Hoping to find suitable career options in India to advance your future? Here are the top 10 high-paying jobs that you should not miss!
Can you hit the bull’s eye if you don’t really know where to aim? No, right? Similarly, you can not have a secure future if you don’t have a clear vision and the right steps to take towards it.
Most people struggle to find their career goals and, as a result, end up in jobs that pay them the bare minimum wage. However, being aware of your options, interest, and current market trends enables you to save yourself from uncertainty and choose a lucrative field that best suits your interest!
Let’s explore top career options in India that pay handsome salaries and how to land them.
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Best Career Options In India In 2024
Here are the top high-paying career options you can opt for in 2024. From STEM to Humanities, these career options have something to offer everyone. So, let’s get started!
1. Brand Marketing Expert
Brand marketing experts handle the development and execution aspects of branding plans. They also give inputs on marketing tactics and what the project intends to do in the short-term and long-term goals of the company.
Not only that, but they also need to monitor the competitors closely and understand the targeted customers’ behavioural patterns to develop a marketing campaign that can potentially give the anticipated results.
Their work requires collaborating with other departments like product development, market research, and sales.
Salary
In India, the average salary of a brand marketing manager is around INR 9.4 Lakhs per annum. Freshers can expect to get somewhere around INR 4 LPA. Depending on experience and skills, the salary may even rise to 30 LPA.
This is undoubtedly one of the best career options for the future among creatives in India.
Eligibility:
You need to be graduated with a business degree (i.e., BBA or MBA). If you have already completed your Bachelor’s degree without a business background, you can opt for an MBA specialising in marketing.
On that note, if you want to gain your MBA with specialisation from an elite university in the UK and work a full-time job, upGrad’s MBA with a Specialisation degree will be perfect.
2. Digital Project Manager
Digital project managers are the backbone of an organisation’s digital initiatives. They are the ones handling the early lifecycle of the projects in terms of establishing parameters and requirements.
They also need to test whether the project successfully fulfils the requirements it is meant to deliver. Once they ensure that, they oversee the delivery of the product to the client and mitigate the issues that may arrive in the future.
Salary
The average salary of digital project managers in India starts from INR 13 Lakhs per annum. However, depending on factors such as company, location and years of experience, it can rise to INR 30 LPA.
Eligibility
To become a digital project manager, you need to have a Bachelor’s in Digital Marketing or computer science or an equivalent subject.
Apart from that, you need to have a sound understanding of content management and SEO practices, with ample comprehension of how to use tools like Google Analytics to leverage actionable insights.
upGrad’s Advanced Certificate in Digital Marketing and Communication is one of India’s best-selling courses proven to boost a career, which can be an excellent kickstart to your digital marketing career.
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3. Business Development Manager
People working in this role develop and execute strategies that can help increase the sales and profit of a company.
Salary
In India, the average salary of a business development manager is around INR 6.1 Lakhs per annum.
Eligibility
An MBA with a specialisation in marketing is highly valuable for this role.
4. Big Data Engineer/ Architect
As a big data engineer, you need to handle massive databases with the help of advanced data processing systems. Big data is the future, and jobs like Big data Engineers, Data scientists and ML engineers rank amongst the top emerging jobs in India.
A massive gap for skilled big data professionals still needs to be filled. Therefore, companies are ready to pay handsome salaries to suitable candidates.
Salary
In India, the average salary of a big data engineer or architect is around INR 8.3 Lakhs per annum. However, depending on various factors, it can easily escalate to INR 21 LPA or more.
Eligibility
To become a big data engineer, you must have a science background. Therefore, a Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, mathematics, physics or equivalent degrees must be prioritised.
If you are from a science background but have limited coding skills, you can still pivot your career through the Masters of Science in Data Science degree by upGrad!
5. Machine Learning Engineer
Machine learning engineers work closely with designing and improving artificial intelligence systems. They research, build and maintain the machines and, most importantly, execute tests that optimise the learning of the machines.
Salary
The average salary of a fresher machine learning engineer is around INR 6.9 lakhs per annum. However, this can range anywhere between INR 3 to 21 lakhs per annum. Some of the highest-paying companies include IBM, Accenture and Quantiphi Analytics Solutions.
Eligibility
Machine learning engineers in India are expected to have at least a master’s degree in computer science or related fields. However, they must also show advanced mathematics and data analytics knowledge with critical machine-learning topics.
Hence, if you have done your Bachelor’s in Mathematics, it can be a great option to further your education with an MSc. in ML and AI.
6. Application Architect
Application architects work similarly to software architects. The only difference is that they manage applications and troubleshoot when required. They even work closely with clients to plan and develop an application, addressing any coding and programming issues that may arise.
Salary
The average salary of a software architect/ engineer in India is around INR 6.4 Lakhs per annum. Still, it can rise to INR 20 LPA without being promoted to a senior role.
Eligibility
To become an application architect in India, the candidate needs to have a Bachelor’s degree in computer science followed by a Masters’s Degree where the specialisation is in application development or a similar subject.
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7. Enterprise Architect
The role and responsibilities of an enterprise architect are somewhat equivalent to an organisation’s CTO (Chief Technical Officer). Enterprise architects envision, communicate and remodel an organisation’s architecture to provide a competitive advantage.
Salary
An enterprise architect is a significant part of any company, especially if it is entirely tech-based. Therefore, they are greatly valued and handsomely paid.
The average salary of an enterprise architect in India is around INR 30.7 lakhs per annum. This is one of the highest on our list. Stats show that the lowest is also INR 20 LPA, which is still significantly higher than other jobs in India. Hence it is undoubtedly one of the best career option in India.
Eligibility
A candidate applying for this role must have a four-year degree course in software engineering and designing or related fields. A Master’s in Data Science or Computer Science can help you obtain an edge over other candidates.
8. IT Project Manager
An IT project manager oversees the process of planning, execution and assigning responsibilities for the IT projects of a company. The role is not restricted to only tech-based companies since, nowadays, most SMEs and large organisations rely on computing technologies to a great extent.
Salary
IT project managers are handsomely paid, and the job is one of the best career option for future in India. The average salary of an IT project manager is around INR 16 Lakhs per annum, which can easily escalate to reach INR 30 LPA.
Eligibility
The best combination of degrees for this role is a Bachelor’s in computer science followed by an MBA with a specialisation in project management.
9. Site Reliability Engineer
Site reliability engineers need to use automation tools to test and observe the reliability of software and whether they are effective for the production environment. They also find bugs in software and troubleshoot if required.
Salary
It is a high-paying job, and since the country is going through a digital revolution, it is one of the best career options in India.
The average salary of a site reliability engineer in India is around INR 14 Lakhs per annum. However, it can easily rise to INR 30 LPA without changing roles.
Eligibility
Most employers seek candidates with a computer science degree up to a Master’s level.
10. DevOps Engineer
DevOps engineers develop new processes and tools essential for the software development cycle. This cycle includes coding, deploying, maintaining and updating the software.
Salary
The average salary of a DevOps engineer in India is around INR 8.1 Lakhs per annum.
Eligibility
The applicant for this role must have software development and system administration knowledge. So, a Master’s in Computer Science works fine.
Conclusion
This concludes our list containing some of the top career options to consider when choosing a career path. Instead of opting for traditional career options like medicine or engineering, these career options are trending and dynamic, offering exceptional global opportunities. Remember, apart from degrees, employers also look for experience. Hence, working in a related field, alongside pursuing your degree, is always a smart move.
upGrad’s detailed catalogue of Master’s, Diploma and Certificate courses is best suited to navigate various such roles, helping you create a name for yourself in the dynamic industry!
Which field in India has the best future?
The top three fields in India that have the best future are Technology, Medicine and Marketing. Along with opportunities in the domestic market, proficiency in relevant fields will enable you to obtain global opportunities.
What jobs and skills will be in demand in 2025?
Jobs like data science, cloud computing, process automation, information security, big data and business development will be in demand in 2025.
Can I switch to a technical job without a technical background?
Yes, you can. Employers these days value skills over degrees. So, if you have the right skills and can display them correctly, you can switch to a technical job.
