors like looks (when it comes to modelling)!
Some high paying jobs in Fashion sector are- Modelling, Fashion Designer, Fashion Photographer, Makeup and Beauty Specialists, Event Manager and Coordinator, Sales Manager, Production Manager etc.
To thrive in this field, one must have genuine interest in Fashion (and its recent trends and developments), creativity and passion.
13. Journalism and Mass Communication Professionals
This is a profession where you can make change to the society in a direct and significant way. It can also be misused too, at the same time! The fact is- skilled Journalists and Mass Communication professionals are valued and are paid well. You will also find professionals working in the same field, who are not paid well. This points out the fact that one can make it big in this field only if he/she has skills such as- communication skills, confidence, investigative skills, quest for knowledge etc.
Pursuing courses like B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication/PG Journalism and Mass Communication will help one build a career in this sector. Experience is much valued in this sector too! Print and Digital media are prime recruiters. But thanks to Internet, web based media houses also have grown, recruiting talented professionals in the process!
14. Law Professionals
Skilled and talented Lawyers are in demand, well respected and are also well paid by clients! After completing Integrated Law courses like- B.A, L.L.B./B.Com, L.L.B. or L.L.B. after Graduation (3 or 4 years long Degree course), one may start working for Legal firms or may even start Private practice!
To thrive in this field, one should have good reasoning skills, oratory skills, presence of mind, investigative skills and confidence. Specializing in lucrative fields will also help one build a financially rewarding career. Areas like- Criminal Law, Corporate Law, Labour Law etc are very rewarding ones!
After gaining experience, one may even start consultation service too!
15. Investment Bankers
They are not your normal Bankers working for Private or Nationalized Banks! Folks who have Degrees related to Accounting, Business, Finance, Economics, Maths, Statistics, Engineering (Software and Analytics side jobs) may take up this profession.
Those who are good with numbers, have good analytical skills, communication skills etc are much valued by Recruiters.
Talking about career growth, if one starts from base, the 4 stages will be like- 4- Analyst (low pay), 3- Associate (after 3 years experience), 2- VP (after 3 years as an Associate) and 1- Director.
It has been noticed that big recruiters like Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley etc hire Graduates having Degrees like- MBA, Economics, Statistics, Engineering etc.
Those were the top 15 high paying careers in India that managed to get into my list. I know that there certainly are other well rewarding careers too, like that of a sportsman or politician. But then we don’t have any particular courses to build a career in those sectors. I suggest students to sit back, analyze each job, consider their pros and cons, go through aptitude tests and find a career that will suit one the most! Along with the careers, I’ve also mentioned related courses too. You may then start pursuing that course and build a rewarding career with time!