Healthcare is undoubtedly the one sector that has witnessed tremendous growth in the last few years.
According to NITI Aayog, the healthcare industry in India, encompassing hospitals, medical equipment, telemedicine, clinical trials, and health insurance, has been snowballing at a rate of 22% compounded annual growth since 2016.
It is expected that the market size of the healthcare industry in India will reach USD 372 Billion in 2022.
This blog discusses the average salary in healthcare in India based on several factors.
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Career Opportunities in the Healthcare sector in India
Owing to the large market size of the healthcare industry and changing lifestyles, career opportunities in healthcare are projected to boom. In fact, the healthcare sector was the fifth largest employer in the country in 2015. Recent stats point out that there could be 2.5 million additional healthcare jobs in India between 2017 and 2022 which would mean creating 500,000 job opportunities every year. Moreover, according to Statista, there was a 10.9% increase in average compensation in the healthcare sector in India, which was the highest in comparison to other industries.
Average Salary in Healthcare in India
The Indian healthcare sector is vast, with various hospitals, clinical procedures, nursing staff, medical devices, and stakeholders. Therefore, the average salaries of healthcare professionals are influenced by multiple factors.
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The average salary based on the job
- Surgeon:- This is one of the highest-paying professions in the healthcare sector. According to PayScale, the average salary of a surgeon in India is ₹1,159,833 per year.
- Chief Medical Officer:- CMOs are heads of medical departments at government hospitals. They are specialists with decades of experience in the healthcare sector. According to PayScale, the average salary of a chief medical officer in India is ₹1,272,165 per year.
- Anesthesiologist: These specialised doctors provide anaesthesia to patients before surgical procedures. Their average salary is ₹1,216,207 per year for mid-level. However, for experienced professionals, the average salary is ₹1,800,000 per year.
- Pharmacist:- Pharmacists are healthcare professionals who work at pharmacies or drug stores, read and analyse prescriptions and provide medicines to patients. According to PayScale, the average salary of a pharmacist in India is ₹261,405 per year.
- Medical lab technician:- Lab technicians are professionals that use medical lab equipment and conduct various procedures for diagnosing diseases. According to PayScale, the average salary of a medical lab technician or clinical technician in India is ₹248,553.
2. The average salary based on the department
Average salaries in different departments in the Indian healthcare sector are discussed below.
- Healthcare administration salary:- Healthcare administration is an integral part of the overall medicine Infrastructure. Healthcare administrators manage all administrative tasks like making policies, preparing work schedules for the hospital staff, managing finances, patient records and billing, and improving efficiency. According to PayScale, the average hospital administrator salary in India is ₹484,016 per year. The three most essential skills that influence the salary are leadership, budget management, and strategic planning. Healthcare administration professionals with strategic management skills earn an average salary of up to ₹580,000 per year.
- Healthcare management salary:- Similar to healthcare administrators, the role of healthcare managers involves working on operational strategies. However, healthcare managers are more involved in the planning and management side. Some of the most popular roles in healthcare management are clinical research manager, healthcare informatics manager, and healthcare department manager. According to PayScale, the average salary of healthcare managers in India is ₹508,682 per year for freshers. For experienced healthcare managers, the average salary is ₹750,000 per year.
- Healthcare consultant salary: The healthcare consultation department provides expertise to the hospital management or clinical staff expertise regarding various laws, compliances, and policies impacting the healthcare industry. Healthcare consultants are professionals with years of advisory experience and have an educational background in healthcare. They offer expertise in making crucial decisions concerning the hospital staff, patients, and other stakeholders, improving health infrastructure and enhancing services. This is a senior-level job for professionals with several years of experience. According to PayScale, the average salary of a healthcare professional in India is ₹1,291,634 per year. Some necessary skills that influence healthcare consultants’ salaries include client interaction, data management, project management, and public health.
3. The average salary based on location
Along with the job type and description, job location also plays a vital role in determining the average salary of healthcare professionals in India.
The following are the average salaries of healthcare workers in different Indian cities:
- Delhi:- The average salary of a chief medical officer in India is ₹1272165 per year. The average salary of a hospital administrator in Delhi is ₹1,100,000 per year, and a physician’s average salary is ₹1,000,000 per year.
- Pune:- The average salary of healthcare professionals in Pune is lower than in Delhi. The average salary of a healthcare administrator in Pune is ₹465,427 per year, and a physician’s average salary is ₹990,689 per year.
- Kolkata:- The average salary of a hospital administrator in Kolkata is ₹294,791 per year, and the average salary is ₹616,736 per year.
- Mumbai:- In Mumbai, the average salary of a healthcare consultant is ₹1,593,084 per year, and a physician’s average salary is ₹1,437,970 per year.
- Bangalore:- The average salary of a physician in Bangalore is ₹747,459 per year, and the salary of a hospital administrator is ₹747,459 per year. The average salary of a healthcare consultant in Bangalore is ₹1,005,026 per year.
- The average salary in different fields within the healthcare sector
Here are the average salaries of professionals practising other medicines:
- Ayurveda:- Ayurveda is an ancient style of medicine that uses traditional herbs to cure diseases. As per Indeed’s stats, ayurvedic practitioners earn an average salary of ₹287,784 per year.
- Homoeopathy: This is a complementary medicine system that believes in the body’s healing power. According to Indeed, the average salary of homoeopathic practitioners in India is ₹ 3,56,819 per year.
- Allopathy:- This medical system believes in modern science and research. It focuses on the use of antibiotics. Allopathic physicians are in much demand in today’s time. According to Indeed, the average salary of an allopathic doctor in India is ₹5,97,677 per year.
- Naturopathy:- This is an alternative form of medicine that uses natural therapies to treat diseases. The average salary of a naturopathic physician in India is ₹540,000 per year.
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Conclusion
There is no shortage of career avenues in the healthcare sector in India. Most jobs in this sector promise high payouts. However, even though the barrier to entry is low in the Indian healthcare industry, there is massive competition in the market.
You can also explore the management side of healthcare rather than opting for a career in core healthcare services. However, it is necessary to possess the requisite skills to secure a healthcare management job. For a healthcare management role, you can pursue the Executive Post Graduate Programme in Healthcare Management from upGrad to learn the fundamentals of management and hospital administration.
How to build a career in hospital management in India?
To build a career in hospital management in India, you must take up Science in class 12th. However, although it is preferred, one does not necessarily need a degree in biology to build a career in hospital management. People who have completed their BBA degree or an MBA degree in hospital management can apply for jobs in the healthcare sector.
What are the career options in healthcare in India in the government sector?
Professionals with an MBBS, B. Sc Nursing, BDS, Bachelor of Physiotherapy, Bachelor of Occupational Therapy or any other degree in medicine can get government hospitals and colleges by clearing the required exams. Some of India's most popular government organisations that offer jobs in the healthcare sector include the Indian Council of Medical Research, Directorate General of Health Services, Central Council of Research in Ayurveda, Pharmacy Council of India, and Medical Council India. Also, professionals with a degree in management can apply for hospital management and administration jobs at government hospitals.
What are the new and upcoming jobs in healthcare in India?
In addition to the traditional roles like doctor, nurse or manager, several other attractive technical job opportunities are also rising in the healthcare sector. These include health information technicians, medical managers, programmer analysts, clinical analysts, precision medicine compounding pharmacists, 3D printing surgeons and specialists, medical VR programmers, epigenetic counsellors, virtual hospital managers, etc. These jobs are well suited for professionals with a technological background.
