IT Freshers in India: Opportunities and Salary Trends Over the Next 1–2 Years

The IT sector in India is a dynamic and ever-evolving industry, offering fresh graduates exciting opportunities to launch their careers. However, the landscape is shifting due to various economic and market factors. If you are an aspiring IT fresher, it’s essential to understand where the industry is headed in the next 1–2 years, what salary trends to expect, and how your degree might influence your compensation.

Opportunities for IT Freshers in the Coming Years

After a challenging period marked by hiring freezes and layoffs, major Indian IT companies are now signaling a resurgence in recruitment, particularly for fresh graduates.

Wipro’s Hiring Spree:
Wipro has announced its re-entry into campus hiring after a six-quarter hiatus. The company plans to hire between 10,000 and 12,000 freshers from engineering colleges across India during FY25. This surge in hiring is a significant shift from the company’s recent trend of declining headcount over six consecutive quarters. The rising demand for IT services and Wipro’s utilization rate hitting a record 87.7% in Q1FY25 suggest that the company is preparing for growth and future opportunities.

TCS and Infosys Ramp Up Recruitment:
Wipro isn’t alone in ramping up fresher hiring. Infosys and TCS, two of India’s largest IT firms, are also planning aggressive recruitment drives. Infosys aims to onboard between 15,000 and 20,000 freshers in the current financial year, while TCS has set a target of 40,000 new hires, with 11,000 already onboarded in Q1.

These recruitment drives from major players signal a positive trend for freshers. The increase in hiring indicates a recovery in the IT services sector, with demand returning as clients seek digital transformation solutions, cloud adoption, and AI integration.

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Salary Trends for IT Freshers

While the opportunities are abundant, the salary landscape is seeing some interesting shifts.

Modest Salary Increases:
For the past two years, Indian IT companies saw double-digit salary hikes, driven by high demand and the global need for digital services during the pandemic. However, as reported by the Times of India, the current financial year (2023–24) is seeing a shift. Companies like Infosys, TCS, and Wipro are now offering single-digit salary increments as clients cut discretionary spending amidst global economic uncertainty. While top performers may still receive significant raises, the majority of employees are experiencing more moderate increases.

The Cognizant Case: A Snapshot of Fresher Salaries
Cognizant recently sparked widespread online criticism with its entry-level salary offer of ₹2.52 lakh per annum (LPA) ($3,050) for fresh graduates with a three-year degree. This salary has remained stagnant since 2002, causing freshers to voice their concerns about managing with such compensation in metro cities. However, Cognizant clarified that the ₹2.52 LPA offer applies only to non-engineering graduates. Engineering graduates, depending on their skills and certifications, are offered between ₹4–12 lakh per annum ($4,850-$14,550).

This disparity between salary packages for three-year and four-year degree holders is common across the IT sector. Freshers with a four-year engineering degree typically receive higher starting salaries due to the technical expertise they bring to the table. Although we may not have comprehensive data on the exact salary packages offered by Cognizant’s competitors, it is reasonable to assume that the figures will be comparable, particularly among the top-tier IT firms.

The Salary Gap: 3-Year vs. 4-Year Degrees

One of the key differences freshers will encounter is the gap in salaries based on the type of degree they hold:

• Three-Year Degree Holders (Non-Engineering Graduates):
  Freshers with three-year degrees, often in fields like BSc or BCA, typically start at lower salary brackets. Cognizant’s ₹2.52 LPA offer exemplifies this trend, and it’s likely that other companies offer similar packages to non-engineering graduates.
• Four-Year Degree Holders (Engineering Graduates):
  Engineering graduates generally receive higher compensation, reflecting their technical qualifications and the demand for skilled labor in IT services. The starting range for engineering graduates tends to fall between ₹4–12 LPA, depending on factors such as the institution attended, certifications, and skillsets.

Why the Difference?
The salary gap can be attributed to the technical nature of the roles most engineering graduates take on, including software development, data engineering, and system analysis. These positions often require a deeper understanding of programming, system architecture, and algorithms — skills more comprehensively covered in four-year degree programs. On the other hand, non-engineering graduates may enter roles that focus more on support, management, or basic programming, which generally command lower starting salaries.

Future Outlook: What Can Freshers Expect?

Increased Hiring with Modest Pay:
While the IT sector is rebounding in terms of job opportunities, freshers should prepare for modest starting salaries, especially compared to the pre-pandemic period of rapid salary increases. However, the sheer volume of hiring planned by companies like Wipro, Infosys, and TCS bodes well for job seekers. If you are graduating within the next year or two, you can expect a more stable job market with plenty of entry-level opportunities.

Stand Out with a Polished Resume:
With companies offering entry-level opportunities in abundance, competition among freshers is also on the rise. Your resume is the first step toward making a strong impression. By utilizing tools like KudosWall’s AI Resume Builder, you can ensure that your resume is not only professional but also tailored to highlight your strengths, certifications, and unique skills that align with the roles you’re targeting.

KudosWall’s AI technology helps you refine your resume to pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS) and stand out to recruiters — whether you’re an engineering graduate aiming for a technical role or a non-engineering graduate seeking a position in management or support.

Upskilling is Critical:
Given the modest salary increments, upskilling will be more important than ever. Freshers who invest in additional certifications, advanced programming skills, and specialized training will not only stand out in the hiring process but also position themselves for higher starting salaries and faster career growth. Companies like Cognizant are committed to upskilling their employees as part of their long-term growth strategy, and other IT firms are likely to follow suit.

Your Resume as a Reflection of Your Skills:
As you work to improve your skill set, ensure your resume evolves alongside you. KudosWall’s AI Resume Builder can help you regularly update and enhance your resume, making it a dynamic representation of your latest achievements, skills, and qualifications. This ensures you are always ready to seize new opportunities as they arise in the rapidly evolving IT sector.