Fresher software engineer salary in India: what to expect in 2026
Five practical steps to check what you should be paid, read your CTC properly and negotiate politely before you accept a first offer.
Published by Hirastra
Check pay ranges by city
Fresher pay changes by city and company type. Use the Hirastra salary page to see ranges before you negotiate. Treat them as a guide; your offer letter is final.
hirastra.com/salariesKnow the 3 tiers of fresher pay
Service companies pay the lowest band, mid-size and product firms pay more, and top product companies and well-funded startups pay the most. Ask which role you are being hired for, since some service firms offer a higher-paid role.
Ask for the CTC breakup
CTC is not take-home. Ask for fixed pay, variable, joining bonus, PF, insurance and any clawback conditions.
Hi, could you please share the CTC breakup: fixed pay, variable, joining bonus, and any clawback or notice conditions?Cross-check real salary data
Search Glassdoor, AmbitionBox and Levels.fyi. Filter by company, role and 0-1 years experience, and read many reviews, not just one.
TCS Ninja salary freshers AmbitionBoxNegotiate politely, once
Smaller firms and startups often have room, big-company fresher packages are often fixed. Give a reason, never lie about another offer, and get the final number in writing.
Thank you for the offer, I'm excited about the role. Based on my skills and market range for this role, is there flexibility on the fixed pay?
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