The need for secure and well-paying jobs is more important than ever. It’s not just about high salaries; job security and good career prospects matter a lot too. Many students start their job hunt right after college to find roles that support their long-term goals and meet their financial needs. Getting a well-paying job in this competitive age requires careful planning and specific skills. Different jobs need different skills and experiences. Factors that affect job opportunities and pay include education, qualifications, experience, skill set, location, job market changes, and the industry.
It would be unreasonable to build a comparison of various professions, depending on employers or industries. Because not all industries are the same or require the same skills. First of all, your degree is considered to be an important element of your career for obtaining you an attractive salary package. However, your skills add real value. Your skills and knowledge will talk volumes about you, more than your degree. Therefore, to get a well-paid job, you should focus on building the right skill sets.
Looking for lucrative jobs in 2021? Here is the list of highest-paying jobs in India for freshers in 2021.
1. Full-stack Development
Full-stack development includes the responsibility of managing and running a website for a business. As a full-stack developer, you are required to fix problems that may occur at the front-end or back-end of a website. For the past few years, there has been a rise in demand for full-stack developers. It is predicted that the demand for full-stack development jobs will increase at least by over 850,000 by 2024.A full-stack developer can make on average between 4 and 10 LPA. The pay scale varies based on the industry, skills, and experience.Despite the salary variation, a full-stack development job remains one of the highest paying IT jobs in 2021, for freshers, engineers, and aspirants looking for a job change from various backgrounds.
Main responsibilities of a full-stack developer
A full-stack developer is required to be skilled in both front-end and back-end website development.The front-end or user interface space is the key to any website; therefore, the job of a full-stack developer is to control the website and troubleshoot any issues that occur on the user interface.Knowledge of Javascript, HTML, and JQuery is a must for a developer to work at the front-end.On the contrary, to work on the back-end or the analytical area, the developer needs to have in-depth technical expertise and knowledge of PHP, Java, and Python.Furthermore, a full-stack developer is assigned to take complete ownership of the product and enhance its functionality.Working mostly with stakeholders and addressing the outcomes are also some of the additional responsibilities of a full-stack developer.
Educational qualification/degree, Certification
The majority of the engineering graduates having the knowledge of programming languages and aim to work on the technical front prefer full-stack development as a career.Still, anyone regardless of their degree can become a full-stack developer.Full-stack development is also quite a popular career alternative amongst students and professionals from other diverse backgrounds because of its demand and job security.In such contexts, a certification program helps them to expand their knowledge.An online certification on full-stack development guarantees you placement and it is one of the strategies to know about this field and kickstart a well-off career.
Job Prospects
As per the reports, the number of full-stack development jobs is expected to grow by 13% by 2026. This indicates that there will be more opportunities awaiting for the aspirants who wish to switch to this field.
A fresher can start a career as an entry-level developer and improve to become a refined web developer.
Once you gain experience, you can explore other domains in full-stack development like information security analyst, computer system administrator, database administrator, etc.Due to the increasing opportunities, the demand for skilled professionals is high in this field.
Salary of a full-stack developer based on experience/degree
In Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Pune, a full stack developer with experience of 1 to 3 years can make between INR 5 and 7 LPA. In Delhi, the standard pay scale ranges between INR 6 and 9 LPA.
The income increases with an increase in the number of years you contribute in the field.Therefore, an experienced professional with over 5 years of work experience can make between INR 11 and 15 LPA in cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Delhi.Likewise, one can make INR 12 to 17 LPA in Bangalore.
The average salary in various corporations
TCS – INR 415K – 635K PA.
IBM – INR 331K – 1,223K PA.
Accenture – INR 524K – 681K PA.
Wipro – INR 353K – 519K PA.
Infosys – INR 345K – 1431K PA.
2. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
The World Economic Forum estimates that 97 million new jobs will be created in this sector across 26 countries by 2025.Artificial intelligence is a field of science and technology, that uses complicated tools, algorithms, and statistical models that can make a machine interpret human behavior.
Machine learning is a branch of AI, which is all about how a machine understands on its own from past data.
Educational qualification/degree, Certification
A degree in science or engineering helps in starting a career in AI and machine learning. However, most industries prefer individuals with higher and more specialized degrees like Masters in AI or data science, or machine learning.
Since the demand for this field is rising every year, several professionals are taking up online learning courses on AI and machine learning to upgrade their knowledge.
Main responsibilities of AI and machine learning experts
A machine learning engineer or an artificial intelligence professional works closely. Also, their roles overlap sometimes.Generally, their job needs the layout of prototypes, creation, and implementation of statistical models, optimizing the performance, applying data science, and so on.
Job Prospects
AI and machine learning professionals can get a plethora of job roles, involving ML engineer, data analyst, chief data officer, big data engineer, and more alike.
Salary of AI and machine learning experts based on experience/degree
Normally, a fresher in the machine learning career can earn a minimum amount of INR 8 LPA, which can go up to INR 12 to 15 LPA with experience.An AI professional with 2 to 4 years of experience can earn INR 15 to 20 LPA, and with over 5 years of experience can earn up to INR 50 LPA.Bangalore is the highest paying city in India for AI and machine learning jobs, where you can make around INR 14 LPA.
The average salary in corporations
Amazon – INR 5 to 7 LPA.
Accenture – INR 6 to 8 LPA.
Bosch Group – INR 4 to 2.4 LPA.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. – INR 3 to 6 LPA.
3. Blockchain Experts
Blockchain is another flourishing career of 2021. It is leading across all industries. Blockchain technique is profoundly combined with AI and machine learning. It’s a technique by which any kind of data can be recorded and stored in a ledger.Blockchain is one of the highest-paying jobs and has continued to be on the top list for quite some time.
Educational qualification/degree, Certification
Comparable to AI and machine learning, blockchain has seen an abrupt rise in its demand all over the world.
However, there is a shortage of skilled experts across different organizations.
But, you can kickstart one of the exciting careers in this field with the help of a certification program in Blockchain.
A bachelor’s degree in computer science, IT, or any relevant discipline will be of help to anyone who wants to work as a blockchain expert.
Main responsibilities of a Blockchain Expert
The role of Blockchain experts depends on the type of firms they work for. They either work as core blockchain experts or blockchain software developers. Normally, their responsibilities comprise – the Development of interactive front-end layouts for Dapps, Back-end improvement about Blockchain.
Job prospects
Due to the expanding market for bitcoin and cryptocurrency, the demand for blockchain experts has been increasing rapidly.This domain holds a ton of roles for experts like blockchain experts, smart contract developers, and non-technical roles.
Salary of a Blockchain expert based on experience/degree
On average, a blockchain expert earns over INR 5 to 30 LPA. With experience, the salary rises from mid-level to senior-level. For example, blockchain experts with 3 or more years of experience earn over INR 45 LPA.
Most of the metropolitan cities in India pay well for blockchain development jobs. In Chennai, the average salary is around 813 K PA.
The average salary in corporations
Accenture – INR 9.14 LPA.
UST Global – INR 3.12 LPA.
4. Data Science Experts
The U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics declares that 11.5 million new data science jobs will be available by 2026.
Data science is the technique behind analyzing, processing, mining, and storing data. In today’s age, data science, analytics and, data mining have become more valuable than ever. Corporations and industries thrive on data to regulate their performance and growth.Data science has developed a broad impact on diverse sectors. It has impacted healthcare, education, sports, security, power, and science, the technique of data science has created a lot of recourses for innovation and growth.
Main responsibilities of a Data Scientist
Data science specialists work as analysts, scientists, machine learning experts, and big data specialists. The responsibility of a data scientist exceeds beyond analyzing raw data.They are involved in all other technical aspects such as creating customized statistical models and algorithms based on the end-user behavior.Overseeing marketing and business initiatives between the organization and stakeholders and identifying any barriers in the business.Data science professionals need to have strong proficiency in analyzing data, and therefore they also need to have great mathematical proficiency.
Educational qualification/degree, Certification
There is no definitive qualification needed for this job. Yet, a certification or a degree in data science will enable you to get into the field if you are keen to start a career in it.A certification also helps if you are from a different background or wanting to switch your career.As a beginner in the data profession, you need skills in basic programming languages like Python, Hadoop, and SQL. As you gain experience, you are required to learn advanced data science tools and techniques to kindle your skill.
Job Prospects
A data scientist can shift to bigger roles with more years of experience. For instance – chief data scientists, big data engineers, and machine learning experts.
Salary of a Data science Expert based on experience/degree
Glassdoor reports indicate that a data scientist can earn $113,436.
This salary can vary depending on your experience, location, type of industry, job title, and company size.
An entry-level data scientist or a fresher can expect to earn $96,000; a mid-level data scientist can earn $128,700, and an experienced data scientist can earn $165,000.
The annual earnings of data scientists in metropolitan cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Pune vary anywhere between 5 and 7 LPA. In Mumbai, you can expect to earn from 9 LPA on average.
The average salary in corporations
MuSigma – INR 6LPA.
Infosys – INR 8.29 LPA.
IBM – INR 12.16LPA.
TCS – INR 6.42 LPA.
5. Front-end Development
Front-end development is the method of creating an interactive user interface for website applications.It requires an expert to be aware of the common JAVAScript and the other methods needed for the process.Due to the increasing number of businesses worldwide, the market for front-end developers is on the rise.
Educational qualification/degree, Certification
To get started as a front-end developer, you need to have a degree in computer engineering, computer science,e or IT.Likewise, a certification in front-end development will enable you to obtain the key skills needed for the job. Proficiency in HTML, CSS, JAVA, and JQuery, along with a knowledge of website designs will help you in this profession.
Main responsibilities of a front-end developer
As a professional, your task will involve – determining the website layout and configuration. Further, enhancing website attributes for a better user experience. Striking a balance between functional and responsive website compositions. Optimizing web pages for maximum speed and scalability. Work on back-end markup languages to write web pages.
Job Prospects
With over 3 years of experience, a front-end developer can become a full-stack developer. Broad exposure and knowledge are required to enable you to take up new roles and responsibilities.
Salary of a full-stack developer based on experience/degree
On average, an entry-level front-end developer can make up to INR 3LPA. With over 5 years of experience, they can expect to make up to INR 8 LPA on average.A skilled front-end developer with over 10 years of experience can earn INR 1.3 LPM on average.In cities like Bangalore and Mumbai, you can earn around INR 5.19 LPA and INR 5.86 LPA. In Hyderabad, a front-end developer can make up to INR 5.06 LPA. In Chennai, you can expect to make around INR 4.71 LPA.
The average salary in corporations
TCS – INR 590K PA
Freshdesk – INR 695K PA
Cognizant – INR 579K PA
Infosys – INR 3.95K PA
6. Back-end Development
The Back-end development process involves practical activities like coding, scripting, and designing of websites.
Due to the shortage of skilled professionals, the demand for back-end developers is quite high. Experience in coding adds an advantage for back-end developers.
Educational qualification/degree, Certification
Engineering graduates can start a career as back-end developers.
Also, professionals from other backgrounds can specialize as back-end developers, however, they must complete a certification course.
Main responsibilities of a back-end developer
As an expert, you are required to analyze data, processes, and codes and distinguish areas for modification.
You also need to work closely with front-end developers and other teams to meet industry goals.
Job Prospects
With a few years of experience, back-end developers can be software engineers or lead developers. The market demand for back-end developers is quite rising for few years.
Salary of a front-end developer based on experience/degree
Mostly, back-end developers move on to higher roles.
With 1 to 3 years of experience, a back-end developer can make INR 8 to 12 LPA. And with over 15 years of experience, they can make up to INR 50 LPA.
The highest salary for back-end developer jobs can be found in Mumbai, which is INR 8.94 LPA. In Bangalore and Delhi, the salary is around INR 8.07 LPA and INR 8.41 LPA, respectively.
The average salary in corporations
In India, most IT companies offer a minimum package of INR 6 LPA for back-end developers.
7. Mean Stack Development
MEAN is a full-stack development toolkit, entirely established on JAVAScript. Hence, Mean stack development refers to the method of applying JAVA in website application and development.A mean stack developer is also called a full-stack developer because the nature of the jobs mostly co-occurs. Therefore, there is a huge demand for mean stack developers as much as for full-stack developers.
Educational qualification/degree, Certification
An engineering degree, particularly in computer science, is ideal for starting a career in this field. But what matters most is your knowledge of front-end and back-end tools used.If you are from a different field, a certification in mean stack development will also help you obtain a job in this field. More importantly, you will have to learn the fundamentals of HTML, CSS, JAVAScript, and React.
Main responsibilities of a mean stack developer
Mean stack developers generally work on the front-end and back-end processes of website applications, with HTML, CSS, and programming templates.They need to have adequate proficiency in web development and cloud technologies. Sufficient knowledge of website design is also crucial.As a mean stack developer, you are required to work across teams to fulfill business goals. Most importantly, they must have practical expertise in Mongo, Express, Angular, and Node.
Job prospects
Most of the mean stack developers work as full-stack developers in firms. The job roles available for experienced individuals include software engineer, senior software engineer, etc.
Salary of mean stack developers based on experience/degree
The standard base pay of mean-stack developers is around INR 6.95 PA.Experts with experience working in different roles can earn anywhere between INR 700K and 1,100K PA.In Bangalore, a full-stack developer can make around INR 7.74 PA. In cities like Mumbai, Chennai, and Hyderabad, the salary ranges from INR 6.24K to 6.86K PA.
The standard salary in corporations
Tech Mahindra – INR 7.30K PA
Zoho – INR 62K per month
TCS – INR 4.82KPA
8. Digital Marketing
Digital marketing involves marketing for any website-driven organization. It has emerged as one of the most demanded jobs in India and abroad in the IT sector.Individuals from diverse backgrounds have been increasingly getting fascinated by this lucrative career.To venture into this career, an online certification course on digital marketing can be the best alternative. Digital Marketing is one of the highest paying jobs in India and continues to be so.
Educational qualification/degree, Certification
Digital Marketing has been adopted by people from various disciplines. You do not need any specific qualifications to become a digital marketing specialist. What you need is experience working with various products.
Freshers in this field can start as an affiliate marketer and gradually ascend the corporate ladder.
Experienced experts from other professions can take up certification courses on digital marketing to upgrade their skills.
Main responsibilities of a digital marketer
A digital marketer is responsible for maintaining the overall quality of the website. Traffic monitoring, lead generation, running online and offline campaigns, channelizing revenue growth, etc., are some of the common chores.
Job Prospects
There is a huge demand for digital marketing professionals worldwide. A fresher can kickstart a career in the digital marketing domain as an affiliate marketer.
With 3 to 4 years of experience, you can evolve as a digital marketing specialist.
For specializing, you can also choose any niche area. For instance, PPC specialist, social media manager, search engine specialist, content marketing manager, etc.
With over 5 years of experience, a digital marketer can specialize as a product manager or a consultant.
Salary of a Digital Marketing Expert based on experience/degree
On average, an entry-level digital marketer with less than 1 year of experience can expect a salary of INR 307K PA.
A digital marketing manager with 1-4 years of experience can make around INR 438 K PA.
A mid-level digital marketing manager with 5-9 years of experience can earn around INR 800 K PA.
The annual pay of an experienced digital marketing manager with 10-19 years of experience can go up to INR 1,098K.Mumbai is the highest-paying city when it comes to digital marketing jobs. In Bangalore, the average annual pay for senior digital marketing professionals stands at 35 LPA in 2019.
The average salary in corporations
Accenture – INR 20 to 75K per month.
Others – INR 50 K per month
9. Chartered accountant
CA is another demanding and one of the highest-paying jobs. CA is an ever thriving career option for many commerce graduates.The global market for CA has always remained smooth. Job security, perks, and long-term advantages, and good compensation are the main reasons that attract the majority to prefer CA as their career. Due to obvious reasons, CA is considered the highest-paying job even in 2021.Chartered accountants will be hired for the long run in an organization as most of the corporations prefer to consolidate a good alliance with their experienced chartered accountants.The standard salary of CA is around 3 to 7 LPA. With experience, a CA earns up to 30 LPA.Besides, some accountants even start their own CA firm after 4 or 5 years of experience. In such conditions, there is no fixed upper limit to their earnings.
Educational qualification/degree, Certification
A bachelor’s degree in commerce is the best way to learn the basics of the chartered accountant field.Students who have studied accounting can explore CA, but students from another stream will have to prove their merit through the CPT examination to switch over to a career in CA.To date, CA is ranked one of the highest salaried jobs after 12th.
The main responsibility of a CA
A chartered accountant is responsible for a wide range of responsibilities. Such as auditing, financial analysis, and reporting, tax compliance, account management, and maintaining financial transaction history.
Job Prospects
There is a huge demand for Chartered Accountants in both big and small organizations.
Some of the top-notch private companies like TCS and Infosys require accountants.
Salary of a CA-based on experience/degree
The standard earning of a CA is around 7 LPA. A CA with a minimum of 5 years of experience can earn from 6 to 9 LPA. With 5 to 10 years of experience, A CA can earn a minimum salary of 10 LPA. With over 20 years of experience, a CA can expect a minimum INR of 60 to 70 LPA.
Likewise, expertise and skills matter to a great extent in this profession. A CA working as a finance controller can earn a minimum of 14 LPA. A CA working as a finance manager can earn around 10 to 12 LPA.
There is a huge demand for professionals in financial properties. Mumbai is a promising location for chartered accountants.
The average salary in corporations
Big 4 CA firms EY/KPMG/Deloitte/PWC – between INR 10.43K PA and 25.5K PA.
BHEL/ONGC – INR 6 and 15 LPA.
Wipro/Infosys – 7 and 10 LPA.
ICICI/HDFC – 5 and 7 LPA.
10. Management consultant specialist
Management consulting is a practice of helping businesses and organizations grow and improve their performance.
Professionals in this job across various sectors are one of the key performers for the revenue growth of any organization.
The market for management consultants has increased due to the cut-throat competition and increasing pressure on businesses to perform better.
Marketing consultants are hired by sectors such as insurance, consumer goods, technology, and life sciences.
Educational qualification/degree, Certification
There is no requirement for a specific degree to become a management consultant. What’s important is a decent knowledge of subjects like Finance, Economics, and Accounting.
Certifications like the Certified Management Consultant certificate can also help aspirants to stand out while pursuing this job.
Main responsibilities of a management consultant
As a management consultant expert you are required to take care of vast subjects like business strategy and planning, financial and management decisions, human resources, information technology, and marketing and supply chain management, and more.
Job Prospects
Entry-level analysts can hustle their way up and become a senior management consultant, and earn up to INR 11 LPA.
Everything regarding the job depends on the size of the company, educational qualifications, skill sets, and location.
Salary of management consultant specialist based on experience/degree
The standard pay scale of a management consultant ranges around INR 11 LPA. With less than 1 year of experience, a professional earns up to INR 6 LPA.
A professional with 1 to 4 years of experience can make INR 8.72 LPA, and an expert with over 5 years of experience can earn up to INR 13.06 LPA.
Mumbai is the highest paying city for the management consultant specialist with a pay scale standing up to INR 10.77 PA. The spectrum is followed Bangalore and Pune, where you can earn around INR 9.25 and 7.05 LPA, respectively. If you are a management consultant specializing in Chennai, you can earn around INR 5.44 LPA.
The average salary in corporations
KPMG – INR 13.80 LPA
Accenture – INR 23.12 LPA
PWC – INR 17.11 LPA
